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Rodgers almost a no-namer on strong Dolphins defense

While others get the headlines, linebacker Derrick Rodgers just keeps making tackles and leading with his maturity.

By GREG AUMAN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 7, 2001

It took Derrick Rodgers longer than most to find a home in the NFL, so when the linebacker's initial four-year contract ran out this spring, he didn't feel a need to explore the riches of free agency.

Two days after he went on the open market, Rodgers signed a four-year, $13-million contract to stay with the Dolphins, who have had one of the NFL's top defenses in his tenure there.

"I thought Miami was a good place for me, and they were trying to get me back," said Rodgers, one of six defensive starters signed through 2003. "Why get away from a good thing here? This defense has so much ability, and with the talent around me, I've always said I'm the weakest link."

Rodgers, who will turn 30 in October, was 26 when he entered the NFL in 1997 after taking a less-than-traditional route to the pros. Rodgers did not play football in high school, and after serving four years in the Air Force, he walked on at Riverside (Calif.) Community College.

He starred as a sophomore there and then signed with Arizona State, where he helped the Sun Devils to an undefeated regular season before leaving for the NFL draft after his junior year. The Dolphins selected him in the third round, and he has started 60 games since.

That Rodgers, 6 feet 1 and 230 pounds, is still largely unknown across the league is a testament to the rest of the Miami defense. Headlines normally go to Pro Bowl regulars such as end Jason Taylor, linebacker Zach Thomas and cornerback Sam Madison, but Rodgers was second on the team last year with 67 solo tackles, his best total since his rookie season.

"Derrick has excellent speed for a linebacker, but he brings a lot of maturity to the defense," said linebackers coach Bob Sanders, who joined the Dolphins after 11 seasons at the University of Florida. "He's always very positive, and that kind of leadership is something you need on any team."

While keeping their defensive core intact, the Dolphins were active in upgrading their offense in the offseason. New faces include receivers James McKnight, Dedric Ward and rookie Chris Chambers, and rookie tailback Travis Minor from Florida State.

Rodgers said he also expects more this season from quarterback Jay Fiedler, who had 14 touchdown passes in his first year as a starter last season, despite the difficult task of replacing legend Dan Marino.

"How do you follow that?" Rodgers asked. "Pretty soon, it will be just like when Steve Young took over for Joe Montana. Once he took them to the promised land, yeah, it was Steve Young country out there. People are most comfortable with what they know."

Despite coming off the team's first division championship in six years, the Dolphins (11-5 in 2000) aren't typically mentioned in the same breath as AFC favorites Baltimore or Tennessee.

"I don't mind that at all," Rodgers said of the preseason snubs. "We just use that for motivation. Last year, nobody thought we'd win more than about five games. So we win 12 including a playoff game and everybody's saying, "Where'd Miami come from?' "

Working against the Dolphins' reputation are two lopsided playoff losses -- last year's 27-0 loss to Oakland and a 62-7 second-round thrashing by Jacksonville in 1999. This year's schedule allows the team to prove itself early, with Tennessee, Buffalo, Oakland and St. Louis (averaging 11 wins last season) all facing Miami in September.

"It's not going to be easy," Rodgers said. "The road to glory never is."

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