Richard Rodgers - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Richard Rodgers

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Phone:
540-568-6517
Physical Address:
Plecker APC 224 (220 Champions Dr.) / MSC 2201

Richard Rodgers is in his first season with the James Madison football program in 2025, as he serves as associate head coach.

Rodgers brings in 35 years of coaching experience and returns to the college football after a dozen years in the National Football League.

Most recently, Rodgers spent four seasons coaching in the secondary with the Washington Commanders (2020-23). He was an assistant defensive backs coach for the first three seasons before being promoted to senior defensive assistant and safeties coach for his final campaign in 2023. In his first season, the Commanders, then known as the Washington Football Team, won the NFC East Division, advancing the 2020 Wild Card round.

Prior to his move to D.C., Rodgers coached in numerous capacities over eight seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2012-19). After beginning as assistant special teams coach, he was promoted to special teams coordinator during his first season, holding the role through 2014. Rodgers also coached in the secondary, primarily with the safeties over his final five years in Charlotte. He was part of four playoff teams, which was highlighted by the 2015 season in which the Panthers went 15-1 and advanced to Super Bowl 50 for the franchise’s second trip to the Super Bowl. Rodgers helped coach Carolina to three straight NFC South Division titles (2013-15) and three playoff wins.

While in the NFL, Rodgers coached a pair of former JMU All-Americans in safety Dean Marlowe (2016 in Carolina) and cornerback Jimmy Moreland (2020 in Washington).

Before his jump to the NFL, Rodgers spent 23 years coaching college football across five institutions. Before the Panthers, Rodgers was secondary coach at Holy Cross for seven seasons (2005-11), which included his final six serving as the team’s defensive coordinator. His Holy Cross defense developed into one of the top defenses in the Patriot League, highlighted by a 2009 season in which the Crusaders won the Patriot League championship. It was the program’s first conference title in 18 years and just its second berth in the FCS playoffs.

Prior to Holy Cross, Rodgers was a secondary coach at New Mexico State (2001-04) for four seasons. The Aggies registered 45 total interceptions during his time in Las Cruces and the defensive unit improved from 87th nationally to 40th in total defense.

Rodgers also had collegiate coaching stops at Portland State (1997-2000) as a secondary and special teams coach, San Jose State (1995-96) as a secondary and special teams assistant and Diablo Valley Community College (1989-94) as an assistant.

He additionally coached for the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe in 1998 and was a coaching intern with the Oakland Raiders in 1996.

Rodgers is a 1992 graduate of the University of California where he was a two-time Second Team All-Pac 10 selection between 1980 and 1984. He was special teams captain for the Golden Bears for three seasons and called “The Play” in the huddle to defeat Stanford in the iconic finish in 1982. During “The Play,” Rodgers was the second and fourth player to handle the ball on the famed five-lateral, last-play touchdown return.

After his college playing days, Rodgers played professionally both in the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League. That included a career playing for the Chicago Bruisers, Denver Dynamite, Los Angeles Cobras and the Sacramento Attack of the AFL between 1987 and 1992. He caught 43 passes for 475 yards and 10 touchdowns during his AFL career.

Rodgers has three children: Kayla, Richard and Christopher. His son Richard, a former NFL tight end, caught the 61-yard, hail mary pass from Aaron Rodgers on Dec. 3, 2015, to help the Green Bay Packers defeat the Detroit Lions, 27-23, a play known as the Miracle in Motown.