Prior to the Thanksgiving Day game against the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers cornerback Robert Rochell received a call from a friend informing him that two of his childhood friends from his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, had been shot and killed.
“Just a crazy situation. They got into some gun violence-type of situation. I had got a call the morning from one of my homeboys about the situation,” Rochell said. “Obviously, it was devastating news, but at the end of the day, I still felt I had a duty to uphold for my teammates. I just did the best I could out there under the mental state I was under.”
How did you do it, emotionally?
I ended up meeting with the team therapist, Dr. Carr. He helped me out. He got me through the situation. He talked to me before the game and gave me some mental peace. I just kind of compartmentalized my thoughts and the pain I was dealing with. I went and played free, and I just left it up to God in that situation.
Feel them with you?
I definitely feel like somebody was with me, for sure.
This locker room love you?
Man, it’s great. Those guys definitely brought me along. A lot of them didn’t know I was dealing with it until after the game. But during the game and periodically throughout the night, I was leaning on them, and they were picking me up. They didn’t know I was dealing with it. They were just kind of doing it.
Afterwards, for them to come to me and have that type of love for me after finding out what I was dealing with was … it was great, and I love the guys. I love playing here. Appreciate it.
Coach Matt LaFleur gave you the game ball?
Yeah, it was big, man. Just going through the mental stuff and put it to the side and play football. For him to acknowledge that in front of the team and letting the guys and the coaches and everybody know that’s where I was at mentally, that mentally I was going through all this, it was great. It allowed other guys to come talk to me and pour into me and come check on me, and that’s really what it’s about. Bringing a brother long and all my brothers brought me along with them.
Do you have many NFL game balls?
Yeah, I have quite a few. Because you know I played for the Rams a few years. I got a few for the Rams. I got a few from over here from last year, but it was probably like my first one as a team around (me).
Does this one mean more?
Yeah definitely. That one means a lot. I’m going to try to keep that one close to me for a while, for sure.
What did teammates say to you?
A lot of my teammates came up to me and gave me love and just told me that they were praying for me and they would support me regardless of what was going on. They’d be here if I need them. It’s great.
What does that mean to have that support?
Just as a man growing in this world, you know sometimes you feel isolated. Just to know that you have other men that are dealing with their own problems and things and families, they put it to the side to make sure you’re all right is everything.
Valuable to have Dr. Carr in the building?
Oh man, it actually made a big difference. I don’t feel like I would’ve been able to play if I was to go attack it. But he definitely gave me some mental peace and quiet, clarity, and I needed that. Thankful for him every day. He checks on us, talks to us. He leads us through situations, gives us life tips. He’s a great addition to the Packers organization.
Think about your friends in the fumble pile?
Yeah, definitely because I really don’t know how I ended up there, just honestly speaking. Because I was engaged with a guy and tried to get off and the ball just kind of came to me. That’s the moment I felt like they were out there with me, because it happened right away early in the game. We had a guy go down, and I had to go in for him. That’s another thing that it was like, ‘Oh yeah, the guys are with me tonight, for sure.’
School friends?
Yeah, they were neighborhood friends, grew up with them. Grew up in the same neighborhood, went to school with them, played community ball out there in the evening, stuff like that.
Thanksgiving morning it happened?
It was Thanksgiving morning when it happened.
Scoota nickname?
Just when I got here and introduced myself. Scoota has stuck with me throughout my life. It’s been my name for a while.
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