A contestant on the third season of the blockbuster reality series American Idol, Matthew Rogers (also occasionally billed as Matt Rogers) was born in Arcadia, CA, and reportedly began to sing at the age of five, without formal vocal training. Rogers later attended the University of Washington and earned his degree in business communications, concurrently drawing public attention for his skills on the football field (he played as an offensive lineman and helped his alma mater win the 2001 Rose Bowl), then established himself as a mortgage banker. He entered the limelight when selected for Idol's third season, treating the audience and judges to performances of such selections as "Amazed" and "What You Won't Do for Love." Unfortunately, Rogers became the second of 12 finalists to be eliminated from the running on March 24, 2004. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi