[4] After a brief retirement, he became the first openly gay man to compete in a top North American professional sports league when he played his first match for the LA Galaxy in May 2013.

[5][6] After one season of playing college soccer at the University of Maryland,[7] Rogers attracted the interest of the Dutch Eredivisie side Heerenveen.

Rogers' four-year tenure at Columbus Crew was a successful one, with the player breaking through into the first-team, as well as securing an MLS Cup title in 2008 and two Supporters' Shield wins in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

[11] Rogers made three appearances for Orange County Blue Star of the USL Premier Development League in 2005, leaving upon deciding to attend university in the fall.

[1][14][15] He played one season of college soccer at the University of Maryland, alongside his future Columbus Crew teammate Jason Garey, helping lead the team to the 2005 NCAA Championship.

[11] After impressing during his one year of college soccer for Maryland Terrapins, Rogers attracted the interest of Dutch Eredivisie side Heerenveen.

[16] However, Rogers failed to make a first-team appearance for the club, although played frequently for the reserve side that went on to win their respective league during the 2006–07 season.

[19] He started the campaign playing regularly for Crew, scoring his first goals of the season in a 4–3 home win over CD Chivas USA on April 13, 2008.

[11] Rogers' sixth goal of the campaign came in a 3–1 home win against New York Red Bulls at Columbus Crew Stadium in September 2008.

[27] Rogers played in all four of Crew's MLS Cup Playoff games, including in the final, where they defeated New York Red Bulls 3–1 at The Home Depot Center in November 2008.

[34] The club, however, failed to retain their MLS Cup crown following a Conference semi-final defeat to Real Salt Lake, losing 4–2 on aggregate, with Rogers playing in both games.

[41] A month later, in April 2011, he scored the only goal of the game in a 1–0 home victory over Sporting Kansas City at Columbus Crew Stadium.

[49] After Rogers left Columbus Crew, he joined Leeds United on an initial two-week trial period in December 2011,[50] before signing on a permanent basis a month later, in January 2012.

[57] Rogers returned to the first-team in April 2012, making his first appearance under new manager Neil Warnock[57]—with the player coming on as an 85th-minute substitute in a 2–0 defeat to promotion chasing Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

[64] In June 2012, Rogers returned to the United States to take part in a rehabilitation program, as well as spending two weeks training with the Los Angeles Galaxy squad.

[50][65] He returned to Leeds at the beginning of July 2012, and featured in a number of the club's pre-season friendlies; scoring in comprehensive victories over Farsley and Tavistock respectively.

[66][67] Shortly before the start of the new season, on August 9, manager Neil Warnock revealed that Rogers, along with teammate Danny Pugh, had been placed on the transfer list in order to generate funds for a new striker.

[72] He made his debut for Stevenage two days after signing, on August 25, coming on as a late substitute in the club's 1–0 away victory against Oldham Athletic.

[82][83] Rogers said he made the decision to return in April 2013, after speaking in front of a crowd of 500 at an LGBTQ youth event in Portland, Oregon, during which he "seriously felt like a coward".

Rogers told USA TODAY Sports, "These kids are standing up for themselves and changing the world, and I'm 25, I have a platform and a voice to be a role model.

[80] On May 24, 2013, Rogers agreed to terms with the Galaxy, pending the trade of his MLS rights from Chicago Fire SC in exchange for Mike Magee.

[84] Although the Fire held his MLS rights, Rogers had said in a radio interview that he had no intention of playing for Chicago, as he preferred to be close to his family in Southern California.

[5] In 2014, Rogers became the first openly gay male athlete to win a major professional team sports title in the United States when the Galaxy were crowned MLS Cup champions.

[93] He was called up to take part in the United States U23 team's two-game tour of China in 2007; in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing.

[93] He was subsequently called up by coach Piotr Nowak to be part of the 18-man U23 Olympic squad, and played in all three games for the U.S. as they departed the tournament in the preliminary round.

[93] In October 2008, then head coach Bob Bradley called Rogers up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago.

[110][111] In May 2010, Bradley selected Rogers for the 30-man preliminary roster for the World Cup,[112] and he played in a warm-up friendly against Czech Republic on May 25, 2010, appearing as a second-half substitute.

[121] In August 2011, he scored in a 1–1 draw against Mexico in a friendly played at the Lincoln Financial Field, in Jürgen Klinsmann's first match as U.S. head coach.

[12][138] In October 2014, the American Broadcasting Company closed a deal to air Men in Shorts, a single-camera comedy based on Rogers' career and coming out.

[141] Rogers began dating television writer producer Greg Berlanti in 2013, and on February 18, 2016, they welcomed their first child, a son, via surrogacy.