How Did Rock Hill Become “Football City USA?”
Is there something in the water? Is it just a coincidence? Whatever the reason, a lot of high-level colleges and professional football talent have come out of Rock Hill, SC….
Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images
Jennifer Stewart/Getty ImagesIs there something in the water? Is it just a coincidence? Whatever the reason, a lot of high-level colleges and professional football talent have come out of Rock Hill, SC. Even The New York Times and ESPN have made note of that fact. Current NFL stars with Rock Hill roots include Jadeveon Clowney (top) of the Seattle Seahawks, Stephon Gilmore of the New England Patriots, and Johnathan Joseph (below) of the Houston Texans.
The impressive number of Rock Hill football players that made it to the NFL would not have had a chance without a strong foundation in the fundamentals of the game. Most of the credit has to go to the people who coached them when they were growing up. The high school programs in York County are incredibly competitive. Here's an alphabetical list of past and present NFL players who have called Rock Hill home:
Phillip Adams – Rock Hill High School
- San Francisco 49ers (2010)
- New England Patriots (2011)
- Seattle Seahawks (2011)
- Oakland Raiders (2012–2013)
- New York Jets (2014)
- Atlanta Falcons (2015)
Jeff Burris – Northwestern High School
- Buffalo Bills (1994–1997)
- Indianapolis Colts (1998–2001)
- Cincinnati Bengals (2002–2003)
Jadeveon Clowney – South Pointe High School
- Houston Texans (2014-2018)
- Seattle Seahawks (2019-present)
Gerald Dixon – Rock Hill High School
- Cleveland Browns (1993–1995)
- Cincinnati Bengals (1996–1997)
- San Diego Chargers (1998–2001)
- Oakland Raiders (2001)
Stephon Gilmore – South Pointe High School
- Buffalo Bills (2012-2016)
- New England Patriots (2017-present)
Tori Gurley – Rock Hill High School
- Green Bay Packers (2011–2012)
- Cleveland Browns (2013)
Jonathan Hefney – Rock Hill High School
- 2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- 2008 Philadelphia Eagles
- 2010 Detroit Lions
Chris Hope – Rock Hill High School
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2002–2005)
- Tennessee Titans (2006–2011)
- Atlanta Falcons (2012)
Johnathan Joseph – Northwestern High School
- Cincinnati Bengals (2006–2010)
- Houston Texans (2011–present)
Spencer Lanning – York Comprehensive
- Sacramento Mountain Lions (2012)
- Cleveland Browns (2013−2014)
- Chicago Bears (2015)
Robert Massey – born in Rock Hill, attended Garinger H.S. in Charlotte
- New Orleans Saints (1989–1990)
- Phoenix Cardinals (1991–1993)
- Detroit Lions (1994–1995)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (1996)
- New York Giants (1997)
Jonathan Meeks – Rock Hill High School
- Buffalo Bills (2013-2016)
Cordarrelle Patterson – Northwestern High School
- Minnesota Vikings (2013–2016)
- Oakland Raiders (2017)
- New England Patriots (2018–present)
Derek Ross – Northwestern High School
- Dallas Cowboys (2002–2003)
- Atlanta Falcons (2003)
- Minnesota Vikings (2004)
Mason Rudolph – Northwestern High School
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2018-present)
Rick Sanford – Northwestern High School
- New England Patriots (1979–1984)
- Seattle Seahawks (1985)
Ko Simpson – Rock Hill High School
- Buffalo Bills (2006–2008)
- Detroit Lions (2009)
Benjamin Watson – Northwestern High School
- New England Patriots (2004–2009)
- Cleveland Browns (2010–2012)
- New Orleans Saints (2013–2015)
- Baltimore Ravens (2016–2017)
- New Orleans Saints (2018)
- New England Patriots (2019)
