[3][8][4] Johnny Rogers was born in Abergwynfi, Wales, he later moved to Tondu, Wales, he was the landlord of the Plumber's Arms public house, Macaulay Street, Huddersfield, and when he retired he continued to live there for three years until his death, he died aged 65 in Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Rogers was selected to go on the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, he fractured his left-leg in the 16–24 defeat by Auckland at Domain Cricket Ground on Saturday 24 July 1920, that stopped him from playing in the test matches against New Zealand, he did not return from injury until the match against Keighley at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 15 January 1921.

Johnny Rogers played in Huddersfield's 37–3 victory over St. Helens in the 1915 Challenge Cup Final during the 1914–15 season at Watersheddings, Oldham on Saturday 1 May 1915 in front of a crowd of 8,000, and played in the 21–10 victory over Wigan in the 1920 Challenge Cup Final during the 1919–20 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 1 May 1915 in front of a crowd of 14,000.

in the 1914–15 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1914–15 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 28 November 1914, in font of a crowd of 12,000, played in the 14–8 victory over Dewsbury in the 1918–19 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1918–19 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 17 May 1919, played in the 24–5 victory over Leeds in the 1919–20 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1919–20 season at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 29 November 1919, and played in the 4–10 defeat by Hull F.C.

Johnny Rogers made his début for Bridgend RFC aged-14 as a late-replacement wing selected by Ben Gronow c. 1906, later playing Scrum-half alongside fly-half Clem Lewis initially at Bridgend RFC, and then at Cardiff RFC, he swapped codes from the amateur rugby union to the professional rugby league, and joined Huddersfield on Saturday 1 March 1913 with a signing-on fee of £100 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £34,650 in 2014),[9] he made his début and scored three tries, and a goal for Huddersfield in the 73–5 victory over Bramley at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 1 March 1913, he joined Wakefield Trinity on Friday 9 January 1925 with a transfer fee of £300 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £47,460 in 2014),[9] he made his début for Wakefield Trinity during January 1925.