R.J. Umberger played college hockey at Ohio State University from 2000 to 2003. He was a dominant player for the Buckeyes, leading the team in scoring for two consecutive seasons. In his junior year, he tallied 26 goals and 27 assists for 53 points, earning a unanimous selection to the All-CCHA First Team and a spot as a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. Umberger was the third player from Ohio State to be named a Hobey Baker finalist.

After his collegiate career, Umberger went on to play 11 seasons in the NHL. He was drafted 16th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2001, but a contract dispute led to him signing with the Philadelphia Flyers as a free agent in 2004. He had a productive career with the Flyers and was later traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he played for six seasons. Umberger scored the first-ever playoff goal in Blue Jackets history in 2009. He returned to the Flyers in 2014 for two more seasons before retiring.