Rod Gardner
{{Short description|American football player (born 1977)}}
{{for|the Canadian politician|Rod Gardner (politician)}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Rod Gardner
| position = Wide receiver
| number = 82, 85, 87
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|10|26}}
| birth_place = Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 215
| draftyear = 2001
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 15
| high_school = Raines (Jacksonville)
| college = Clemson (1997–2000)
| teams =
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|2001}}–{{NFL Year|2004}})
- Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|2005}})
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2005}})
- Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2006}})
|highlights =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 242
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 3,165
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 23
| pfr = GardRo00
}}
Roderick F. Gardner (born October 26, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers.
College career
Gardner played college football at Clemson University, where he started as a quarterback and safety on the practice squad (as a true freshman) before switching to wide receiver his sophomore year. He was selected as a second team All-ACC during his junior year after setting the school record for catches, yards, and receptions per game.{{Cite web|title = Rod Gardner: Clemson's Mr. Confidence - Clemson Football News - TigerNet|url = http://www.tigernet.com/story/football/Rod-Gardner-Clemsons-Mr-Confidence-618&nextbox=1|website = www.tigernet.com| date=September 2, 2000 |access-date = December 14, 2015}} His senior year, he not only made first team All-ACC, but was a first team All-American as well. In 2000, he was one of the ten finalists for the Biletnikoff Award after posting six touchdowns on 51 receptions and 956 yards.{{cite news|url=http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102600aab.html|title=Gardner Hauls In Semifinalist Nod For Biletnikoff Award|date=Oct 26, 2000|publisher=Clemson Tigers|access-date=November 19, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503102501/http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102600aab.html|archive-date=May 3, 2012}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 1/4
| weight = 219
| dash = 4.48
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical = 36.0
| broad ft =
| broad in =
| bench =
| arm span = 33
| hand span = 10
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=http://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=635&DraftYear=2001 |title=Rod Gardner, Clemson, WR, 2001 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |website=draftscout.com |access-date=March 5, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=5862 |title=Rod Gardner, Combine Results, WR - Ohio State |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=March 5, 2022}}
}}
=Washington Redskins=
Gardner was chosen by the Washington Redskins with the 15th overall selection in the first-round draft pick of the 2001 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2001 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2001/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} During his rookie year, he was selected as NFC Offensive Player of the Week after a 208-yard, one touchdown performance against the Carolina Panthers. His history at quarterback would lead the Redskins to utilize him on trick plays during games; during the 2003 NFL season he was 2-for-3 for 46 yards and two passing touchdowns (to Chad Morton and Trung Canidate).
=Carolina Panthers=
After four seasons in Washington, he was traded to the Carolina Panthers during the 2005 offseason for a sixth-round pick in the 2006 NFL draft.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2118132|title=Redskins deal Gardner to Carolina for future pick|last=Pasquarelli|first=Len|date=July 28, 2005|publisher=ESPN|access-date=November 19, 2011}} He spent most of the season fourth on the Panthers' depth chart, behind Steve Smith, Keary Colbert, and Ricky Proehl.
=Green Bay Packers=
Gardner was waived by the Panthers on December 16, 2005, and he was then signed by the Green Bay Packers on December 19, 2005.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2265650|title=Packers claim Gardner from Panthers|last=Pasquarelli|first=Len|date=December 19, 2005|publisher=ESPN|access-date=November 19, 2011}} He re-signed with Green Bay on March 21, 2006. On September 2, 2006, Gardner was waived by the Packers.
=Kansas City Chiefs=
In September 2006, he signed a three-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2583657|title=Chiefs add Gardner after receivers net 69 yards in loss|last=Pasquarelli|first=Len|date=September 11, 2006|publisher=ESPN|access-date=November 19, 2011}} In 2006 with the Chiefs, he only had 2 receptions for 17 yards. He was released before the 2007 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/article-1/Chiefs-Announce-14-Transactions/CCF6BF1C-B8AC-4140-989A-ABCEE12FC0F4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121120812/http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/article-1/Chiefs-Announce-14-Transactions/CCF6BF1C-B8AC-4140-989A-ABCEE12FC0F4|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 21, 2015|title=Chiefs Announce 14 Transactions|date=Aug 28, 2007|publisher=Kansas City Chiefs|access-date=November 19, 2011}}
=NFL statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" |Year ! rowspan="2" |Team ! rowspan="2" |GP ! colspan="6" |Receiving ! colspan="6" |Rushing | |||||||||||||
| Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 || WSH
| 16 || 46 || 741 || 16.1 || 85 || 4 || 28 || 1 || 16 || 16.0 || 16 || 0 || 1 | |||||||||||||
| 2002 || WSH
| 16 || 71 || 1,006 || 14.2 || 43 || 8 || 51 || 1 || 1 || 1.0 || 1 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 2003 || WSH
| 16 || 59 || 600 || 10.2 || 35 || 5 || 30 || — || — || — || — || — || — | |||||||||||||
| 2004 || WSH
| 16 || 51 || 650 || 12.7 || 51 || 5 || 30 || 3 || 7 || 2.3 || 11 || 0 || 2 | |||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|2005 || CAR
| 11 || 9 || 84 || 9.3 || 15 || 1 || 4 || — || — || — || — || — || — | |||||||||||||
| GB
| 2 || 4 || 67 || 16.8 || 33 || 0 || 4 || — || — || — || — || — || — | |||||||||||||
| 2006 || KC
| 14 || 2 || 17 || 8.5 || 13 || 0 || 1 || — || — || — || — || — || — | |||||||||||||
| colspan="2" |Career{{cite web|title=Rob Gardner Stats|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/2563/rod-gardner|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=June 9, 2014}} | 91 | 242 | 3,165 | 13.1 | 85 | 23 | 148 | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 16 | 0 | 3 |
Personal life
Gardner competed on the thirty-sixth season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race with his wife Leticia,{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/former-kansas-city-chiefs-player-wife-become-first-members-of-the-amazing-race-2024-cast/|title=Former Kansas City Chiefs player, wife become first members of 'The Amazing Race' 2024 cast|work=CBS Sports|last=Gonzalez|first=Isabel|date=February 6, 2024|access-date=February 6, 2024}} finishing in third place.
References
{{reflist}}
{{2001 NFL Draft}}
{{Redskins2001DraftPicks}}
{{RedskinsFirstPick}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gardner, Rod}}
Category:Players of American football from Jacksonville, Florida
Category:William M. Raines High School alumni
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Clemson Tigers football players
Category:Clemson University alumni
Category:Washington Redskins players
Category:Carolina Panthers players
Category:Green Bay Packers players