Jeff Rohrer
| Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 880: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 800: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |||||||
| No. 50 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | December 25, 1958 Inglewood, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, California)[1] | ||||||
| College | Yale | ||||||
| NFL draft | 1982: 2nd round, 53rd overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||
| |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
| |||||||
| Coaching profile at Pro Football ReferenceLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |||||||
Jeffrey Charles Rohrer (born December 25, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Yale Bulldogs and was selected in the second round of the 1982 NFL draft.
Early life
[edit | edit source]Rohrer attended Mira Costa High School, where he played football.[2] He was a National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete.
In 2014 Rohrer was inducted into Mira Costa's Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame, in the same group of inductees as musician Jim Lindberg and scientist Lance J. Dixon.[3]
College career
[edit | edit source]Rohrer accepted a football scholarship from Yale University. As a sophomore in 1978, he was a backup defensive end. He did not attend school in 1979.
As a junior in 1980, he was moved to inside linebacker and helped his team win the Ivy League championship. He registered 110 tackles (second on the team), 54 solo tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. He suffered a fractured ankle and missed the last 3 games of the season.[4]
As a senior in 1981, he posted 136 tackles (school record), 71 solo tackles, 4 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception, while receiving All-Ivy League and All-New England honors. The team shared the Ivy League championship, tying Dartmouth College with a 9-1 overall record, and was briefly ranked in the nation’s top 20, with three of its players selected in the 1982 NFL draft.[5]
Professional career
[edit | edit source]Rohrer was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round (53rd overall) of the 1982 NFL draft, which at the time was considered a reach by the media.[6] As a rookie, he played in 8 games on the special teams units.[2] The next year in addition to special teams, he played on the short-yardage and goal line defenses.
In 1984, he was the backup at middle linebacker, until being moved to outside linebacker when Billy Cannon Jr. suffered a neck injury. The next year, he replaced Anthony Dickerson as the starting right outside linebacker, posting 54 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
In 1986, he registered 111 tackles (second on the team), 2 sacks, 4 forced fumbles (led the team) and one fumble recovery. In 1987, he was replaced on passing downs, but still managed 74 tackles (third on the team), 4 sacks (led the linebackers) and 2 fumble recoveries. During training camp in 1988, he was hospitalized with a bulging disc in his lower back, which required season ending surgery.[7]
In 1989, with the arrival of head coach Jimmy Johnson, he was released before the season started, as part of a youth movement.[8] During his time with the Cowboys, he was considered a tough and outspoken player.[9]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]On November 18, 2018, Rohrer and Joshua Ross were married.[10][11] His marriage made him the first NFL player, former or current, to enter into a same-sex marriage.[12][13] Rohrer was formerly married to Heather Rohrer, with whom he had two children.[14]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- 1958 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Manhattan Beach, California
- Players of American football from Los Angeles County, California
- American football outside linebackers
- Yale Bulldogs football players
- Dallas Cowboys players
- American gay sportsmen
- LGBTQ people from California
- LGBTQ players of American football
- Mira Costa High School alumni
- 20th-century American sportsmen