Connor Rogers didn’t need this — he wanted this.
Perhaps Rogers has taken the road less traveled to get to where he is today. Rogers has carved out a unique niche in the sports media landscape. Beyond his established role as an NFL Draft analyst and on-camera talent for NBC and PFF, he also brings his expertise to SportsNet New York’s coverage of the New York Mets and New York Jets.
There’s nothing traditional about commuting six hours back and forth to be a research assistant at Bleacher Report. But there’s nothing traditional about Connor Rogers. In an industry that often lacks authenticity, there are few people like Rogers.
In fact, he’s one of a kind.
But to understand Rogers and why he’s become one of the more successful and amplified voices in the NFL Draft space, you have to understand where this passion derives from. The sheer spectacle of hosting the draft at Radio City Music Hall, a place heavily associated with the Jets and their fans, undoubtedly captivated him.
However, the foundation of this passion was laid much earlier. Rogers grew up sharing his love for college football with his father, attending Jets games together. His father, a New York City firefighter in the Bronx, even took on a side hustle for a couple of years. A fellow firefighter did security work on the side, and Rogers’ father joined him, providing Rogers with a unique glimpse into the draft scene.
You can only begin to imagine the barrage of questions a young Rogers bombarded his father with after these experiences.
“I kind of fell into it,” he told Awful Announcing. “I’m obsessed with the idea of the next generation of NFL stars. Watching them in college and figuring out, ‘OK, who’s gonna be a huge impact NFL player?’ And the world of scouting was just something that when I was in college — I went to business school at Albany — but on the side, I used to blog for the Jets, and really blog for the draft with the Jets.”
Here are my top 301 players and position rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft ✅@NBCSports | @rotoworld_fb https://t.co/WPKI420F9i pic.twitter.com/Th74TVtVy4
— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) April 22, 2024
In the mid-2010s, podcasting was experiencing a surge in popularity, blogs were a dominant online platform, and in-depth explorations of niche topics were captivating audiences. This fertile ground not only gave rise to “Draft Twitter,” but it also provided a launchpad for analysts like Rogers to establish themselves online.
Rogers acknowledges that the NFL Draft has always held significance for him and others, but the digital age has genuinely amplified it. With social media, everyone has a platform to voice their opinions, and the draft is all about speculation and debate. It’s a captivating mix of theatrics, drama, insightful analysis, and passionate arguments, making it what Rogers describes as “the perfect sports world” for himself.
But to get to the penthouse of the NFL Draft Pantheon, Rogers had to start somewhere. He started in the basement, doing undrafted free-agent profiles for Joe Caporoso’s Turn On The Jets blog. Not many people are writing up UDFA profiles about Quincy Enunwa in 2012.
But Rogers was.
“If you could do that, watching third and fourth-rounders feels like watching superstars,” he said.
After that, beyond his role as a research assistant for Bleacher Report’s NFL coverage, Rogers also carved out time to contribute freelance work for USA Today’s Jets Wire. It allowed him to stay deeply connected to both the Jets and the NFL Draft while still fulfilling his full-time responsibilities at B/R.
Notably, all this hustle happened before he ever stepped on air or in front of a camera.
Despite graduating from the University of Albany in 2014 with a business degree, Rogers’ path wasn’t predetermined. He received attractive job offers in sales and marketing, promising a more lucrative future than the sports world. However, the prospect of a comfortable Manhattan life in a field devoid of passion held no appeal for him.
Determined to pursue his sports media dream, Rogers focused on Bleacher Report. He knew a research assistant position could be his entry point, even though it meant multiple interviews and a significant daily commute – six hours round trip – from his then-residence in Upstate New York.
“I knew it would be a long road,” Rogers explained. “I knew it’s not gonna be a lot of money. But I’m gonna wake up, and I’m gonna love what I do every single day, and I’m working in football.”
Talk about dedication to the grind.
For over a year, Rogers thrived in Bleacher Report’s energetic environment. The company boasted a large audience and a roster of media stars like Chris Simms, Adam Lefkoe, Matt Bowen, Michael Felder, Stephen Nelson, and Howard Beck. It was a breeding ground for talent, and Rogers felt included in that potential.
He began as a research assistant, then progressed to associate producer and, eventually, producer. During this time, Matt Miller, now an NFL Draft Analyst with ESPN, recognized the growing popularity of podcasts. His Twitter followers kept urging him to enter the podcasting space.
