EX-NFL WR CHARLES ROGERS DEAD AT 38 Reportedly Battled Cancer And Liver Disease Charles Rogers -- the #2 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft -- has died, TMZ Sports has confirmed. He was only 38. One of the people confirming his death is former Michigan State teammate Chris Baker. "Devastated to learn of the passing of my spartan brother Charles Rodgers," Baker said. "Spoke with his mom this morning. Please pray for her and his children. Please also be respectful of their privacy at this difficult time. Rip Chuck." [...] He was cut by the Lions in 2006, essentially ending his NFL career. After his football career ended, Rogers admitted he had struggled with substance abuse -- including an addiction to Vicodin. He had been arrested multiple times for alcohol-related issues. Rogers is survived by 8 children. 7:33 AM PT -- Rogers had been diagnosed with liver disease and cancer and was awaiting a liver transplant before he died, his former high school coaches told MLive.com. "He had cancer, whether that was related to his liver I don’t know,” Rogers' ex-Saginaw High basketball coach Marshall Thomas said. "They had given him 30 days to live if he didn’t get a liver transplant." Rogers' high school football coach Don Durrett added, "I called his mom at the hospital over the weekend and got a chance to talk to Charles ... He said he was going to the Lord."
Sad to hear. About a month ago I was randomly looking back at the 2003 NFL Draft with Andre Johnson and then remembered that this guy was picked ahead of him. I found an article about him and read that he was living a modestly as a mechanic at his friend's shop. He seemed to accept what had happened in his career and was content with it.
Wow, terrible news. If he really needed a liver transplant at age 38, he must have had major substance abuse concerns. Alcohol abuse and Vicodin abuse will damage anybody's liver, let alone a former athlete.
