Life is bigger than football, but sometimes football helps players cope with life. This is very much the case for XFL wide receiver Eli Rogers, who lost his mother only days ahead of his DC Defenders taking on the New York Guardians. The 27-year-old had every right to sit out the matchup, and especially considering the funeral was also scheduled to be held on Saturday afternoon, but he instead decided to honor her by taking the field and impacting the game.

"I know my mother is proud of who I am today, and the decision I chose today," Rogers wrote shortly before kickoff. "Without her sacrifice and humiliation, I wouldn't be where I am today. It is because of her I was able to be in a position to chase my dreams. That is all she wanted from me. 

"I love you, Ma."

Rogers followed that message with a purple heart emoji, and then took the field to follow it up with a big play for the Defenders.

His team entered halftime with a 12-0 lead over the Guardians, with Rogers contributing three catches for 50 total yards -- all on his first drive of the game, which ended in a touchdown for DC.

Rogers landed in the XFL by way of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2015. A promising NFL talent initially, he suffered a torn ACL in 2017 en route to becoming a restricted free agent the following offseason. He'd then sign a one-year deal with the Steelers in 2018 but wasn't activated from the physically unable to perform list until December of that season due to his recovery from the torn ACL. He was still able to secure a two-year deal in Pittsburgh before being released in final roster cutdowns that year.

Now making his presence felt in the XFL, Rogers knows all about adversity, but nothing that compares to the loss of his mother. And because she was his biggest fan, he's chosen to grieve by giving her more to cheer for.