At the time, Bleacher Report’s podcasting scene was limited, with only the Simms & Lefkoe show gaining traction and Beck launching an NBA podcast. Miller envisioned an NFL Draft podcast and needed a producer, ideally someone who could co-host. Rogers eagerly took on the role, and initially, they planned for a weekly format.
Their enthusiasm grew, and they soon found themselves co-hosting every single week. Rogers’ role transcended behind-the-scenes work, evolving into a co-hosting partnership with Miller. In the spring of 2017, just weeks before the draft, Stick to Football was born.
“We start that podcast, it’s doing really, really well,” says Rogers. “It actually turned into something we never expected it to be, where eventually we’re on camera and have this great audience. At the time, it was really us and (Daniel Jeremiah’s) Move the Sticks. I don’t remember any other NFL Draft podcast existing when we started that.
“And plenty eventually did — and some of them have done really well. But that was like we were a little bit ahead of the charge, alongside Daniel Jeremiah, so I think that helped us, too. But when podcasts started to be on video, that was my chance to be on camera.
“I had never been on camera. I didn’t go to broadcasting school. I’d just been blogging and going on very, very small, regional radio appearances and podcast appearances. So, that helped me get reps on a show that was doing well enough.
“And then, eventually, I just realized all I wanted to do was be on camera, talking about the draft. I’m not saying writing’s dead, but the writing medium has completely changed. So, everything to me was about being on-camera, the entertainment aspect mixed with the informational aspect, and that was my chance. And from there, I kind of took it, and fortunately, I got really lucky; I got to run with it.”
And he’s run with it all the way to PFF, where he and Trevor Sikkema have taken the NFL Stock Exchange podcast to the moon.
But that’s not the only place you can consume Rogers’ content. He started freelancing at NBC in August 2022, but he started full-time there a year ago this past March.
“I mean, it’s amazing. I get to do so many things…It lets me get involved in a lot of unique areas,” he says. “Like doing fantasy football with Matthew Berry. The funny thing about watching Berry on TV for so long is now I sit next to him. We have so much fun on that show.
“My other co-host, Jay Croucher, he’s the best betting analyst in the entire space right now. I don’t even know if it’s close. Honestly, it’s quite incredible how bright and forward-thinking he is. I think us three combined with our other guy, Lawrence Jackson, who is a significant part of the show. He’s smart and entertaining. I think us four really have so much fun with it.”
Rogers said the NBC role lets him hit all his different interests, and he’s impressed at the level of trust they’ve shown in him.
“It’s where I get to do fantasy football all fall while I’m still scouting. And then in the spring, when we’re still doing that, I’m all in on the draft. All my written stuff for NBC, they’re like, ‘Hey, build your big board, watch all the tape, get ready to cover the draft for us.’ I go to the combine; I go to the Super Bowl. I get to sit down with over 30 players at the combine, and I get to know them and interview them.
“That kind of access and what they trust me with, the fact that I go to the combine and I’m sitting down with Michael Penix Jr. and all these different, huge prospects. It’s amazing that they trust me to do that.”
He said NBC’s production team, and the chance to work with Simms again, is another benefit for him.
“It’s made my process so much better as well. And then, obviously, kind of going full circle, co-hosting once in a while (Chris) Simms Unbuttoned. Just getting to not only stay in touch with Chris, but do more content with Chris, is an unbelievable blessing because we’ve worked together for so long. I’ve learned so much from him for so long.
“And the production team at NBC is out of this world. The resources and minds you have access to to become better at what you do is unlike anything I’ve experienced in my career so far.
NBC and PFF represent just a fraction of Rogers’ accomplishments. His inclusion in AA’s 2023 Rising Stars of Sports Media list is a testament to his budding talent. As mentioned at the time, Rogers’ ability to thrive across various platforms without sacrificing quality is a hallmark trait of his and shines throughout each and every medium you can consume his content on
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone in sports media who wears as many different hats as Connor Rogers and does their job as well as he does. And Rogers doesn’t have an issue with spreading himself too thin, in fact, he’s dynamite at everything does, which easily makes him a rising star in the industry. If you’re a New York Mets or Jets fan, you’re probably familiar with Rogers and his work on SNY.
