D.J. Hayden, a former NFL cornerback, passed away at the age of 33 on Saturday in a tragic accident. According to a report from the Houston Police Department, obtained by Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle, Hayden was one of six individuals killed in a collision caused by a car running a red light near a freeway around 2 a.m. local time.
Duarte mentioned that among the four people pronounced dead at the scene was Zach McMillian, a former University of Houston cornerback who had been Hayden’s teammate during their time with the Cougars from 2011 to 2012. Both Hayden and McMillian were recognized for their contributions to the program, earning spots on the all-decade team for the 2010s. Hayden, in particular, was honored as a two-time All-Conference-USA selection during his two seasons with Houston.
Despite facing a life-threatening heart injury during a practice session towards the end of the 2012 season, Hayden went on to enjoy a nine-year career in the NFL. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2013 draft and spent four seasons with the team before moving to the Detroit Lions in 2017. His longest tenure with a single team post-Oakland was with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he played from 2018 to 2020.
Hayden’s final season in the NFL occurred in 2021 when he briefly played for the Washington Commanders, appearing in just one game. Throughout his career, Hayden participated in a total of 92 games, accumulating 328 combined tackles, 46 pass breakups, and four interceptions.
