GREEN BAY – Say the name Robert Rochell in the Packers' locker room and you're likely to draw a confused expression or curious eyebrow.
To teammates, there's only "Scoota," the childhood nickname that the fourth-year cornerback picked up from his grandmother because of how he'd scoot across the floor as a baby.
Inside Green Bay's locker room, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more likeable figure than the humble, gregarious veteran who's always checking to make sure his teammates are doing all right.
"Everybody loves 'Scoota,'" said Packers receiver Bo Melton, whose locker is located near Rochell's. "He gets me hyped every morning. I talk to him just to clear my head sometimes. To have a guy like 'Scoota,' someone who'll be there for you, we're all there for him.
"I can say personally, whenever I was ever down some days, I'll always talk to 'Scoota,' and he'll make sure I'm good."
So, that's why Melton was caught somewhat off-guard when he saw Rochell prior to last Thursday's Thanksgiving night matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
On nearly every other gameday, the 26-year-old cornerback would be chopping it up with teammates and boisterously bolstering the locker room. On this day, however, Rochell was unusually quiet and isolated.
In the most welcoming way he could, Melton carefully approached Rochell and asked, "Scoota, what's up?" Rochell explained he'd received a call a short time earlier from a friend informing that two of his childhood friends from his hometown of Shreveport, La., had been shot and killed.
"I grew up with them, grew up in the same neighborhood, went to school with them," said Rochell on Monday. "Just a crazy situation. They got into some gun violence type of situation. I had got a call the morning from one of my homeboys about the situation. Obviously, it was devastating news."
The news hit Rochell hard, and nobody would've blamed him if he'd chosen to sit out the Dolphins game. Green Bay still had time to elevate another defensive back before the 7:20 p.m. start, but Rochell felt he had a "duty to uphold" for his teammates.
After deciding to play, Rochell met with Dr. Chris Carr, the Packers' director of performance psychology and team behavioral health clinician. They talked through the situation and Rochell's feelings about the tragedy. From the conversation, Rochell found some peace.
"It actually made a big difference in the place I was at before the game," Rochell said. "I don't feel like I would've been able to play (otherwise). He definitely gave me some mental peace and quiet, clarity, and I needed that. Thankful for him every day. He checks on us, talks to us. He leads us through situations, gives us life tips. He's a great addition to the Packers organization."
A core special-teamer, Rochell was called upon to serve as the punt-team flyer opposite Melton after fellow cornerback Corey Ballentine went down with a knee injury on the opening kickoff.
After Green Bay's offense went three-and-out, Rochell came charging down the field in punt coverage. He beat a double-team and applied heavy pressure on Miami returner Malik Washington, who muffed the punt.
Spinning through Siran Neal's block, Rochell landed on top of the loose ball. Even after rewatching the play on film, Rochell isn't quite sure how he ended up in position to make the recovery at the Dolphins' 9-yard line.
Three plays later, Jayden Reed caught a 3-yard touchdown pass to put the Packers on the board. On a chilly Green Bay evening, Rochell could feel his friends with him on the field.
"That's the moment I felt like they were out there with me because it happened right away early in the game," Rochell said. "We had a guy go down and I had to go in for him. That's another thing that it was like, 'Oh yeah, the guys are with me tonight, for sure.'"
The Packers cruised to a 30-17 victory to improve to 9-3 on the season. Afterwards, Head Coach Matt LaFleur awarded Rochell a game ball for his gutsy performance in the face of adversity.
Some teammates, like Melton, knew the heavy heart with which Rochell was playing. Some did not until that moment. But every man in that postgame locker room was touched by it.
"It's unfortunate what happened with him, and what he went through," special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said. "But he did a great job of dealing with it. I know the guys in the locker room are real close with him, and I think they rallied around him."
It's been a little more than a year since Rochell first signed with the Packers off Carolina's practice squad. He played in nine games last year before coming up shy of making the initial 53-man roster this past summer.
Still, Rochell chose to stick around. After exhausting his three gameday elevations from the practice squad, the Packers signed Rochell signed back to the 53 last month. The locker room was ecstatic.
For all the times Rochell has picked others up, his teammates were more than happy to reciprocate on Thanksgiving whether it was standing by his side in the wake of the news of his friends' death or celebrating his heroics in the win over the Dolphins.
"That just goes to show you God's got his hands on you," Melton said. "It couldn't happen to a greater person. The team rallied when everybody knew what he was going through at the end of the game. The team rallied with him, hugged him, and made sure he's OK."
Rochell was appreciative of it. As the Packers ready for Thursday night's showdown with the Detroit Lions, the veteran cornerback hopes to continue paying back his teammates for their support.
Rochell has received a few game balls during his NFL career, but this one undoubtedly carries the most meaning – not only as a tribute to his fallen friends but also his love for his brothers in the Packers' locker room.
"Just as a man growing in this world, you know sometimes you feel isolated," Rochell said. "Just to know that you have other men that are dealing with their own problems and things and families, they put it to the side to make sure you're all right is everything.
"That's really what it's about. Bringing a brother along and all my brothers brought me along with them."
