Joe Mays (American football)

Total tackles:	246
Sacks:	1.5
Forced fumbles:	1
Fumble recoveries:	1
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Joe Mays
	Mays with the San Diego Chargers in 2015
No. 51, 53, 57
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	July 6, 1985 (age 39); Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	244 lb (111 kg)
Career information
High school:	Chicago (IL) Hyde Park
College:	North Dakota State
NFL draft:	2008 / round: 6 / pick: 200
Career history
	Philadelphia Eagles (2008−2009); Denver Broncos (2010−2012); Houston Texans (2013); Kansas City Chiefs (2014); New York Jets (2015)*; San Diego Chargers (2015);
	* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
	Division I-AA All-American (2007); 3× First-team All-GWC (2005–2007); GWC Defensive P.O.Y. (2007);
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:
Total tackles:	246
Sacks:	1.5
Forced fumbles:	1
Fumble recoveries:	1
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Joseph Lamont Mays (born July 6, 1985) is a former American football linebacker.^[1] He played college football at North Dakota State and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft. Mays also played for the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers.

Early life

Mays attended Hyde Park High School in Chicago, Illinois. He did not play football until his junior year of high school. He earned first-team all-conference honors in both his junior and senior years. He was named a first-team all-city selection as a senior in football after he made 115 tackles, 16 sacks, and two interceptions.

College career

As a senior at North Dakota State, Mays led the team on defense with 90 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks. He earned All-American honors and was named the Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Mays was a three-time first-team All-Great West Conference selection in his career. He made 285 total tackles, a school-record 159 solo tackles, 29.5 tackles-for-loss, three interceptions, and eleven sacks in his 31 games started and 43 games played in his career.

Professional career

Philadelphia Eagles

Mays was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round with the 200th overall pick of the 2008 NFL draft.^[2] He spent most of the 2008 season inactive, but played in the last two games of the season on special teams.

On August 2, 2009, the starting linebacker for the Eagles, Stewart Bradley, suffered a season-ending torn ACL during training camp.^[3] At subsequent Eagles practices, Mays was promoted to Bradley's position, middle linebacker, although Omar Gaither beat him out for the job.

Denver Broncos

Mays was traded to the Denver Broncos in exchange for running back J. J. Arrington on July 30, 2010.^[4]

On September 25, 2012, Mays was suspended for one game and fined $50,000 by the NFL for his hit on the Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub that lacerated Schaub's earlobe.^[5] During the Week 8 game against the New Orleans Saints, Mays fractured his fibula and was placed on injured reserve.

On July 23, 2013, Mays was released by the Broncos.^[6]

Houston Texans

On July 29, 2013, Mays signed with the Houston Texans to a one-year contract.^[7]

Kansas City Chiefs

Mays signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on March 12, 2014.^[8] Due to an injury suffered in the Chiefs final preseason game, Mays was placed on injured reserve with a designated for return tag,^[9] and was activated on November 8, 2014. He was released by the team on March 5, 2015.

New York Jets

Mays was signed by the New York Jets on April 13, 2015.^[10]

San Diego Chargers

Mays signed a 1-year contract with the San Diego Chargers on October 20, 2015.^[11]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Tackles					Interceptions					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	Sck	TFL	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	FR	Yds	TD
2008	PHI	2	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2009	PHI	11	1	18	17	1	0.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
2010	DEN	12	5	40	35	5	0.0	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
2011	DEN	16	12	75	64	11	0.0	8	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0
2012	DEN	6	4	20	7	13	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2013	HOU	14	13	67	42	25	1.0	6	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0
2014	KAN	8	3	20	16	4	0.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
2015	SDG	9	0	6	3	3	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		78	38	246	184	62	1.5	19	0	0	0	0	6	1	1	0	0

Playoffs

Year	Team	Games		Tackles					Interceptions					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	Sck	TFL	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	FR	Yds	TD
2009	PHI	1	0	2	2	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2011	DEN	2	2	15	9	6	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
		3	2	17	11	6	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0

Personal life

Mays earned a degree in physical education from North Dakota State. He and his wife, LaToyia, have one son, Jai, and one daughter, Joi.

References

^ "Mays signs with San Diego, becomes second former Bison to be a Charger linebacker | INFORUM". Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
^ "2008 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
^ "Report: Torn ACL could cost Bradley". espn.com. August 3, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
^ McPherson, Chris (July 30, 2010). "Eagles Acquire RB Arrington From Denver". philadelphiaeagles.com. Retrieved July 30, 2010. ^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "NFL Hands Mays $50,000 Fine, 1 Game Suspension". CBS News Denver. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
^ "Broncos release Joe Mays". ESPN News. July 23, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
^ "Joe Mays, Houston Texans reportedly strike one-year contract". NFL.com. July 29, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
^ "Chiefs Ink Abdullah, Mays & Linkenbach". Archived from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
^ "Chiefs Sign S Kurt Coleman; LB Joe Mays to IR". KCChiefs.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
^ Lange, Randy (April 13, 2015). "Jets Add Joe Mays to Their LB Corps". New York Jets. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
^ "Mays signs with San Diego, becomes second former Bison to be a Charger linebacker | INFORUM". Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2015.

External links

Kansas City Chiefs bio Archived 2014-03-13 at the Wayback Machine
Media related to Joe Mays (American football) at Wikimedia Commons

[1] "Mays signs with San Diego, becomes second former Bison to be a Charger linebacker | INFORUM". Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2015.

[2] "2008 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 12, 2023.

[3] "Report: Torn ACL could cost Bradley". espn.com. August 3, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.

[4] McPherson, Chris (July 30, 2010). "Eagles Acquire RB Arrington From Denver". philadelphiaeagles.com. Retrieved July 30, 2010. ^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[5] "NFL Hands Mays $50,000 Fine, 1 Game Suspension". CBS News Denver. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2012.

[6] "Broncos release Joe Mays". ESPN News. July 23, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2013.

[7] "Joe Mays, Houston Texans reportedly strike one-year contract". NFL.com. July 29, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.

[8] "Chiefs Ink Abdullah, Mays & Linkenbach". Archived from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.

[9] "Chiefs Sign S Kurt Coleman; LB Joe Mays to IR". KCChiefs.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2014.

[10] Lange, Randy (April 13, 2015). "Jets Add Joe Mays to Their LB Corps". New York Jets. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.

[11] "Mays signs with San Diego, becomes second former Bison to be a Charger linebacker | INFORUM". Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2015.

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