Notes: Lions, Michigan State communities react to Charles Rogers’ passing

The Detroit Lions community, as well as Michigan State University community, is weighing in after talented former receiver Charles Rogers died overnight at the age of 38.

Rogers died of liver failure and was battling cancer, per his former coaches, via MLive’s Hugh Bernreuter.

A five-star recruit from Saginaw High, Rogers played record-breaking football in East Lansing from 2000-02. He racked up 2,821 yards and 21 touchdowns in two seasons. Drafted second overall in 2003, Rogers spent three seasons as a Lion until several injuries and violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy led the team to eventually cut him.

Both Lions and Spartans alike are offering kind words.

Dave Birkett for the Detroit Free Press writes that former Lions general manager Matt Millen said he’ll remember Rogers a little differently than most.

“How I’ll remember him is a great kid with a good heart with a lot of skills, that mismanaged some things.”

If you’ve never had the chance to read it, Cody Tucker for the Lansing State Journal wrote an exceptional piece on Rogers’ rise and fall-- from his high school days to his MSU stardom to his struggles with addiction.

A particularly heartbreaking quote from Rogers: “Am I still trying to find Charles Rogers? Yeah. I stay optimistic and positive. I’ve been to hell and back, but I stay strong. I still have faith. I’m still a young man. It ain’t over.”

The article is from 2017. Here’s to hoping he found Charles Rogers.

And onto your notes.

• First, Wojo’s officially thrown in the towel on the Lions. “Where do they go from here? Nowhere, pretty much.”

• Dave Birkett with the Free Press says the Lions didn’t give backup quarterback Jeff Driskel the best chance to succeed on Sunday.

• Speaking of, you can hear what Driskel himself had to say below:

• Scott Warheit over at the Lions Wire explains why he thinks Matthew Stafford should sit the rest of the season.

• You always wonder what a player buys with that nice NFL check. A new car? A house? A thousand dogs? (Might be projecting with that last one.) Birkett explains what six Lions splurged on once they hit the big time.

• And finally, Herman Moore being awesome this Veterans Day.