One-time Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Hayden was one of several victims of a fatal traffic accident in Houston on Saturday.
Hayden, 33, played for the Lions in 2017. He appeared in all 16 games and recorded 44 tackles, nine PDs and scored a touchdown for Detroit on one of his two fumble recoveries.
A Houston native who played collegiately for the Cougars, Hayden was one of three former Cougars players killed in the incident. A car ran a red light in the early hours of Saturday morning and crashed into a car that Hayden and his former teammates were in. Six people were killed in all.
Hayden was a first-round pick of the Raiders back in 2013 and played for that franchise before joining the Lions. He played three more seasons with the Jaguars and one in Washington before his career ended in 2021. Hayden was notable for nearly dying on the practice field while in college after suffering torn tissue in his heart. He overcame that to turn in a nice NFL career.
On a personal note, I got a chance to interview Hayden while at Houston in preparation for the NFL draft. He was an inspirational story for overcoming his heart issue and exuded positivity throughout his unusual path to the NFL. I’ve never forgotten that. Rest in peace, D.J.