Isaiah Rodgers will sometimes pick up his phone to see a photo memory pop up on his screen from a year ago. It’s a memory of him sitting on his couch in Tampa or working out on an empty football field.
So he constantly has chances to reflect.
“This time next year,” Rodgers said, “it will be pictures and videos of me playing football.”
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Rodgers, 26, had to sit out the entire 2023 season after getting suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy. He was signed by the Eagles but couldn’t be in the building, couldn’t practice, couldn’t play. So he just patiently waited for his suspension to be lifted. It wasn’t easy.
And ever since he got reinstated back on April 23, he’s been grateful for every opportunity that has come his way.
That’s why after spending most of training camp as a starting outside cornerback, Rodgers wasn’t overly upset when he began the season on the bench in favor of rookie Quinyon Mitchell. He was on a team, he had a role.
“I’m just grateful,” Rodgers said. “I didn’t expect for me to be anywhere dating back to where I was last year. Just being here, whether it was one rep, no reps, just the fact that I’m here, that’s all I really take from it.”
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Over the first seven weeks of the season, Rodgers has played sparingly but a few injuries to Darius Slay have helped him get some snaps. And Rodgers came through in a huge way on Sunday in Cincinnati when he batted a Joe Burrow pass to Ja’Marr Chase into the waiting hands of teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson for an interception in the 37-17 win.
It was a huge play against one of most dangerous players in the NFL.
“Big moment,” Rodgers said. “Once I lined up, I’m like, ‘OK, we’re up right now. And we haven’t had a turnover yet so it’s really our time. They’re going to try me. One of the best receivers in the league.’ Just really preparing for that type of moment and understanding that this is really my chance right now to make a play and that’s really what happened.”
Rodgers replaced Slay in Cincinnati after the Pro Bowler suffered a groin injury that forced him out of action. This week, Slay has missed the first two practices of the week and is in serious jeopardy of sitting out against the Jaguars. If he doesn’t play, Rodgers would get his first start in the NFL since Dec. 25, 2022.
If that happens, nobody will be cheering for Rodgers harder than Slay.
Rodgers said the Eagles’ defensive captain was waiting for him in the locker room to celebrate after the win. And Rodgers said that during his year away from the NFL in 2023, both Slay and Kelee Ringo were communicating with him often. It helped Rodgers feel connected to the team he’d eventually join.
Ringo said he contacted Rodgers on Instagram to get his phone number and would talk to Rodgers at least a couple times per week last year. Ringo figured it was a good idea to start building that relationship as early as possible because he knew they’d be spending an awful lot of time together this season.
“Just about the program and looking forward to getting around him,” Ringo said. “We would talk ball and just get to know him as a person. So everything would be easier when he got here.”
It worked.
Even though Rodgers and Ringo were seemingly battling for a starting gig this summer — neither of them got it because the first-round pick Mitchell was ready from the jump — they got along great and have become close friends.
After watching Rodgers go through his year away from the league, it has been rewarding for Ringo to watch him find success. Ringo was very happy to see Rodgers make that play last week.
“It’s huge, man,” Ringo said. “He’s been working really hard. I’m around him every single day and I see the way he works. I see how much he’s bought into the program. I have a lot of confidence in him.”
Rodgers this season has been in five games, playing 58 snaps on defense and 50 on special teams. But with Slay’s status in question for the Jaguars game, the Eagles are probably going to need a big start from Rodgers at the Linc this Sunday.
After this season, Rodgers will become an unrestricted free agent so a strong performance on Sunday could show the rest of the league what he can do. But he’s not worried about that.
He’s not even worried about whether or not he starts. He insists his preparation will remain the same.
“It’s just all been a big blessing to me,” Rodgers said. “No matter how many plays I play this year, it’s more than I played last year. I’m just grateful for all the opportunities.”
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