Joe Mays (American football)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Lamont "Joe" Mays (born July 6, 1985 in Chicago
, Illinois
) is an American football
linebacker
for the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He was drafted
by the Philadelphia Eagles
in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at North Dakota State
.
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 a first-team all-city selection as a senior in football after he made 115 tackles, 16 sacks and two interceptions.
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.
by the Philadelphia Eagles
in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. 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. At subsequent Eagles practices, Mays was promoted to Bradley's position, middle linebacker, although Omar Gaither
beat him out for the job.
in exchange for running back J. J. Arrington on July 30, 2010.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
) is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at North Dakota State
North Dakota State Bison football
The North Dakota State Bison football program represents North Dakota State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level and competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. From 2004 to 2007, the Bison were members of the Great West Football...
.
Early years
Joe attended Hyde Park High SchoolHyde Park Career Academy
Hyde Park Career Academy is a public 4-year high school located in the Woodlawn neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is a part of the Chicago Public Schools District 299.-Notable alumni:...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He did not play football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
until his junior year of high school. He earned first-team all-conference honors in both his junior and senior years. He was 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.
Philadelphia Eagles
Mays was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He spent most of the 2008 season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
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
Stewart Bradley
Stewart Bradley is an American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, suffered a season-ending torn ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
during training camp. At subsequent Eagles practices, Mays was promoted to Bradley's position, middle linebacker, although Omar Gaither
Omar Gaither
-Philadelphia Eagles:Gaither was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Gaither received significant playing time later in the 2006 season due to the struggles and injury of starter Matt McCoy. Gaither got his first NFL start at weakside linebacker on December...
beat him out for the job.
Denver Broncos
Mays was traded to the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in exchange for running back J. J. Arrington on July 30, 2010.