Nick Hayden
{{Short description|American football player (born 1986)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Nick Hayden
| image = Nick Hayden 2016 preseason.jpg
| caption = Hayden with the Browns in 2016
| number = 78, 98, 96
| position = Defensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|2|4}}
| birth_place = Hartland, Wisconsin, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 303
| high_school = Arrowhead (WI)
| college = Wisconsin
| draftyear = 2008
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 181
| pastteams =
- Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|2008}}–{{NFL Year|2010}})
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2011}})
- Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|2013}}–{{NFL Year|2015}})
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2016}})*
| status =
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 76
| statlabel2 = Total tackles
| statvalue2 = 183
| statlabel3 = Sacks
| statvalue3 = 2.0
| statlabel4 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue4 = 1
| statlabel5 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue5 = 2
| statlabel6 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue6 = 1
| pfr = HaydNi99
}}
Nick Hayden (born February 4, 1986) is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League for the Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin and was selected by the Panthers in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft.
Early life
Hayden attended Arrowhead High School, where he played as a defensive tackle, receiving All-State honors two straight years and the Defensive Lineman of the Year award in 2002.{{cite web| url=http://www.lakecountrynow.com/sports/lakecountryreporter/hayden-returns-home-for-massive-nfl-showdown-b99420802z1-287669941.html | title=Arrowhead alum Nick Hayden returns home for massive NFL showdown | access-date=January 14, 2016}}
He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He became a starter at defensive tackle as a sophomore, registering 56 tackles, 5.5 sacks (led the team), one forced fumble, 4 passes defensed and 3 fumble recoveries. The next year, he had 27 tackles and one blocked kick. In his final season he posted 48 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries (led the team), 2 passes defensed and one blocked kick.
In college, he started the final 39 games of his career, registering 132 tackles, 10 sacks, one forced fumble, 6 fumble recoveries (third most in school history), 6 passes defensed and 2 blocked kicks.
Professional career
=Carolina Panthers=
Hayden was selected in the sixth round (181st overall) of the 2008 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers.{{Cite web |title=2008 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In 2010, he became a regular starter (10 games) at left defensive tackle, registering 51 tackles, one sack, 2 quarterback pressures and one pass defensed. He was waived on September 3, 2011.
=Cincinnati Bengals=
On December 7, 2011, he signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals and played in two games before being declared inactive for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. The next year, he suffered a high ankle sprained in the last preseason game and was waived injured on August 31.
=Dallas Cowboys=
After not playing in 2012, he was signed to a futures contract by the Dallas Cowboys on February 10, 2013,{{cite web | url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2013/02/11/cowboys-add-2-more-%E2%80%9Cfutures%E2%80%9D-players-including-dt-hayden | title=Cowboys Add 2 More "Futures" Players, Including DT Hayden | access-date=January 14, 2016 | archive-date=May 14, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514152901/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2013/02/11/cowboys-add-2-more-%E2%80%9Cfutures%E2%80%9D-players-including-dt-hayden | url-status=dead }} to provide depth in training camp. The many injuries the team experienced in the defensive line allowed him to move up the depth chart and be named the team starter at left defensive tackle.{{cite web| url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2014/02/04/roster-rundown-hayden-made-most-opportunity | title=Hayden Made Most Of Opportunity | access-date=January 14, 2016}} Hayden proved to be a reliable player by starting all 16 games an playing solid against the run. He finished the year with the most tackles (51) and snaps (821) registered by a Cowboys defensive lineman. He also had 16 quarterback pressures, 2 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one touchdown.{{cite web| url=http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4722992/cowboys-hidden-gems-nick-hayden | title=Cowboys Hidden Gems: Nick Hayden | date=9 January 2014 | access-date=January 14, 2016}}
In 2014, he started 16 games and led the team's defensive linemen with 52 tackles, while also registering 4 tackles for loss (tied for second on the team), 8 quarterback pressures and one pass defensed.{{cite web| url=http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4741292/dallas-cowboys-nick-hayden-agree-to-terms | title= Cowboys, Nick Hayden agree to terms | date= 20 March 2015 | access-date=January 14, 2016}}
In 2015, he didn't start against the New England Patriots, when the team opened with only 3 defensive linemen. He posted 15 starts, 54 tackles (4 for loss), 5 quarterback pressures and 2 passes defensed. He wasn't re-signed at the end of the season.
=Cleveland Browns=
On July 22, 2016, he was signed as a free agent by the Cleveland Browns to play defensive end in a 3-4 defense, who were looking to improve the depth at the defensive line after Desmond Bryant was lost for the year with a torn pectoral muscle.{{cite web| url=http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2016/07/23/Cleveland-Browns-sign-DL-Nick-Hayden/2041469313017/ | title= Cleveland Browns sign DL Nick Hayden | access-date=January 14, 2016}} He was released on August 29.{{cite web | url=http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/08/paul_kruger_cut_by_cleveland_b.html | title=Paul Kruger cut by Cleveland Browns; Austin Davis, Travis Coons also among cuts | publisher=cleveland.com | date=August 29, 2016 | access-date=August 29, 2016 | author=Cabot, Mary Kay | url-status=bot: unknown | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829181602/http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/08/paul_kruger_cut_by_cleveland_b.html | archive-date=August 29, 2016 }}
=NFL statistics=
| class="wikitable" | |||||||||||||||
| Year | Team | Games | Combined Tackles | Tackles | Assisted Tackles | Sacks | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries | Fumble Return Yards | Interceptions | Interception Return Yards | Yards per Interception Return | Interception Return | Interceptions Returned for Touchdown | Passes Defended |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | CAR | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | CAR | 10 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | CAR | 14 | 31 | 20 | 11 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 | CIN | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | DAL | 16 | 44 | 25 | 19 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 44 | 97 | 64 | 33 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2013/11/04/star-once-wild-child-hayden-now-determined-starter-dt Once Wild Child, Hayden Now Determined Starter At DT]
- [http://www.panthers.com/team/roster/Nick-Hayden/5e646f7c-e565-4320-834f-125c714721ab Carolina Panthers bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807084556/http://www.panthers.com/team/roster/nick-hayden/5e646f7c-e565-4320-834f-125c714721ab |date=2009-08-07 }}
{{Panthers2008DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hayden, Nick}}
Category:Sportspeople from Hartland, Wisconsin
Category:Players of American football from Waukesha County, Wisconsin
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Wisconsin Badgers football players
Category:Carolina Panthers players
Category:Cincinnati Bengals players