Amari Rodgers Bio
Amari Jai Rodgers is an American professional football wide receiver who most recently played for the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Clemson and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Over the course of his career, he has also spent time with the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts, showcasing his skills and adaptability across multiple teams.
Early Life and Background
Amari Jai Rodgers was born on September 23, 1999, in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the United States. He grew up surrounded by football, as he is the son of college football coach Tee Martin, a background that helped shape his early understanding of the sport. He attended Knoxville Catholic High School, where he developed into one of the most highly regarded wide receiver prospects in the country.
As a senior at Knoxville Catholic, Rodgers caught 40 passes for 1,238 yards and 18 touchdowns, finishing his high school career with 3,498 receiving yards and 47 total touchdowns. He was rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the 16th highest rated wide receiver recruit nationally by the 247Sports Composite. Rodgers originally committed to the University of Southern California before flipping to Clemson after the Tigers extended an offer late in his senior season.
Path to American Football
Rodgers arrived at Clemson in 2017 and quickly became a contributor in a deep wide receiver room. As a freshman, he recorded 19 receptions for 123 yards, giving coaches a glimpse of his versatility. He also contributed on special teams throughout his time in college, an area that would later define part of his professional value.
As a sophomore in 2018, Rodgers caught 55 passes for 575 yards and 4 touchdowns and returned a punt for a touchdown, helping Clemson win the College Football Playoff National Championship that season. He missed the first game of his junior year in 2019 after suffering an ACL tear in spring practice, but he returned to record 30 receptions for 426 yards and 4 touchdowns. He chose to return for his senior season in 2020 rather than enter the NFL Draft, finishing with 77 receptions for 1,020 yards and 7 touchdowns and earning First-team All-ACC honors.
Amari Rodgers Career
Green Bay Packers (2021–2022)
The Green Bay Packers selected Rodgers in the third round with the 85th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, sending their 92nd and 135th overall picks to the Tennessee Titans to move up for him. He signed his four-year rookie contract on July 23, 2021, worth 4.89 million dollars and including a 923,000 dollar signing bonus. He made his NFL debut on September 12, 2021, against the New Orleans Saints, recording one catch for 19 yards in a 38–3 loss.
Rodgers finished his rookie season with 169 punt return yards and 199 kickoff return yards, with his longest returns covering 23 and 27 yards. In his second season, he totaled five fumbled punt returns through ten games and lost a seventh fumble during a Week 10 win over the Dallas Cowboys, after which head coach Matt LaFleur removed him from punt return duties. The Packers released him two days after that game, and cornerback Keisean Nixon went on to earn First-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner after taking over the role.
Houston Texans (2022–2023)
The Houston Texans claimed Rodgers off waivers on November 16, 2022, giving him a fresh opportunity in a new offense. On December 11, 2022, he scored his first career touchdown on a 28-yard reception from quarterback Jeff Driskel. He finished the 2022 season with 16 receptions for 204 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
Rodgers remained with the Texans through the offseason, but was waived on July 30, 2023, as the team reshaped its roster. His short stint in Houston provided his first extended offensive role in the NFL and produced the first regular-season touchdown of his professional career.
Indianapolis Colts (2023)
On August 2, 2023, Rodgers signed with the Indianapolis Colts, hoping to carve out a role in their receiving corps. He was waived on August 29, 2023, and re-signed to the practice squad the same day as the team finalized its initial 53-man roster. On October 3, 2023, he was signed to the active roster, giving him another chance to contribute on game day.
His time on Indianapolis’s active roster was brief, as he was waived on October 20, 2023. Although the stint was short, it reflected the journeyman phase of his early NFL career, with multiple transactions in a single season.
Birmingham Stallions (2024–2025)
On December 22, 2023, Rodgers signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL), transitioning to the spring football league. He re-signed with the Stallions on September 23, 2024, the date of his 25th birthday, and continued as part of the roster when the USFL merged into the UFL. In 2024, he helped the Stallions capture the UFL championship, adding a professional title to his résumé.
Rodgers had been left unprotected in the 2026 UFL draft and was claimed by the Columbus Aviators. He refused to report to the Aviators and instead announced his retirement on January 14, 2026, joining several of his former Stallions teammates who had severed ties with the UFL that offseason.
Notable Events and Milestones
Rodgers’ most notable professional milestone is his role on the 2024 UFL championship team with the Birmingham Stallions. He also earned First-team All-ACC honors in 2020 and was part of Clemson’s 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship squad. His first NFL regular-season touchdown, a 28-yard catch from Jeff Driskel against the Texans, marked another key career moment.
Amari Rodgers Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Rodgers is the son of college football coach Tee Martin, who has been a longtime offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at programs including the University of Southern California and the University of Tennessee. Growing up in a coaching household gave Rodgers an early and detailed understanding of offensive football concepts, route running, and preparation habits that shaped his development as a wide receiver.
Personal Life
Rodgers is close friends with former Green Bay Packers teammate Randall Cobb, a relationship that dates back to his childhood. The two first met while Cobb was playing for Tee Martin at the University of Kentucky, forging a connection that later carried into their time together in Green Bay.
2025 Season Performance
In 2025, Rodgers was part of the Birmingham Stallions roster in the UFL after re-signing with the team on September 23, 2024. The Stallions entered the season as defending UFL champions, and Rodgers continued to serve as a versatile contributor at wide receiver and on special teams. His experience in both NFL and spring football environments gave the Stallions a seasoned presence in their receiver room.
Rodgers’ 2025 role centered on route running, situational receiving, and special teams work, areas where his prior professional experience proved valuable. The team’s coaching staff relied on his knowledge of professional systems to help younger receivers adjust to the pace and complexity of the UFL. While individual statistics for the 2025 UFL season are not detailed in the source material, his continued presence on the roster reflected steady trust from the organization.
Looking ahead, Rodgers was left unprotected in the 2026 UFL draft and was claimed by the Columbus Aviators, a transaction that ultimately led to his retirement announcement on January 14, 2026. His 2025 campaign therefore served as the final chapter of his on-field career in the UFL, closing a professional journey that began with the Green Bay Packers in 2021.
