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DC Defenders player skips mother's funeral for XFL game, pursue his dreams

Defenders wide receiver Eli Rogers said in a series of tweets that skipping his mother's funeral to play an XFL game was one of the toughest decisions he's made.

WASHINGTON — Wide receiver Eli Rogers had a tough decision on Saturday. Play with the D.C. Defenders against the New York Guardians or attend his mother's funeral. 

Rogers chose to play in Washington instead of going to his mother's funeral, according to USA Today and multiple tweets from his Twitter account. 

"Today was one of the toughest decisions I had to make in my life. My mother’s final service is today and I am not going to be there. After a long talk with God and her, I came to this conclusion ... I know most people may think I am crazy. Selfish even," said Rogers in his tweets. "I know my mother is proud of who I am today and the decision I chose today. Without Her sacrifice and humiliation, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It is because of her I was able to be in a position to chase my dreams. That is all she wanted from me. I Love You Ma."

While missing your mother's funeral may not go over well with family members, sometimes sports can get in the way. Especially if you are a new player in the XFL (a new league itself), and have very limited opportunities to impress coaches and teams, hoping to further your career and the opportunities for your family.

For those who think Rogers made a bad decision, he understands, saying, "I respect your opinion. But in life, sometimes, it is not about doing what you feel is right, it is about doing what you know is right. It’s not about physically knowing someone. It is about building a relationship with a person from the inside out."

Rogers went to the University of Louisville for college and was a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2015-18, after going undrafted out of college. 

During his time with the Steelers, the 27-year-old played in 30 games, had 78 receptions and scored four touchdowns. 

Rogers was drafted by the Defenders in the 2020 XFL Supplemental Draft. 

The Defenders won its second game of the season 27-0 and will play the Los Angeles Wildcats next Sunday at 6 p.m. It will be the Defenders' first away game of the season. 

Cardale Jones, the quarterback for the Defenders, is one of the bigger names in the XFL. 

Jones played for Ohio State University during its national championship-winning season in 2014-15. He played for the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks for a brief period following his college career. 

Pep Hamilton is the head coach for the Defenders. His last coaching job was as an offensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the University of Michigan.

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