Former ‘American Idol’ Star Matt Rogers Wins Football Announcer Gig
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Former American Idol finalist Matt Rogers may not have gotten America’s vote as a singer, but he just won another competition and landed a pretty cool gig. Rogers was announced as the new public address announcer for the Tennessee Titans.
Announcer Mike “The Duke” Donegan is stepping down after 22 years in the job, and the Titans held a search for his replacement. According to the Tennessean, Rogers beat out 200 applicants to land the gig.
Matt Rogers Wins Contest to Become Titans PA Announcer
Rogers beat out five other finalists for the job, including country music broadcaster Storme Warren. He called himself a “triple threat,” having played for the Washington Huskies, as well as being a football fan and a professional broadcaster.
Rogers has also hosted several television shows, including the Discovery Channel shows Gold Rush: The Dirt and Deadliest Catch: The Bait. He also has a podcast called “Level Up with Matt Rogers.” Rogers sang the theme song “I’m Coming Home,” from the Lifetime series he also hosted, which reunited military members with loved ones.
“It’s my hometown, it’s my home team,” Rogers told the Tennessean about taking on the new job. “This gig is not about me. This is about our fans and about our town. I want to represent the fans well.”
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How Far Did Rogers Get on ‘American Idol’?
Rogers appeared in the third season of American Idol on FOX, which aired in 2004. The singer performed country music, making it to the Top 12 finalists. He was the second contestant in this group to be eliminated. Fantasia Barrino ended up winning that season.
During his time on the show, he performed the song “Amazed” by Lonestar. Judge Randy Jackson commented on how many “female fans” Rogers had in the audience. Paula Abdul said his performance was “sensitive and intimate.” Simon Cowell was predictably mean, calling Rogers’ smile “nauseating.”
He didn’t cut ties with the show completely, however. Rogers went on to co-host American Idol Extra, and he even appeared during Idol-themed episodes of Family Feud. The announcer is married to wife Teri Himes, with whom he has three children.
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