Second-year tight finish Michael Mayer returned to the Raiders this week with an upbeat outlook after being away from the group for private causes.
Mayer final performed in Week 3 and has been on the reserve/non-football sickness checklist since Oct. 11, lacking seven video games.
“The No. 1 important rule is that football’s not bigger than life. It isn’t and it never has been, at least for me. I just needed to figure some things out. That’s what I did and I’m on my feet again,” Mayer stated Wednesday forward of the Raiders’ Week 11 street recreation in opposition to the Dolphins. “I feel great. I’m sleeping well, I’m doing all the things that I need to be doing to set myself up for success and help the team to. Whatever they ask me to do these next eight, nine, 10 weeks left, I’ma do it for ’em.”
Mayer, a second-round decide within the 2024 NFL Draft, didn’t present particulars on what triggered him to be away from the group apart from describing it as a private matter.
He performed within the group’s first three video games, tallying 4 catches for 21 yards, earlier than being inactive for the Weeks 4 and 5 contests.
He landed on reserve/non-football sickness checklist earlier than a Week 6 loss to the Steelers.
Mayer stated he’s doing “great” and thanked the group and people round him for being there for him whereas he wanted time away.
The previous Notre Dame star spent a number of weeks with household and mates in Cincinnati, per The Athletic, earlier than returning to work out in Las Vegas in the course of the group’s Week 10 bye week.
“They’ve been with me through the whole thing. I really appreciate that. I couldn’t ask for a better organization, a better support system, a better all that stuff,” Mayer stated. “It was a personal matter, me and my family handled it behind closed doors, but I’m so thankful for this organization and I’m so thankful for the support they’ve shown me. I felt really happy and good out there today. I was happy to be back out there with (Brock Bowers), all the tight end boys and the whole offense. It’s been great.”
Mayer returns to a 2-7 group that has fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and traded star receiver Davante Adams to the Jets.
He acknowledged it has been “tough” to look at the losses pile up whereas he frolicked along with his household.
In Mayer’s absence, Bowers — a prized rookie out of Georgia — has emerged as one of many sports activities’ premier tight ends.
“You want to be out there helping your team, there’s no doubt about it,” Mayer stated. “Win, lose or draw, you want to be out there helping your team. That wasn’t very fun at all.”
The Raiders now have a 21-day window to activate Mayer and he has been listed a full participant in apply every of the final two days.
His standing for Sunday’s recreation stays unsure.
“Excited, man. It was good to see big Mike, man” Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce stated Wednesday. “He regarded good. He had a bit of tan. I don’t know the place he was at, however he was hanging someplace good. He regarded good, he was in form.
“He stayed out here this entire bye week working out, getting himself back into football shape and around the team, around the building. And then, obviously, when we got together yesterday, man, everybody was excited, you heard a lot of knocking, business as usual. That’s what Mike’s about, business.”
