D.J. Hayden was a cornerback for such NFL teams as the Oakland Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- Died: November 11, 2023 (Who else died on November 11?)
- Details of death: Died in Houston of injuries sustained in a car accident at the age of 33.
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D.J. Hayden’s legacy
Hayden played college football at the University of Houston after transferring from Navarro College, where he also played. The team won the TicketCity Bowl in his junior year, and the following year, he was chosen for first-team All-Conference USA honors. In his senior year, Hayden had an on-field collision that tore his inferior vena cava, an injury that is often fatal and is typically associated with car accidents, not football. But Hayden not only survived; he made a full recovery and was able to go on to a professional career despite being unable to participate in the NFL Combine as he recovered.
So impressive was Hayden’s performance as a Houston Cougar that half a year after his injury, he was chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Raiders. He went on to a nine-year NFL career, five of them with the Raiders. He played one season for the Detroit Lions in 2017, then signed with the Jaguars, where he played through the 2020 season. In 2021, Hayden signed with Washington but was released the following year. Recently, he was coaching high school football at Houston’s Second Baptist School.
Notable quote
“‘Why do I have to go through so much pain, why do I have to? Just, why me? Why?’ That was the lowest point. I was scared every time my heart would beat fast. I got nervous because I thought, like, the vein was gonna tear again.” —from a 2013 interview for NFL.com
Tributes to D.J. Hayden
Full obituary: People
