Lyerla was born in Hillsboro, Oregon, on November 13, 1992, to Roger and Tammy Lyerla, with the family later moving to Hawaii and then Vancouver, Washington.[2][3][4] His parents divorced in 2001, and he moved to Gladstone, Oregon, before moving back to Hillsboro in 2003.[2] In Hillsboro, he attended Hillsboro High School, where he played both football and basketball for the Spartans.[2][5] On the football team he played both ways as a running back on offense and linebacker on defense, winning a state championship in 2009.[2][6] That season, he was named as The Oregonian's top offensive player at the 5A classification after he ran for 1,543 yards with 26 touchdowns, along with 843 yards and 13 touchdowns receiving as a junior.[7][8][9]
Lyerla graduated early from high school and enrolled at Oregon in the spring of 2011 so he could take part in spring practices.[2] During the team's spring game he had three catches for 37 yards while playing tight end.[17] As a true freshman for the 2011 season, he played tight end and caught 7 passes for 147 yards and 5 touchdowns.[18][19][20]
For the 2012 season, Lyerla earned the starting tight end position, and part-way into the season also saw playing time at the running back position.[21][22] Lyerla finished the season with 25 receptions for 392 yards and 6 touchdowns, and also rushed for 77 yards and 1 touchdown.[23]
During the 2013 season Lyerla missed a game against Tennessee and was then suspended for the game against Colorado before quitting the team on October 6, 2013.[24] He ended the season with 3 runs for 17 yards, including a touchdown, and 2 receptions for 26 yards in two games.[24]
Professional career
National Football League
Lyerla went undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers on May 19, 2014, as an undrafted free agent.[25] On August 2, 2014, at the Packers annual Family Night practice Lyerla tore the posterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his right knee when trying to hurdle a defender during a non-contact practice.[26] Initially placed on the Packers injured reserve list, Lyerla was waived with an injury settlement on August 26, 2014, that paid him through Week 8 of the season.
After leaving the Oregon Ducks during the 2013 season, Lyerla was arrested and later pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of cocaine.[30]
Lyerla was arrested on Saturday, September 6, 2014, at 2:52 a.m. for driving under the influence (DUI). The DUI was for impairment not related to alcohol.[31][32] On August 28, 2016, Lyerla was arrested in Tigard, Oregon, for possession of heroin.[33] He pleaded guilty to first- and second-degree forgery, and was sentenced to six months in prison.[34] Lyerla escaped custody on May 5, 2017.[35]
Lyerla was sentenced on November 19, 2019, to 27 months in the Oregon State Penitentiary after pleading guilty to charges of coercion, fourth-degree assault, unlawful possession of heroin and strangulation in Lane County Circuit Court.[36]
