Robert Rochell Wins Game Ball After ‘Devastating’ Tragedy

After a tragedy in his hometown, Green Bay Packers cornerback Robert Rochell recovered a fumble and won the game ball against the Dolphins. “I definitely feel like somebody was with me, for sure.”

Green Bay Packers cornerback Robert Rochell (22) celebrates after recovering a muffed punt against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Robert Rochell has won more than a few game balls during his NFL career. None will have the meaning of the one he was given after the Green Bay Packers beat the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.

A Thanksgiving shooting in Shreveport, La., left two off Rochell’s childhood friends dead.

“Just a crazy situation,” Rochell said on Monday. “They got into some gun violence type of situation. I had got a call the morning from one of my homeboys about the situation. Obviously, it was devastating news.”

Rochell didn’t want to let his teammates down. After talking to Dr. Chris Carr, the team’s director of performance psychology and team behavioral health, Rochell suited up.

And made a huge impact.

After the Packers wasted a big kickoff return by Keisean Nixon to start the game, the Dolphins muffed Daniel Whelan’s punt.

Rochell recovered.

“I definitely feel like somebody was with me, for sure,” he said. "

As he secured the ball in the cold of Lambeau Field, Rochell thought about what had happened in Shreveport earlier in the day.

“Yeah, definitely, because I really don’t know how I ended up there, just honestly speaking,” Rochell said. “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.’”

After the game, Rochell was given the game ball by coach Matt LaFleur.

“It was big, man,” Rochell said. “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 along and all my brothers brought me along with them.”

During his postgame speech, LaFleur said only that Rochell had “some stuff go down in his personal life and was playing with a heavy heart.”

Afterward, several teammates came to Rochell to hear his story and provide support.

“Those guys definitely brought me along,” Rochell said. “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.”

Rochell, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Rams as a rookie in 2021, started the season on Green Bay’s practice squad but was signed to the 53-man roster on Nov. 16. He’s played in six games as a core member of the special teams.

On Thursday night, he was there for his team. And his teammates were there for him.

“Just as a man growing in this world, you know, sometimes you feel isolated,” Rochell said. “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.”

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