Father knows best for Riders’ Kacy Rodgers
EDMONTON Football is just one thing Kacy Rodgers has in common with his father.
For starters, there’s the whole name thing.
Kacy Rodgers is the defensive co-ordinator of the NFL’s New York Jets. Kacy Rodgers II is a defensive back with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.
For a pro football player, having an NFL coach for a dad could be somewhat stressful, what with the expectations and constant advice. But the younger Rodgers says it’s “awesome.”
“I really don’t even think about it, to be honest with you,” said Rodgers, who’s to play his second game with Saskatchewan on Friday when it faces the host Edmonton Eskimos (8 p.m., TSN, CKRM). “I’ve been a coach’s kid my entire life, so it’s really nothing new to me. I just know him as my dad.”
The younger Rodgers never played for his dad in any sport growing up.
In fact, Kacy said his father didn’t get to see him play much until the son was at the University of Miami. But Kacy knew his dad was “always there in spirit” and was willing to make suggestions if asked.
“From high school to college to professional, he’s always given me advice and tips about things that I can do better,” said Rodgers, a 24-year-old product of Southlake, Texas.
“From that standpoint, it’s always an advantage to have that (as a resource), but it’s nothing that I stand on.”
The elder Rodgers played at the University of Tennessee from 1988 to 1991 and then had pro stints with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers and the CFL’s Shreveport Pirates.
After his playing career ended in 1994, he embarked on a coaching career that has taken him through the college ranks and into the NFL. In addition to the Jets, he has worked with the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.
Because of Rodgers’ resume, his son understands that people have had expectations for him.
“I’m sure the outside world had perceptions: ‘He’s got to play football. He’s got to play defence. He’s got to go to the University of Tennessee, blah blah blah,’ ” Kacy said.
While he did end up playing football — and playing defence — Kacy went to Miami instead.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder then signed as an undrafted free agent with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs in May 2014 before joining the Eskimos’ practice roster in June 2015.
In Edmonton, Rodgers learned the CFL ropes from then-Eskimos head coach-defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones, who now holds the same titles in Saskatchewan.
Rodgers got into his first game with Saskatchewan on Saturday.
In his Roughriders debut, Rodgers had three tackles, a near-interception that instead went for a Hamilton Tiger-Cats touchdown, and an illegal-contact penalty that sustained a Hamilton drive.
On Friday, he’ll renew acquaintances with Eskimos receivers Adarius Bowman and Derel Walker.
“We’re going to battle like we always do,” Walker said. “We’re brothers. I have the utmost respect for him, but I’m not going to go lightly on him and I don’t expect him to do that for me either.”