Roger William “Rocky” Rosema honed his football skills at Grand Rapids Central High School, then found success at the University of Michigan and in the NFL.
Rosema was born on February 5, 1946 in Grand Rapids and grew up in the city, where he was a three-sport athlete at Central High. He specialized as a linebacker on the football team, earned All-State honors twice and headed to Michigan after graduating from Central in 1965.
Rosema played for the Wolverines from 1965-67, starring as both a linebacker and a defensive back. He attracted attention from the NFL and was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth round (123rd overall) of the 1968 NFL Draft.
He played linebacker with the Cardinals for four seasons, appearing in 32 games and starting in 10.
After leaving the NFL, Rosema moved back to Grand Rapids, where he resided before passing away on January 15, 2020 at the age of 73.