Wide receiver Eli Rogers had a difficult decision to make — to suit up for his second-ever XFL game with the DC Defenders or attend his mother’s funeral.
Rogers, who played for three NFL seasons and now is trying to revive his football career in the newly formed league, decided to play.
As the USA Today reported, the 27-year-old wide receiver lost his mother, Tranae Jackson, on February 5. Her funeral was scheduled for Saturday at the same time the Defenders were set to play the New York Guardians. Rogers took to Twitter to explain why he felt he needed to play and how he came to the decision after praying about it.
In a message posted shortly before kickoff, Rogers explained that it was his mother’s sacrifice that helped him excel at football and eventually become a professional player, and he wanted to honor her by playing.
“I know my mother is proud of who I am today, and the decision I chose today,” Rogers wrote shortly before kickoff.
“Without her sacrifice and humiliation, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It is because of her I was able to be in a position to chase my dreams. That is all she wanted from me.”
Rogers added after the game that he sent his condolences in the form of a heartfelt letter, which was read at her funeral.
“I just wrote a letter. I let my family read it at the funeral,” he shared.
“They said it was a great turnout. I can’t wait to go back there and speak to them, let them tell me all about it.”
The receiver also thanked his coaches and teammates for their support, noting that it was difficult to make it through the week. Rogers said he missed a practice this week as he was dealing with the grief of losing his mother.
As the USA Today report noted, Jackson raised Rogers and his four siblings in one of the poorest areas of Miami. She was the sole caregiver for the family despite living with AIDS since Rogers was 8, the report added.
Rogers had a strong performance in Saturday’s 27-0 win, catching five passes for 49 yards including a 25-yard catch on the team’s first play from scrimmage.
Rogers played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, including a rookie year in which he had 48 catches for 594 yards. His role on the Steelers diminished and he had only 79 total yards in his final season in 2018. Rogers did not play in 2019 but signed on with the Defenders in the newly formed XFL .
