 May,c. 1970 | |||||||||||||
| No. 59, 56 | |||||||||||||
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| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1945-06-04)June 4, 1945 (age 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Los Angeles | ||||||||||||
| College | USC | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1967: 4th round, 89th overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Reginald Raymond May (born June 4, 1945) is an American former professionalfootball player who was alinebacker in theNational Football League (NFL) from 1967 to 1975. During his career, he played for thePittsburgh Steelers,Baltimore Colts, andDenver Broncos. May was a member of the Baltimore Colts' 1970Super Bowl V winning team. He playedcollege football at theUniversity of Southern California.
Ray May was born June 4, 1945, inLos Angeles, California. He attendedLos Angeles High School where he starred in football andbaseball. In baseball, May played first base and was named to the All-Southern League team as a senior.[1] In football, May earned WSC All-League honorable mention honors on both offense and defense as a senior. He playedtight end on offense anddefensive end.[2]
May played football at theUniversity of Southern California from 1964–1966 where he featured as a defensive end. As a senior, May and USC appeared in the1967 Rose Bowl where they were defeated byPurdue 14–13.[3]
May was selected in the fourth round of the1967 NFL/AFL draft by thePittsburgh Steelers as the 89th overall selection.[4]
May spent his first three years of his career in Pittsburgh, spending the last two seasons as a starter.[4]
May was traded to theBaltimore Colts prior to the1970 NFL season in exchange forrunning backPreston Pearson and defensive backOcie Austin.[5] In Baltimore, May made up part of a potent linebacking corps that includedPro Football Hall of Fame memberTed Hendricks andAll-ProMike Curtis. May was a member of the Colts team that wonSuper Bowl V against theDallas Cowboys in January 1971.
Mike Curtis called May and Hendricks, "two of my favorite guys and two of our best players."[6] Curtis also expressed great admiration for May as a "remarkable man" for spending "nearly all his time — and damn near all his money" raising three troubled adopted children as a bachelor.[6] May won the"Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award following the 1971 season.
May began the1973 NFL season in Baltimore, but lost his starting position toStan White. May claimed that he asked to be traded by Colts general managerJoe Thomas. His request was granted following week three, when May was traded to theDenver Broncos in exchange for draft considerations.[7] May remained with the Broncos until the 1975 season.
May adopted several children throughout his life and ran a ranch for underprivileged youth inKansas.[7]