Isaiah Rodgers was never the full-time starter for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was never the lockdown corner that could make him among the highest paid at his position.
But when the Eagles needed him to step up at different points in their Super Bowl season, that is all Rodgers did.
Now, he gets rewarded with a two-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings and a chance to start on a top defense in the league. Rodgers was considered one of the top up-and-coming corners in the league with the Indianapolis Colts before he was suspended for gambling two years ago.
It was in a most literal sense a "gambling problem'' if only because his relatively silly mistake could've cost him a career.
Philadelphia gave him a chance. And along the way taught him the necessary skills he can use to be successful moving forward in his journey across the NFL.
“Just understanding how to be a teammate, with being out a year and coming back and playing ball again, so learning how to be a good teammate on and off the field no matter what your role is, being prepared and ready for when your moment comes,” Rodgers said. “I think that showed me a lot last year, the role I had and being part of a great organization over there and coming out with a Super Bowl. It was a great experience.”
Rodgers is a Super Bowl champion and was a key cog whenever one of Philadelphia's starters went down with an injury. It shows he can handle a starting duty across the league.
The Eagles may not have been able to guarantee that, but they at least imparted some wisdom for Rodgers to be able to use.
