Taylor Mays fends off 'meathead tendencies' in recovery

[Bengals1181]

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. – Cincinnati Bengals safety Taylor Mays' recovery from right shoulder surgery hasn't exactly been easy, but at least he can joke about it now.

"The hardest part was I tore it where the biceps tendon attaches, so in my rehab process, they were like, 'No, you can't do bicep curls,'" Mays told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. "As a guy with meathead tendencies, not being able to do bicep curls – that was rough."

Mays was injured on the last play of the first half Oct. 27 against the New York Jets, who trailed 28-6 at the time and ran the ball instead of kneeling down as expected with 9 seconds on the clock. He extended his arm to tackle Bilal Powell and felt the shoulder pop out of socket.

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Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict initially tried to help up Mays, then summoned team doctors onto the field when he realized his teammate was hurt. The labrum was torn in two places, doctors later learned, and they couldn't get the shoulder back into place for about 90 minutes.

"The longer it's out, the harder it is," said Mays, a second-round draft pick out of USC in 2010 who had emerged as the Bengals' nickel linebacker before the injury.

"I know guys can play with (a torn labrum), but I think it was just the way it tore didn't really make (rehab an option). It just was the best decision for me to get it fixed."

After a workout Wednesday at trainer Ryan Capretta's ProActive Sports Performance, Mays estimated the shoulder is upwards of 90% healed as he prepares to head back to Cincinnati for the start of the offseason program next week.

He re-signed a one-year contract worth up to $1 million last month and is eager to show the value of his versatility to new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, who was promoted from linebackers coach after Mike Zimmer became the Minnesota Vikings' head coach.

Mays, 26, has the size (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) to tackle multiple roles, and the lack of bicep curls hasn't had any noticeable impact on his physique. How'd this meathead get by?

"Drank a lot of protein to make up for it," Mays said.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2014/04/16/taylor-mays-cincinnati-bengals-shoulder-injury/7798821/