NFF National Scholar-Athletes
Jerry Mays cemented himself into the SMU history books after a legendary four-year career. A Dallas native, Mays attended Sunset High School where he distinguished himself as an All-State lineman, and he led the team in claiming the Sanger Trophy, which was awarded to the Dallas school with the best record. Recruited to play tackle at SMU, he continued to dominate on defense. He served as the team’s co-captain, earning honors as a member of the All-Southwest Conference team.
Mays achieved significant success in the classroom as well, boasting straight-A’s as an undergraduate engineering student. He belonged to the Blue Key Honor Society, an honors society that recognizes college students for all-around excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.
After college Mays enjoyed an illustrious career with the Dallas Texans, who would later become the Kansas City Chiefs. He served as the Chiefs captain in the first-ever Super Bowl and in Super Bowl IV, the team’s first championship. Over the course of his ten-season career, Mays was a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time AFL All-Star and a member of the All-Time AFL Team. In 1972, he was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. Mays was born on Nov. 24, 1939 and passed away at age 54 on July 17, 1994 in Lake Lewisville, Texas.
