# Rod Gardner

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. 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.

## Professional career

Pre-draft measurables :
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | Vertical jump |
| 6 ft 2+1⁄4 in (1.89 m) | 219 lb (99 kg) | 33 in (0.84 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 4.48 s | 36.0 in (0.91 m) |
| All values from NFL Combine ||||||

### 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. 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. 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. 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. In 2006 with the Chiefs, he only had 2 receptions for 17 yards. He was released before the 2007 season.

### NFL statistics

| Year | Team | GP | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing |
| Year | Team | GP | 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 |
| 2005 | CAR | 11 | 9 | 84 | 9.3 | 15 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | GB | 2 | 4 | 67 | 16.8 | 33 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | KC | 14 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 13 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | Career | 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, finishing in third place.