James O. Rodgers

James Otis Rodgers (October 11, 1874 – May 17, 1945) was an American football player and coach. Rodgers played college football for Yale University from 1894 to 1897 and was captain of Yale's 1897 football team. He also served as the head coach of the 1899 Yale football team. He later had a lengthy career as an insurance broker.

Early years Rodgers was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1874. He was the son of James Scott Rodgers and Mary L. (Parker) Rodgers. Rodgers attended preparatory school at the Andover Academy where he competed for the school's football and track teams.

Yale Rodgers enrolled at Yale University where he played at the left tackle position for the Yale Bulldogs football team from 1894 to 1897. He was elected by his teammates as the captain of Yale's 1897 football team. During his four years as a player, the Yale football team compiled an overall record of 51–1–4, and has been recognized as national champions in three of the four years.

Rodgers also rowed for Yale's varsity crew in 1896 and competed with Yale's crew in England as part of the Henley regatta of 1896. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale in 1898 and was voted in his senior year as "the man who has done the most for Yale." Rodgers coached the 1899 Yale football team to a 7–2–1 record, outscoring opponents 191 to 16. Rodgers also served as the crew coach at Yale, and also coached rowing at the New York Athletic Club.

During the period from 1899 to 1912, Yale had 14 different head football coaches in 14 years – despite compiling a combined record of 127–11–10 in those years. During that 14-year span, the Yale football team has also been recognized as the national championship team by one or more of the major national championship selectors on seven occasions – 1900 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis), 1901 (Parke Davis), 1902 (Parke Davis), 1905 (Parke Davis, Whitney), 1906 (Billingsley, Parke Davis, Whitney), 1907 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis, Whitney), and 1909 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis).

Later years Rodgers left Harvard Law School after two years to accept a position as vice president and general manager of the Lanyon Zinc Company of Iola, Kansas. They had a son, James O. Rodgers, Jr. Rodgers died of a heart attack in May 1945 at the New Rochelle Hospital in New Rochelle, New York.

Head coaching record