Jacquizz Rodgers


Jacquizz "Quizz" Rodgers is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Oregon State, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

High school career

Rodgers attended Lamar Consolidated High School, where he played for the Mustangs football team. He broke out during his sophomore season with 2,278 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns averaging 9.4 yards per carry. In his junior season, he improved with 2,592 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns. As a senior, Rodgers led the Mustangs to the 2007 4A Division 1 State Football Championship. In the state championship, he rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries, blocked an extra point, recovered a fumble, and had six tackles on defense as the Mustangs won the state title over a Robert Griffin III-led Copperas Cove, 20-14. He finished his senior season with 2,890 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns, as well as 556 yards receiving and five touchdowns. His postseason honors following his senior season included being named the inaugural recipient of the Mr. Texas Football award, the 4A Region III Offensive Player of the Year, first team all-conference running back and defensive back, second team all-conference receiver, second team all-state defensive back, and fourth team all-state running back. He was also named the Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Year in Class 4A.
In his high school career, Rodgers amassed 8,246 rushing yards. He set the Texas state record for total touchdowns with 135 touchdowns in four years as a varsity player.

College career

Rodgers, who received offers from Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Oregon, USC, Houston, Baylor, and Tennessee decided to join his older brother James and enroll at Oregon State. Rodgers started out the season second on the depth chart but quickly took over as the starter. Most notably, his best game in his young college football career came in an upset of the then #1 ranked team in the country, the USC Trojans, when he had 36 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Rodgers broke the Pac-10 freshman rushing record during Oregon State's 34-6 victory over UCLA on November 8, 2008. At the end of the season, he was unable to play in the Civil War against Oregon due to injury and was beaten out by California's Jahvid Best as the 2008 Pac-10 Rushing Leader. He also missed the 2008 Sun Bowl. Rodgers finished the season with 1,253 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. He was named the 2008 Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
In 2009, Rodgers scored 23 total touchdowns, including one passing and one receiving. He finished the season with over 1,400 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving. After a 38-28 victory over Stanford, he recorded 271 total yards and four touchdowns, he was named Rivals.com Player of the Week and Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week. In the 2009 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas, he was thrown a backwards lateral, which resulted in the first fumble of his collegiate career. The Beavers lost that game to BYU.
On September 18, 2010, Rodgers finished with 132 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 22 receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown against Louisville. On October 2, against Arizona State, he had 145 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. On October 16, against Washington, he had 140 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. On October 30, against California, he had 116 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. In the 2010 season, he finished with 1,184 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, 44 receptions, 287 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns.

College statistics

College awards and honors

On January 10, 2011, Rodgers announced that he would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. He was originally listed as the number five running back prospect entering the draft by NFL Network's draft specialist, Mike Mayock.

Atlanta Falcons

Rodgers was drafted in the fifth round in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. He was signed by the Falcons on July 28, 2011. He scored his first touchdown on a reception in 2011 against their NFC South rival Carolina Panthers. In Week 17, Rodgers scored his first career rushing touchdown against divisional rival Tampa Bay. Overall, he finished his rookie season with 205 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 21 receptions, 188 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown. The Falcons made the playoffs with a 10–6 record. In the Wild Card Round against the New York Giants, he had four receptions for 18 yards in the 24–2 loss.
Rodgers started off the 2012 season with 22 rushing yards, 13 receiving yards, and 104 kick return yards against the Kansas City Chiefs. Overall, he finished the 2012 season with 362 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 53 receptions, 402 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown. The Falcons finished with a 13–3 record and made the playoffs. In the Divisional Round against the Seattle Seahawks, he had 64 rushing yards, eight receiving yards, and 105 kick return yards in the 30–28 victory. In the NFC Championship against the San Francisco 49ers, he had 32 rushing yards in the 28–24 loss.
On October 7, 2013, Rodgers had 43 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against the New York Jets. In the 2013 season, he had a career-high 96 rushing attempts for 332 yards as well as total touchdowns with four.
In the 2014 season opener against the New Orleans Saints, Rodgers had 34 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Overall, in the 2014 season, he finished with 217 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 29 receptions, 173 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown.

Chicago Bears

On March 31, 2015, the Chicago Bears signed Rodgers to a one-year contract. On October 12, 2015, Rodgers was placed on injured reserve after breaking his arm in the Bears' 18–17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. In the 2015 season, he finished with 41 rushing yards on 14 carries.
On March 9, 2016, Rodgers re-signed with the Bears on a one-year contract. He was released by the Bears on September 3, 2016.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On September 13, 2016, Rodgers signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On October 10, Rodgers had a career-high 30 carries for 101 yards on Monday Night Football helping the Buccaneers defeat the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers, 17-14. Two weeks later, he rushed 26 times for a career-high 154 yards in a victory over the San Francisco 49ers. In Week 16, against the New Orleans Saints, he was named starter after Doug Martin was made a healthy scratch, rushing 15 times for 63 yards and a touchdown. Rodgers finished the 2016 season with a career-high 129 carries for 560 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games played.
On March 9, 2017, Rodgers signed a two-year contract extension with the Buccaneers. On September 17, against the Chicago Bears, he had 67 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 29–7 victory. Overall, he finished the 2017 season with 244 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and nine receptions for 74 yards.
In the 2018 season, Rodgers finished with 106 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and 38 receptions for 304 receiving yards.

New Orleans Saints

Rodgers signed with the New Orleans Saints on August 3, 2019. He was released during final roster cuts on August 30, 2019.

Career statistics

Personal life

Rodgers is the nephew of former St. Louis Rams safety Michael Lewis. His older brother, James Rodgers, was a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Rodgers has two daughters, Channing and Hudson.