Lee Riley

{{Short description|American football player (1932–2011)}}

{{for|the baseball player who also went by the name Lee Riley, who was this person's father|Leon Riley}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox gridiron football person

| name =

| image = Lee Riley - 1955 Bowman.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Riley on a 1955 Bowman football card

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|8|24|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2011|6|9|1932|8|24|mf=y}}

| death_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| team =

| number =

| status =

| position1 = Defensive back

| height_ft =

| height_in =

| weight_lb =

| college = University of Detroit

| NFLDraftedYear = 1955

| NFLDraftedRound = 4

| NFLDraftedPick = 48

| NFLDraftedTeam =

| playing_years1 = 1955

| playing_team1 = NFL Detroit Lions

| playing_years2 = 1956–1959

| playing_team2 = NFL Philadelphia Eagles

| playing_years3 = 1960

| playing_team3 = NFL New York Giants

| playing_years4 = 1961–1962

| playing_team4 = AFL New York Titans

| career_highlights =

| DatabaseFootball = RILEYLEE01

}}

Leon Francis Riley Jr. (August 24, 1932 – June 9, 2011), best known as Lee Riley, was an American college and professional football defensive back. He played collegiately at the University of Detroit, in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants,{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RileLe20.htm|title=Lee Riley NFL & AFL Football Statistics|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=5 January 2010|archive-date=May 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517005002/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RileLe20.htm|url-status=live}} and in the American Football League (AFL) for the New York Titans.

Lee Riley was raised in Schenectady, New York where he attended St. Aloysius Academy (high school). He later attended St. Bonaventure University before transferring to the University of Detroit Mercy, where he played collegiate football. His father, Leon Riley Sr., played professional baseball and briefly played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies during World War II before relocating to Rome, New York to assume role as player/manager of a minor league team in 1940s to early 1950s.{{cn|date=November 2022}} Lee played college football at the University of Detroit.

He was the older brother of Pat Riley, currently president of the Miami Heat and former National Basketball Association (NBA) player, coach and broadcaster.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ig4U6TYs8Q |title=Pat Riley Reveals Issues with Today's NBA, Origins of Heat Culture, Keys To Success & Legacy |date=2025-01-09 |last=LeBatardShow |access-date=2025-01-13 |via=YouTube}}

Lee Riley played eight-man football at St. Aloysius Academy. He then went to the University of Detroit and was drafted by the Detroit Lions. He was inducted into the Rome, New York Hall of Fame. In his last year of Professional Football he led the AFL in pass interceptions.{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/history/leaders/individual/interceptions|title=NFL Historical Stats Leaders|work=interceptions|publisher=NFL Enterprises LLC|accessdate=5 January 2010|archive-date=July 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724131341/http://www.nfl.com/history/leaders/individual/interceptions|url-status=live}}