Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Rodgers moved to Austin, Texas with his family when his father accepted a coaching position at the University of Texas. He attended Westlake High School in Austin, the same high school attended by NFL quarterbacksDrew Brees and Nick Foles, and was schoolmates with the former. Jeff's brother, Jay, is currently the defensive line coach with the Chicago Bears. Rodgers played linebacker at North Texas from 1996–1999. It was there that he earned a degree in Business, specializing in Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management.
In 2009, Rodgers was hired by the Carolina Panthers as an special teams assistant. He was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2010.
Denver Broncos
Rodgers was hired by the Denver Broncos as the special teams coordinator in 2011. During his tenure with Denver, the Broncos ranked 10th in the NFL in gross punting average, and 11th in net punting average. Denver's also had six total kick return TDs which was tied for the second most in the NFL during Rodgers time with the Broncos. Additionally, under Rodgers, Broncos K Matt Prater was named to the Pro Bowl following the 2013 season after setting franchise records in field goal percentage and points scored. His 64-yard field goal on December 8, 2013 is the longest FG in NFL history. In 2014, K Connor Barth's 93.8 field goal percentage was second-highest in Broncos single-season history. In Rodgers' second season in Denver in 2012, the Broncos special teams allowed the second-lowest punt return average and the seventh-lowest kickoff return average in the NFL. During the Divisional Playoffs that season, Trindon Holliday became the first player in NFL history to record a punt return TD and kickoff return TD in a single playoff game. In 2011, Denver was third in the NFL in punt return average and one of just three teams in the league with multiple punt return TDs: Arizona, Denver, Chicago. P Britton Colquitt set single-season franchise records for gross and net punting averages and broke his own team record the following year with a 42.1-yard net average. He worked for the Denver Broncos through the 2014 season.
Chicago Bears
On January 19, 2015, the Chicago Bears announced Rodgers as their special teams coordinator. Rodgers coached the Bears from 2015–2017. The Bears had three special teams TDs in 2017, tied with the Rams for the most in the NFL. Rookie PR Tarik Cohen averaged 9.4 yards per punt return in 2017 and had a 61-yard return for a TD while KR Deonte Thompson ranked second in the NFL in 2016 in kickoff return yards. Sherrick McManis led the Bears in special teams tackles in each of the past three seasons while P Pat O'Donnell allowed just 22 punt returns in 2016, tied for the third fewest in the NFL among punters who appeared in 16 games. He was not retained after the firing of John Fox.
Arizona Cardinals
On January 26, 2018, Rodgers was hired by the Arizona Cardinals to be their special teams coordinator.