After having a huge voice on Jets Twitter, Rogers has made himself a fixture for SNY’s New York Mets and Jets coverage. He’s also managed to significantly raise his stock when it comes to the NFL Draft and provides year-round expert coverage. He’s become a co-host of the largely successful NFL Stock Exchange podcast for Pro Football Focus and recently joined NBC Sports for its NFL Draft coverage and Fantasy Football Happy Hour. It’s only a matter of time before Rogers makes that full-time leap from local sports personality to national one. – Sam Neumann
Despite being a die-hard New York Mets and Jets fan who proudly proclaims his allegiance, but Rogers isn’t one to blindly promote his teams. He’s refreshingly honest about their shortcomings, even though they bring him immense joy and a fair amount of heartbreak. Yet, despite the rollercoaster ride that comes with being a Mets and Jets fan, Rogers is thrilled to be living out his childhood dream.
He co-hosts The Mets Pod with Joe DeMayo, presented by SNY. He also is part of the pregame and postgame coverage for the New York Jets on SNY, alongside Steve Gelbs, Bart Scott, and Willie Colon. Again, he wears many hats, but there’s never a dip in quality.
And he’d be the first person to ask you to pinch him. It’s not that Rogers isn’t well-deserving; it’s just hard sometimes to fathom that Gary Cohen is reading off a promo for his podcast during an actual Mets game.
“It’s a dream, right? And especially think how long I’ve watched SNY—it’s been such a big part of my life,” Rogers explained. “I’m a psychotic Mets fan that just doesn’t miss a lot of games, even if I have to have them on my phone wherever I am. Gary, Keith, and Ron are just kind of that background soundtrack that is just such a big part of my life.
“And then, how long I was watching Gelbs as part of the Mets’ coverage and then being on the desk with Gelbs, who’s the ultimate pro of pros. His hosting ability — the things I pick up from watching him and how much better he makes me, Willie, and Bart, and how much fun we have.”
He said that’s particularly notable for him given his memories.
“That’s the thing, I grew up a Mets and Jets fan from New York. I was in the Meadowlands. I’d park at the horse race track with my dad, and we walked what felt like a mile to the stadium. Basically, since I was out of a stroller, I could get into that stadium.
“The smell of charcoal, bad cigars, lite beer, and some piss is basically what I remember as a kid walking through that parking lot. And so for me, being on that desk and giving kind of a fan perspective mixed with a scouting perspective mixed with a lot of different views…And my view is of where the fanbase is sitting right now. Fanbase representation matters a lot. Think of the fanbase in any sport; it matters so much, and I feel like I get to cover that with both the Mets and Jets at SNY.
“It’s a credit to SNY. I don’t know a lot of places that are as comfortable with that. I think it’s getting more popular in this era, but SNY’s comfort level and trust in me with that has been unbelievable. And I’m really grateful for that because I think it shows in the content just how much fun we have while also trying to inform — whether it’s the Mets or Jets fans. And I think people are feeling like they’re getting information, but they’re also laughing at the same time.”
Obviously, watching a miserable Zach Wilson start isn’t enjoyable for anyone involved, whether you’re Gelbs, Rogers, Scott, and Colon. Of course, all of them have some affinity for Gang Green, but it also makes their lives easier when things are going well, and there’s more enthusiasm in watching. But that doesn’t mean Rogers takes the “ultimate luxury” of watching games with Scott and Colon for granted.
Think of any question you’ve ever wanted to ask about football—and Scott and Colon are just sitting there.
And while watching the Mets and Jets can put their toll on just about anybody, there’s a part of Rogers who’s still that little kid amongst the smells of the parking lots at Giants Stadium who hopes this never goes away. To him, one of the premier play-by-play broadcasters of all sports in Cohen saying his name is not something he envisions ever getting old.
“I remember the first time I ever heard it; it was a little bit of a pinch-me moment,” says Rogers. “And I don’t say that often. I watch thousands and thousands of Mets games, and just for my name to come up for one second of it is a feeling that’ll never get old, in my opinion.”
But as Rogers becomes a veteran in the industry, there’s been some full-circle moments along the way. He started writing for Caporoso’s Jets blog more than 12 years ago, and Caporoso was at Rogers’ wedding this May. Together, the two have a successful subscription podcast on Patreon called Badlands, which has nearly 3,000 members and is growing daily.
The two will record at any moment’s notice, as Rogers quips about the Jets’ timing being somewhat unbelievable — often sometimes hard to fathom. But what’s easy to digest is that timing has never been something Rogers concerns himself with. If it were, he probably wouldn’t be one of the best NFL Draft analysts in the game. Perhaps he’d be in Manhattan, working a desk job where he waits to run out the clock.
But time passes quickly when you’re doing what you love, and Rogers can confidently say that all these years later.
