Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Eli Rogers, 2015-2018

First, what’s been going on with you – what have you been up to this season?

Well I’m training right now – getting ready for when the next opportunity presents itself. I’m spending time with my family – catching up with my sisters and brother more. It’s been a blessing.

What’s been the hangup do you think in getting picked up by teams – what’s your agent telling you?

Well I had re-injured my knee and needed a scope for that – so that was a holdup. I expect some opportunities to open up soon though. I’ve been working out and am in great shape – better than I’ve ever felt. I’m just staying prepared.

Stepping back on your start in the NFL – what made you decide to sign with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent?

They were really the first team to call me after the draft. I always really liked the Steelers – they were my favorite team, so it was a no-brainer. Coach Tomlin or Coach Haley called me – I forget which one – to let me know. Coach Haley was the one who really took a chance on me. I really appreciate all that Todd Haley did for me.

What made him decide to do so, do you think?

At my Pro Day in Louisville, he, Coach Tomlin and Danny Smith were there. They had me run some routes and I think Coach Haley took a liking to me there. Coach Tomlin wanted to see me catch some punts and I caught those well so I think that helped too.

When you got to Pittsburgh, who helped mentor you – on and off the field – and how so?

I was a young kid – and once you get to the NFL, they throw so much at you. It’s a different structure – finances and things that come at you. Family, friends… Coach Tomlin, Haley, Ben – they were good mentors. Kevin Colbert too. They were all; good in helping to bounce thoughts and ideas off and insight on how to approach those types of off-field things you deal with. Being able to separate the on-field stuff from the off-field stuff is so important and they helped me to stay focused.

And you got to play with you high school teammate Artie Burns…

That was great – he got there after I did. He is a great guy – it was great to be back and connected again.

What do you think enabled you to not just make the team bit be a big contributor, even as an undrafted free agent?

Consistency. I was where I needed to be and I was good at getting open.

My route-running and being able to beat man coverage-  to beat it consistently – that was something I did well. I caught a lot of third-down passes for first downs. My knowledge of the game and technique helped me – I was able to get open a lot because of those things.

So what happened after you had some successful seasons but didn’t make the team afterwards? Numbers game? What did they say to you?

I’m just thankful for the opportunity to live out a dream. I’m not going to get into that – you’ll have to ask them. I’m just thankful to the team – they are having a great season and may win the Super Bowl. That would be a great thing for the city.

What are some of the best off-field memories you have of your time in Pittsburgh?

One recent memory was the opportunity to go to Ben’s house and experience his life an spend time with him. To bond and connect with him as a person. We shared some good times and talks – I’m very thankful for that memory. That always stays in the center of my mind.

What about that time impacted you so much?

Just from where I came from – I had my dreams of success. To be able to hang out with a Hall of Fame quarterback – to see how he lived and spend time at his beach house with his family – just seeing where he is in his life. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to do that with someone of his caliber. It holds a great magnitude of importance to me.

And off-field memories that stand out?

One memory that I’m sure many Steelers fans remember. It was a Christmas night game versus the Ravens. It was the last drive and we were going no-huddle. Ben hit some guys downfield and we were driving. It was third and 12 and Ben rolled to his right and I made a great catch for the first down.  I came across the middle as he was rolling out and he threw it in an area where I could make a catch  and I made a great catch. That memory stands out for me.

You spoke of some of the guys that helped mentor you in Pittsburgh.  Who else had an impact on you during your time there?

Really all the guys had an impact on me. I’m always open to learning from anyone. Knowledge has no face. I took in a lot from everyone there – especially from the coaches. Coach Mann, Coach Drake – God rest his soul.

What did Coach Drake mean to you and that wide receivers room?

Coach Drake was a great man. He really wanted the best for all of us. He believed in me – in my ability. There was never a moment where he gave up on me – or anybody. There was never a moment like that.

He was like that eye in the sky – he directed me in the right direction – whether or not I could see it then. He believed in me and thought that no one could cover me. He thought I was a great route-runner and believed in my ability as a receiver.

So if the Steelers call you and say come on back?

I’d be very appreciative of the opportunity and make the most of it. I’m acquainted with the offense and know the guys there of course.

And tell me about the Believe Brand I know you’ve been working hard on? 

We’ll be relaunching it soon yeah. You can go to EliRogersMerch.com  – we’ll be dropping some great stuff there soon. You can also follow me on Twitter @__bELIeve17 and Instagram @whoisbelieve . I just started live-streaming workouts so fans can ask me questions and watch my workouts.

Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades.  To order, just click on the book: