Exclusive with Former Steelers Wide Receiver Lee Mays, 2002-2006

First, let me know what you’ve been doing with yourself since you time in the NFL?

Well, I’m a manager at a boutique hotel  – Hotel Zaza – here in Houston. I’ve been here for over two years and been with the company for six years.

Before that I was doing medical sales – I started that right after football. That was about the time I had my first son. My wife was a flight attendant and was based in Houston so we moved there and I got caught up in the hotel business there. I had relatives in the business who helped me get started.

How hard was the post-NFL adjustment for you?

Honestly, I don’t think anyone really gets used to it right away. Some people do take it harder than others. I talked to the guys and still go back to my old school once a year to catch games. But I let the young guys have at it now!

Getting drafted by the Steelers in 2002 – were you surprised to be taken by Pittsburgh?

I don’t know if you ever know who’s looking at anyone. I know Pittsburgh tried to call me the round before but I think I wrote down the wrong area code. Kevin Colbert called me and Coach Cowher was on the line too. He asked me if I wanted to be a Steeler and I said “Yeah!”. It was a humbling  and surreal feeling to see my name on the screen. There was so much tradition and it’s such a hard-hat crowd. They were blue collar fans. When we won they won, and when we lost they lost.

Did any of the vets help mentor you as a rookie?

The older guys – they were all professionals. They could all play or they wouldn’t be there. Me and Antwaan Randle El came in together as rookies. We watched the vets and took their advice – learned what they did and came with our hard-hats.

You had a terrific senior year in college but struggled to find playing time early on in Pittsburgh. How did you deal with that?

It’s the same thing you deal with in pee wee, then middle school, then high school and college. You have to prove yourself at every level. It’s no different in the NFL. You start off at zero. Everyone goes through it and I did since I was eight years old. So it wasn’t an issue for me.

You were also a good kick returner. What made you a successful kick returner?

You have to commit. The other ten guys have to know what you’re doing. Whatever the playcall is you have to commit to it. Guys like Antwaan – he was a quarterback in college but was a great athlete and did well on punt returns. Returners that are successful find that hole and commit to it. Whether the call is to run right, middle, or left, you have to hit the hole. You can’t be tiptoeing through it.

What are the things you remember most of your time there?

The comraderie. A lot of people you think are straight-faced were not. Guys like Jerome and Hines – they were jokers. Every day those guys would pull pranks. To see those two joking on each other was fun. And Troy – people see him as quiet and soft-spoken, and he was – then some. But he also played a lot of jokes.

One time I remember getting ready for practice and I couldn’t find my helmet. I’m freaking out. I’m a rookie and the coaches are yelling at me as I’m walking around with pads on and no helmet. It turns out Hines had it the whole time. He had his helmet on and mine in his hands laughing. But the coaches didn’t find it amusing!

Who were some of the tougher guys you faced as a Steeler?

My biggest thing was playing against our biggest rivals – the Ravens. McAllister was tough and smart. I remember we were all talking about who hit us the hardest and for me it was Ray Lewis. He hit me on a drag route – clean-clocked me. I didn’t know where I was for three-to-four plays.

Darrell Revis was tough at the time too. Milloy in New England. He was tough – once I was a gunner and he just mauled me.

I loved all of it – every minute of it all. The organization gave me a chance to play football for years and to win a championship. It was a huge thrill. I was blessed to be a part of it!

After five years though you left the NFL. What happened?

Well it was my choice. I had tryouts after those five years with Cleveland and Green Bay. I was going to sign with one of them but it didn’t pan out. I decided I didn’t want to wait by the phone any more for calls. I considered the CFL but decided to finish school and start a career in medical sales.

Lastly – what are your thoughts on the NFL today – especially as a former wide receiver?

I’d love to be playing now in the NFL! The pass-first league now is exciting – I would love that as a player. When I played if Bussie didn’t get the ball 30 times it wasn’t normal.

I get it. It’s exciting for the fanbase. You see guys like Antonio Brown do what they did and Drew Brees and Mahomes breaking passing records – seeing the ball in the air this much is exciting. I like it – of course I’m biased as a former wide receiver! If I were a running back maybe I wouldn’t like it. Or a cornerback – though they get more opportunities for interceptions, so maybe they do like it! Either way, personally, I love it!

Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades.  To order, just click on the book:

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