Rod Payne facts for kids

Rod Payne (born June 14, 1974) is a former American football player. He played as a center for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League (NFL). Rod also played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1993 to 1996. He was named an All-American in 1996.

The Cincinnati Bengals chose Rod in the third round of the 1997 NFL draft. He later won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. After his playing career, Rod became a high school football coach. He was named the 2007 South Florida Sun-Sentinel Class 3A-2A-1A Coach of the Year. In 2009, he became a defensive line coach for Florida Atlantic University. Rod Payne is now a personal fitness trainer.

Rod Payne's Early Life and College Football Career

Rod Payne grew up in Miami, Florida. In high school, he was a top offensive lineman and wrestler at Miami Killian High School. After high school, Rod went to the University of Michigan. He started 40 football games during his four years there. This included playing in 37 games in a row.

Rod was named first-team All-Big Ten twice. In 1996, he was chosen as the Most Valuable Player for the Michigan team. He was also a team co-captain that year. The American Football Coaches Association named him a first-team All-American. Rod was able to use both his right and left hands to snap the ball. Once, he broke his right wrist during a game. He then used his left hand to snap the ball for the rest of the game.

Rod Payne's Professional Football Career

The Cincinnati Bengals picked Rod Payne in the third round of the 1997 NFL draft. He played as a backup player for the Bengals in 1997 and 1998. His time playing professional football was cut short because of many injuries. He did not play during the 1999 NFL season and had surgery on both of his knees.

In April 2000, Rod signed with the Baltimore Ravens. He was released from the team before the season started. However, he was signed to the Ravens' practice squad in November. He later won a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV. During his career, Rod had twelve surgeries to fix injuries he got from playing football.

Life After Football

After retiring from football, Rod Payne did many different things. He co-authored a book in 2006 called "Centered by a Miracle." He wrote it with his friend and sportswriter Steve Rom. The book tells the story of how Rod supported Steve when Steve was diagnosed with leukemia.

Rod has also worked in other fields. He taught special education and was a managing partner at a health club. He also ran a shop where he customized cars. For a time, he hosted a sports talk radio show. Rod has also worked as a personal trainer. He is a speaker for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Rod Payne is married and has one child. He used to live in Boca Raton, Florida. He coached football and wrestling at Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2007, Rod was named the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Class 3A-2A-1A Coach of the Year. This was after he led his team to a 7–3 record. In 2008, he became the head coach at Felix Varela High School.

On March 13, 2009, Rod Payne was announced as the new defensive line coach at Florida Atlantic University. He worked there until 2011. In 2012, he was hired to coach Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton, Florida. He stepped down from this role after one season.