Raiders Q&A: Getting to know Michael Mayer

The Raiders needed help at tight end, so it wasn’t a surprise when they traded up to draft Michael Mayer in the second round with the 35th overall selection.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 265-pound Mayer set Notre Dame records for tight ends with 180 catches for 2,099 yards and 18 receiving scores.

The Review-Journal sat down with the rookie this week to learn a little more about him.

RJ: Ohio State 17, Notre Dame 14 … Too soon?

Mayer: (Laughing). Come on. Way too soon. Ooff. A tough one. I really wanted them to win that one. Really tough. We played in Columbus last year and had them pretty close. But this one was very disappointing. I wanted to win that one for sure.

RJ: Do NFL rookies still have to sing their college fight song, and would you have known the words?

Mayer: I think it depends on the team you’re on. We had to do a talent show. I don’t know if I would have known all the words. My last (college) game was like the first week of December, and I didn’t really think about it at all after that. I could have gotten through half of it. If they would have told me beforehand, I could have prepared and would have known it in 10 minutes.

RJ: Your cousin, Luke Maile, is a catcher with the Cincinnati Reds. What other sports did you play growing up?

Mayer: I played all three — football, basketball and baseball. I loved baseball. My dad played in college at Ohio University. I was a big, big baseball guy. But I settled on basketball and football in high school. The positive was spring football, so there was something to do during baseball season.

RJ: What was the best thing about playing at a school such as Notre Dame and with that many expectations?

Mayer: I think the best thing for me was that I was able to take those expectations and raise them even higher — or at least try to. In terms of the team, stats, personal goals. Right when I got there as a freshman, I knew the expectations — tight ends do this or the Notre Dame football team does this in the classroom. I wanted to raise all that.

RJ: What was the worst thing about playing at a school such as Notre Dame and with that many expectations?

Mayer: I could double down and say the classroom thing, too. I left (school) early, but I still had to do all my class work. There are some great professors there. I was a history major, so you had to do a lot of reading and essay writing. Couldn’t really do the math. I’m not a huge calculus, calculus II guy and all that stuff. But you can’t skip class. You’re not getting away with it.

RJ: Even if you’re the star tight end?

Mayer: No.

RJ: What has the transition from college to the NFL been like?

Mayer: It’s an adjustment for sure. No question about that. You have to keep your head on straight, you have to study as much as you can, you have to learn as much as you can, you have to absorb as much information as you can from anybody. Really it’s about coming in here every day and learning as much as I can.

RJ: If you weren’t an NFL player, what would you be?

Mayer: I think I would try to play another sport. For basketball, I’d need a Steph Curry-range 3-pointer. Or you know what? My whole life, I’ve been interested in architectural design, interior design, open concepts, things like that. Maybe something like that. It’s something for the future.

RJ: Did you watch the movie “Rudy,” and have you met him?

Mayer: Oh, yeah, I watched it. I have not met him. I was a kid at that point. I wasn’t even a Notre Dame fan. We lived in Kentucky and about four hours from Notre Dame. We watched games and stuff, but it wasn’t like I had jerseys or anything like that. But it was a sweet movie.

RJ: You scored a two-point conversion against the Steelers. Did you keep the ball?

Mayer: I didn’t. I’m waiting for my (first) touchdown. Everyone keeps asking me if I kept it or why I didn’t spike it. Well, it’s different if it’s a touchdown. I just threw it to the ref. I’m waiting on that touchdown.

Contact sports columnist Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.