OAKWOOD — Since he retired from the NFL almost two years ago, plenty has changed for Cameron Lee.

He’s training for a marathon these days. He hosts a podcast on the Bleav Podcast Network geared around one of his former teams, the Chicago Bears.

He sells real estate. He helps recruit and develop college football players for his old agency, Dynamic Sports Group.

He and his wife, Matte, celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary on June 29.

And more importantly, they’re the proud parents of a 3-month-old son, Lennox, who was born on May 12.

“I’ve got a whole lot on my plate,” the 26-year-old Lee said with a laugh.

For the 2012 Oakwood graduate — who went on to shine on the offensive line at Illinois State before bouncing around for two seasons in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals, the Bears and Baltimore Ravens — he’s enjoying life back in Oakwood. Even without football, a sport he stepped away from in February 2019.

“It’s amazing because the thing that people probably don’t fully realize is that being a professional athlete is something you dream about and put effort into for so many years,” Lee said. “We’re talking 15-20 years of effort to do something that is really wrapped up in about 24 months. It’s kind of crazy when you put it in that perspective.”

Here’s more from Lee on a few notable topics:

On no high school football this fall in Illinois

“Football games are almost like a checkpoint. I don’t think it’s just football players, but a lot of people base their entire life in the fall around those games. Even if it’s just pep assemblies or having a party after the game. So much revolves around that for so many people.”

On if he misses playing football

“I have the same exact emotional reaction to it every single year. It was the same when I played and it’s the same now that I don’t. There’s a part of me that goes, ‘Man, I want to compete, and I miss that part.’ Then there’s a part of me that goes, ‘But, I’m pretty happy. Things are fine.’”

“I’ve made a lot of efforts to change not only my body, but my whole lifestyle. I’ve lost a bunch of weight. I feel differently, and I’m just under 250 pounds. The highest I ever was when I was playing was 328. I told myself that I never wanted my son to know the fat dad. Never let your son meet fat dad.”

Matt Daniels is sports editor of The News-Gazette. He can be reached at 217-373-7422 or at mdaniels@news-gazette.com.