He played college football for the Tennessee State Tigers, and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft.

Rodgers-Cromartie has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins.

He intercepted 11 of those throws, deflected 25 and held the opposition to a minuscule 3.54 yards per pass attempt, the best of any collegiate defensive back over his three seasons.

Juggling football spring drills with the indoor and outdoor track seasons in 2007, he qualified for the NCAA Mid-East Regionals after he captured the Ohio Valley Conference long jump title, with a mark of 7.71 meters.

[citation needed] In his second outdoor event, he was named OVC Male Athlete of the Week after finishing third at the Penn Relays with a conference-best long jump of 7.56 meters.

[citation needed] At the OVC Indoor Track Championships, Rodgers-Cromartie was named the top male athlete.

[citation needed] He also competed in the 100 meters, posting a career-best time of 10.75 seconds while he was at Lakewood Ranch High School.

However, he impressed scouts during Senior Bowl week, performing very well during the arranged practices, and was named defensive MVP for the game.

[16] In Week 14 against the St. Louis Rams, Rodgers-Cromartie returned a late fourth quarter interception 99 yards for a touchdown, ensuring a Cardinals victory and subsequent NFC West title.

[17][18] In the Wild Card Round between the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons, Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted a pass from Matt Ryan.

[19] In the Divisional Round versus the Carolina Panthers, he intercepted a pass from Jake Delhomme in the red zone during the second quarter.

[20] Rodgers-Cromartie helped the Cardinals reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history after they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 32–25 in the NFC Championship.

[23] In the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, he intercepted Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers on the first play of the game to set up a Cardinals touchdown.

[30] On August 17, 2012, Rodgers-Cromartie was fined $21,000 for hitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich in the head and neck during the preseason.

[34] In week 8, Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted Kirk Cousins, and returned it back 75 yards for a touchdown in a 45–21 win against the Washington Redskins.

[44] On December 7, 2014, Rodgers-Cromartie recorded an interception against the Tennessee Titans by picking off Zach Mettenberger and returning it 36 yards for a touchdown.

The suspension triggered when Rodgers-Cromartie argued with head coach Ben McAdoo about being pulled from the previous game in Week 5.

[76][77] After spending four years away from professional football, Rodgers-Cromartie signed with the Tampa Nightcrawlers of the A7FL in 2023 to play with them for their playoff run.

In his first game with the A7FL, Rodgers-Cromartie contributed 4 tackles in an 84–6 win over the O-Town Orange, leading the Nightcrawlers to the Florida division title.