There are times when players lose their cool and do something regrettable on the field. There are even times when there are all-out brawls during the game. However, when parents get involved, it's a completely different story and one ex-NFL player did one of the most unthinkable things at a middle school youth sports team meeting last month.
Earlier this season, one youth football parent slammed a referee to the ground and got the entire team banned for the season. Well, former NFL All-Pro running back and returner Charlie Rogers somehow took it a step further and threatened someone with a sword during an argument at a youth basketball travel team meeting on October 5 at Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School in Cliffwood, New Jersey.
John "Charlie" Rogers Jr turned himself in to authorities on Monday and was charged with making terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, stalking and unlawful possession of a weapon, according to the Asbury Park Press and Aberdeen Police Chief John T. Powers.
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Rogers, who played five seasons in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, was arrested and taken to the Monmouth County jail in Freehold Township, but was released and awaits the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office to take the charges to a grand jury.
This doesn't sound like Rogers was playing around and brought a cheap plastic sword. No, the 42-year-old legitimately made terroristic threats by wielding a sword during an event for parents.
If that sounds bad, it is, but it gets even worse. The arrest comes nearly three months after Rogers was fired from his job as the offensive coordinator at St. John Vianney High School for leaving a profanity-filled voicemail for the parent of an 11-year-old player on another team. The voicemail included threats of sending players after the parent's kid and blitzing every play until his child came out of the game.
One would like to think Rogers knows better. He's been around sports all of his life as a star at Matawan Regional High School and for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He even played in the NFL after being a fifth-round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft and was a youth sports coach for years.
That doesn't always mean the best outcome is going to happen, and it clearly didn't here.
