The Raiders grieve the untimely passing of D.J. Hayden.
The Raiders Family is very saddened by the death of former cornerback D.J. Hayden.
D.J., the Raiders’ first-round draft pick from the University of Houston in 2013, overcame a heart injury incurred during a college practice to play nine seasons in the NFL, including his first four with the Silver and Black. Everyone who knew D.J. will remember him warmly for his daring, resilience, and dedication to his teammates.
The entire Raider Nation is praying for D.J.’s loved ones right now.
Former Raiders first-round pick CB D.J. Hayden died in an automobile crash.
Hayden’s two former University of Houston teammates were also killed in the incident.
Former Oakland Raiders cornerback D.J. Hayden was one of six persons killed in a car accident early Saturday morning in Houston. He was 33.
Houston police said early Saturday morning that a Chrysler 300 drove through a red light at high speed and collided with an Acura SUV. Four persons were pronounced dead on the site, and four were taken to a hospital. Two of the four people carried to the hospital died as a result of their injuries, while one woman sustained life-threatening injuries.
Hayden attended the University of Houston, and two of his former teammates, Zachary McMillian and Ralph Oragwu, died in the disaster, while another, Jeffrey Lewis, was injured.
“The entire University of Houston community is heartbroken over the tragic passing of former football student-athletes D.J. Hayden, Zachary McMillian and Ralph Oragwu earlier today, and our thoughts and prayers remain with Jeffrey Lewis in his recovery ahead,” the University of Houston said in a press release. “We send our heartfelt sympathies to their families, friends, and loved ones as we grieve the death of three people who left an indelible mark on every life they touched.
While their combined abilities created some of Houston Football’s most memorable moments, their individual legacies will be remembered for how they loved their teammates, supported their communities, and beat the odds.”
According to the Houston Chronicle, the athletes were in an SUV. The female driver of the Chrysler perished at the scene, according to authorities.
Hayden was a first-round pick by the Raiders in 2013 and spent four seasons with the franchise.
“D.J.’s courage, perseverance, and dedication to his teammates will be fondly remembered by everyone who knew him,” the Raiders wrote in a statement on Saturday.
He played a season in Detroit in 2017, three seasons in Jacksonville, and 14 games with the Washington Commanders in 2021.
He concluded his nine-year NFL career with four interceptions, four forced fumbles, and 328 tackles in 92 games.
Hayden’s journey to the NFL looked unlikely when he had a freak injury during a practice in Houston in November 2012. As Hayden attempted to defend a pass, a teammate’s knee struck his chest.
In a narrative told by Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab in 2013, Houston athletic trainer Mike O’Shea phoned 911 shortly after the play. When paramedics came, he was immediately transferred to a trauma facility, where physicians repaired Hayden’s vena cava. The vein that transports blood from the lower half of the body to the heart was severed in the impact.
That injury has a 95% death rate and is commonly encountered in car accidents. That injury had never occurred on a football field before, and the hit that caused it was not exceptional. If any of the preceding procedures had changed, the resultant delay would have been deadly. He was minutes away from death.
Hayden was historically unfortunate and then fortunate beyond imagination, all in
Hayden did not play the rest of the 2012 season while he recovered from surgery, but he was healthy enough to attend Houston’s pro day. He ran a 4.33-second 40-yard sprint at his pro day, which, combined with his performance on the field in Houston, was more than enough to convince the Raiders to draft him in the first round.
McMillian was Hayden’s Cougar teammate and recorded 10 interceptions between 2012 and 2013. In 49 games with the Cougars, the four-year contributor made 154 tackles and defended 31 passes. Before moving to Marshall, Oragwu played at Houston from 2009 to 2013.
Houston will host Cincinnati on Saturday night in its annual homecoming game.
