Apr 4, 2017 6 min read

CALIFORNIA – Like many men, Rontez Miles has had to deal with hair loss.

Unlike most men, Miles’ hair loss came when he was just 8 years old.

Miles developed alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss, at that young age, causing him to stand out.

And that wasn’t a good thing.

“Kids can be rough,” Miles told a packed classroom at California University Tuesday night.

Miles, who was speaking to Dr. Kelton Edmonds class, said the ridicule he endured from other kids made him make a life-changing choice.

“I decided at 8 that I was going to play in the NFL,” Miles said. “I knew that one day I would be up here like this talking to you all.”

Plenty of kids make that promise to themselves. Few have the combination of skill, luck and opportunity to make it happen.

Miles, 28, is entering his fifth season as a member of the New York Jets, who signed the hard-hitting safety as an undrafted rookie out of Cal in 2013. He’s one of five former Vulcans to have played in the NFL last season but was the only one who appeared in all of his team’s games.

Now, just getting to the NFL isn’t enough. Miles wants more. He wants to be a full-time starter, something he related to the students.

Despite appearing in all 16 games for the Jets in 2016 – the first time in his career he has done so – and making four starts, a chip remains on his shoulder.

“I’m in the party, but I can’t even drink,” the Braddock native and Woodland Hills High School graduate said.

“I’m there, but I’m not rich yet. I’m wealthy, I can manage my life, but it’s more than that. I’m a Pro Bowler. I’m a starting safety. I’m not going to sell myself short. The motivation is everywhere.”

That was part of Miles’ message to the students. And he’s overcome more obstacles than most to fulfill his dreams.

Originally a Kent State recruit, where he went with his step-brother Vondre Griffin, straight out of high school. The two were born just two months apart and decided to chase their NFL dream together despite the fact Miles had plenty of offers from bigger schools, Pitt and West Virginia among them.

But Griffin ran afoul of the coaches at Kent and was kicked off the team.

“They asked me to stay at the same meeting,” Miles said. “Can you imagine that, after kicking my brother off the team?”

That wasn’t happening without his brother. So he left school, headed to community college and spent two years away from football before then-Cal coach John Luckhardt brought him in.

He became an immediate star for the Vulcans, winning PSAC West Freshman of the Year.

More honors followed in the next three seasons, including All-America status. But NFL teams took a pass on him, including the Steelers, who Miles said told him it would be better if he weren’t in Pittsburgh. He had grown up in a home with a mother addicted to drugs – she’s now clean – and a father who was in prison. It didn’t leave a lot of guidance for their 11 combined children.

So Miles, who has Steelers logo on his upper left arm as part of an impressive collection of tatoos, headed northeast. He didn’t make the Jets’ 53-man roster right away, instead getting signed to the practice squad.

When he finally did get signed to the active roster that year – he appeared in one game – the moment was not lost on the young player.

“I got that first game check for like $25,000 and I didn’t want to cash it,” he said. “I’d saved up my money from being on the practice squad, like $8,000 a week. So I didn’t need to cash it right away. I just wanted to show it off.” Miles was released the following season at the end of training camp but was later signed to the practice squad. In Week 17 of the 2014 season, he was activated by then-head coach Rex Ryan and was going to play in the regular season finale. But following a collision with teammate Marcus Williams in practice, he knew something wasn’t right.

“I went to meetings and stuff after practice and when we were done, I could barely walk,” said Miles, who had played through a hip injury as a rookie that he hid from the team so that he wouldn’t be released.

“I went to the medical staff and they took me straight to the hospital.”

It was fortunate Miles didn’t try to hide that injury, which turned out to be compartment syndrome – excessive bleeding and swelling after an injury. Had he done so, he could have lost his leg.

That ended his 2014 season before it began. It also coincided with the end of Ryan’s tenure as head coach. He was fired and replaced by Todd Bowles that offseason.

“I had a whole new staff coming in and I had no tape from the previous year,” Miles said. “I went out, led the team in tackles in the preseason, returned an interception for a touchdown. I did everything I thought I needed to do. They cut me again.”

Miles was so upset, even after he was again signed to the practice squad, he didn’t speak to the coaching staff for the next six weeks. They eventually sent him to anger management courses.

But he stuck it out, kept working and burst onto the scene last year, recording 57 tackles – including 14 in a game against the Patriots – and forcing three fumbles in 16 games.

The motivation to do more in the game he loves, which saved him from a life of poverty, or worse, continues to drive him. But it’s also opened up other opportunities.

“I’m into real estate. I’m writing a book. I’m the best rapper in Pittsburgh, but y’all have never heard of me because I keep that low key,” Miles said. “I want to get into acting, as well. That’s one of the things you should all remember: life is short. Try to live it all as much as you can.”