He played collegiately at the University of Detroit, in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants,[1] and in the American Football League (AFL) for the New York Titans.

[1] Lee Riley was raised in Schenectady, New York where he attended St. Aloysius Academy (high school).

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.

[1] He was the older brother of Pat Riley, currently president of the Miami Heat and former National Basketball Association (NBA) player, coach and broadcaster.

This biographical article relating to an American football defensive back born in the 1930s is a stub.