‘I wanted to stay out of it’

Part of why the family visit was so special for Rogers was that everyone finally got to sit down and talk, to reconnect. Rogers admits that, because he left home, he was never close with his brother, Terell, or his sisters: Missy, Iesha Jackson or Krystal Edwards.

His decision was a tough one and cost him some family time, but it’s not one he said he regrets.

Caring for others is not confined to Rogers’ off-field life.

The Steelers drafted Demarcus Ayers in the seventh round this offseason because they didn’t know what they had in Rogers; he had broken his foot in training camp, and special teams coach Danny Smith was critical of Rogers on draft night.

But when Ayers arrived, Rogers couldn’t have been nicer. He was friendly. He was funny. He was helpful.

Rogers earned a prominent role in the offense, while Ayers tore a ligament in his foot. That didn’t hurt the friendship. Ayers said Rogers would routinely offer words of encouragement from his own lost season, tell him to stay positive and even sit down and watch film with him for an afternoon, pointing out parts of the game plan and making Ayers feel like he was part of things.

“You don’t get that out of a lot of guys,” Ayers said. “You find some guys that it’s always about them. They’re

Like Brown, Rogers routinely stays out late for extra work after practice, refining his timing and technique.

Knowing what his mom continues to go through is a motivating factor for Rogers. The same for his never-ending desire to create a better life for those around him.

It may seem like a lot of pressure for someone in their mid-20s to shoulder, but Rogers doesn’t see it that way.

“I believe I’m the one who can bring change to my family,” Rogers said. “It’s not pressure. I believe it’s the role that God has given me. I take that role and run with it.”

After a so-so start, one that included a benching in the Steelers’ Week 7 loss to the Patriots, Rogers seemingly has found another gear.

“He has had steady growth once we hit that halfway mark,” Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said. “He wants to be good. He’s a hard worker. He watches a lot of tape. He’s a tough guy in there.”

Rogers might be tough, but he’s not arrogant or naive. He doesn’t pretend to know what it’s like to be his mom or feel what she feels. He has always admired how she prays every day and expresses gratitude for what she has, even if the situation sometimes looks bleak.

“She always says, ‘Thank you God for waking me up and giving me a breath to breathe,’ “Rogers said. “Through what she’s going through, it’s amazing to me to find the strength to wake up every day, in the situation she’s in, and do that.

“I think that really sparked something in me that gave me a drive to always want to keep God first and always want to stay positive and work hard for her to create that change.”

Rogers said his mom has been doing better, although he did not want her to talk for this story.

She wasn’t doing as well not long ago, Rogers said, and it’s one of the things that keeps him motivated to make these family get-togethers a regular thing.

Albeit in slightly larger settings.

“For her to be living, for her to be where she is now … because 10 years ago, five years ago, she wasn’t in this state of mind,” Rogers said. “To witness a person in the dark, and to come back to life, that speaks volumes. If that alone doesn’t make you believe in yourself, I don’t know what can.”