(Rochester, NY)… Rochester Knighthawks President and General Manager Dan Carey announced today that the team has signed former Buffalo Bills and New York Giants defensive tackle Casey Rogers.
“It’s another opportunity to compete and play lacrosse at the highest level,” said Rogers. “I had to step away from the game to play in college and the NFL. Getting to have a stick in my hand and playing the Creator’s Game and the Medicine Game is a blessing.”
Rogers recently returned to lacrosse, signing with the Philadelphia Wings. The transition man played against the Knighthawks in the preseason on Nov. 8 in Oakville, Ontario.
Rogers will get a chance to show the Rochester coaching staff what he can do this Saturday as the Knighthawks close out their preseason against the Ottawa Black Bears. Gametime is 7:00 p.m. at the Brampton Memorial Arena.
Photo credit: New York Football Giants
The Syracuse, NY, native signed with the New York Giants following the 2024 Draft in April as an undrafted free agent and joined the practice squad before the 2024-25 season. On Dec. 7, 2024, he was brought up to the active roster, and in his first NFL game, he blocked a field goal by New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe.
After the season, he was waived by the Giants, and his contract was picked up by the Buffalo Bills the following day, May 9, 2025. He was on the Bills’ training camp roster this past summer and was one of four new defensive tackles fighting for a spot.
Rogers was a former high school lacrosse All-American at Westhill in Syracuse. The son of legendary lacrosse coach Lelan Rogers, he initially committed to Syracuse University for lacrosse but instead took a prep year after high school to play football.
In four years of varsity lacrosse at attack, Rogers tallied 193 goals and 44 assists. As a senior, his 62 goals and 17 assists were enough to earn him All-American honors and a spot on the All-CNY team. His year at Avon Old Farms worked out exactly as he hoped, as he transitioned his focus to football and got Division I attention.
He received offers from Cal, Indiana, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, and Vanderbilt, but ultimately chose Nebraska to start his college career. He played two seasons at Nebraska before entering the transfer portal for Oregon. In two years at Nebraska, he totaled 41 tackles, six tackles for loss (TFLs), and one and a half sacks. While at Oregon, he also played two seasons. There, he notched 56 tackles, six TFLs, and one and a half sacks.
He played his best season of college football as a junior with the Ducks. He notched a career-high 34 tackles while starting in 12 of 13 games. He also added 3.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and a fumble recovery.
Rogers will now try to make another professional roster. Monday is roster cut-down day. The Knighthawks will need to reduce their roster to 21 active players and four practice squad members. The roster currently stands at 28 players.