Three years ago, CB Carlos Rogers joined the San Francisco 49ers after six seasons with the Washington Redskins. The 49ers hadn't had a winning season since 2002. In Rogers three seasons in San Francisco, the 49ers lost a total of 11 games and went to the Conference Championship, Super Bowl XLVII and the Conference Championship again.
In March 2014, Rogers signed with the Oakland Raiders. The veteran cornerback joined a free agent class that was characterized as castoffs and players past their prime. But almost all of the new additions had something in common – playoff experience.
Rogers also understands what it takes to turn a struggling franchise around and hopes he can help bring that change like he participated in across the Bay. "I've been in this situation before, a team that brought me in to help change things around and hopefully I can bring that same attitude, that intensity, that same work ethic and we can get this thing changed around," said Rogers.
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| CB Carlos Rogers and more of the Raiders defensive backfield. Photo by Tony Gonzales | |
The Augusta, Ga., native likes how it feels to wear the Silver and Black. "It feels good. Everybody always talks about the uniform," said Rogers. "It always feels good to put that black on. It looks good and you can play good in it."
Rogers joined the Raiders with his 49ers teammate Tarell Brown, an eight-year veteran himself. They stepped into a defensive backs room ranging from rookies, young players and one 17-year vet. Despite the eclectic group, Rogers believes they are gelling well as a unit.
"It's real good. I think everybody is out for the same goal," said Rogers. "Number one is trying to do our part with this team to try and help turn this team around. And I think with the leadership with Charles Woodson on down to the youngest guy on our team in the secondary, everybody listens, everybody is trying to be on the same page. It's not going to be easy. It's nothing we're going to get in one week or two weeks, but throughout this training camp, and by the time we get to game one, we should all be on the same page as far as our communication and things that we need to do to help this team out."
Rogers understands what it takes to be successful in the NFL. He was a Pro Bowler in 2011 and has recorded 106 passes defensed and 17 interceptions so far. Part of that success comes from his ability to leave the previous play behind and move on with renewed focus and determination. "Number one is being able to put things behind you, move on to the next play. You have a lot of challenges each and every play, and if you get beat for a touchdown, put it away, because at the same time, you can come back and end the game with a touchdown, with a pick, and people forget about that," he explained. "You have to be able to cover and when it's a run play, you have to be able to be able to tackle. I think if you continue to do that, and stay in shape and be able to run, you'll be able to play awhile."
The winner of the Jim Thorpe Award during his time in Auburn, Rogers knows how to play football. He's been playing since he was eight years old. "My mother has eight brothers and two other sisters and they all were in sports. Growing up in the backyard, in the country, that's all we did," said Rogers. "You either had a basketball or a football. Starting at eight years [old], I played football and just continued to do that throughout high school."
Once he chose football, it was his desire to be great that kept him in it. "I've been able to listen. I've been able to be coachable," said Rogers. "I've been able to take things I've been able to learn from my past and other people's games and put it into my game, stay in shape, stay healthy. And just have that drive and that nature that I can still play this game no matter what my age is or how many years I've been in the league."
Rogers' has been motivated and inspired by his family since he was a kid. It was his family that initially started him playing football and it was the influence of his parents and grandparents that put him on the right path. "My grandparents – the drive they had to keep their family together back in that time when they were kind of poor…My dad stopped my mom from working when I was four years old to make sure I got into sports and she could be there with us, me and my brother, doing school and after school programs. I take a lot from everybody. I continue to do that."
Photo by Tony Gonzales
And when it came to football, Rogers looked up to Deion Sanders and Charles Woodson. "Of course, playing corner, Deion Sanders. I still look up to him to this day," said Rogers. "If I had to get into radio, looking at the stuff he's doing on NFL Network, he's very inspirational to me. And a guy on my team, Charles Woodson…I used to want to be like him in college. Then you're going to look at what he does and try to emulate that and try to be better than him. I could never reach that point, but it's just something that's a big goal you try to stick to and hopefully that can bring the best out of you."
It his love for football and his hopes of winning a championship that keep him motivated. "Chasing a ring, number one. And second of all, if I'm able to play and it's something I love doing, I've been playing since I was eight years old, I'm going to continue to play," said Rogers. "It's the competition – just competing. Whatever you do, whether it's football, whether it's playing basketball or any sports, racing, anything that you do, it's just that competitive nature in you that you just want to compete. And football it just happens to be something I love doing and you can compete pretty much every down that you're out there on the field, so that's what I like about it."
Rogers' competitiveness, knowledge of the game and determination to turn the Raiders around is what brought him to Oakland. And now that he's experienced Raider Nation for the first time at O.co Coliseum, he's ready to make the 2014 season a good one. "It felt real good to see all the fans out there. To put that uniform on and the crowd is pretty much dressed like us in that black and it feels good to see those guys out there," said Rogers. "It feels good most importantly to have a win in front of them. And the thing about that is we have to continue that and change this around."
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