Leo Hayden

Last updated

Leo Hayden
No. 44, 32
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1948-06-02) June 2, 1948 (age 75)
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school: Roosevelt (Dayton, Ohio)
College: Ohio State
NFL draft: 1971  / Round: 1 / Pick: 24
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts:8
Rushing yards:11
Rushing touchdowns:1
Receptions:1
Receiving yards:17
Receiving touchdowns:0
Player stats at PFR

Leophus Hayden Sr. (born June 2, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) from 1971 to 1973. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1971 NFL draft. He played in the NFL for the Vikings and St. Louis Cardinals

As a rookie with the Vikings in 1971 Hayden played almost exclusively on special teams and did not have a single rushing attempt. [1] Hayden later acknowledged that his play was impacted by drug use, and he was cut by the Vikings after one season. [1] Hayden later said "I knew there were still people on the team I was better than, but I look back on those years of addiction that, because you’re a junkie, there’s no more vile person in the world than a junkie. The reason they call it dope is because it turns you into one.” [1] He signed with the Cardinals, and spent the 1972 and 1973 seasons with them, but his drug use got worse and he played little and was released after the 1973 season. [1] Hayden signed with the Chicago Fire of the World Football League in March 1974. [2] But during the Fire's training camp in June he was arrested on a bad check warrant. [3] [4]

After his football career ended, Hayden founded the "National Center for Violence Interruption," a program designed to prevent urban violence. As of 2021, Hayden was director of the inmates re-entry program for New Orleans Parish Louisiana. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Eller</span> American football player (born 1942)

Carl Eller is an American former professional football player who played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 through 1979. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryant McKinnie</span> American football player (born 1979)

Bryant Douglas McKinnie is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, twice earning All-American honors.

Marcus Antonio Robinson is an American former football player in the NFL, who played the position of wide receiver.

Mack Willie Herron was an American professional football player who was a running back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1970 to 1975. He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, finishing second in the nation in scoring during his senior season in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Blair</span> American football player (1950–2020)

Matthew Albert Blair was an American football linebacker who played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) for all 12 seasons of his career from 1974 to 1985. He played college football for the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Golden Norsemen and the Iowa State Cyclones.

Thomas Lance Rentzel is a former American football flanker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma.

Byron Daniel Chamberlain is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wayne State Wildcats. He was selected in the seventh round of the 1995 NFL draft and played professionally for the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, and the Washington Redskins. Chamberlain won back-to-back Super Bowl championships as a member of the Broncos. He was voted to the 2002 Pro Bowl while with the Vikings.

John Rally Gilliam is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He has owned a number of businesses, and for two years he worked for a radio station in Atlanta. He has made his home in Atlanta since 1968. His wife Fannie is an attorney, and they have four children.

Gary Samuel Cuozzo is a former professional American football player.

Hubert Ginn was an American professional football player who was a running back for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Colts, and Oakland Raiders. He was a member of two Super Bowl championship teams, the 1972 undefeated Dolphins and the 1976 Raiders.

Edward Jay Jenkins is an American lawyer and former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots, and the New York Giants. He played college football at the College of the Holy Cross as a wide receiver and running back and was drafted by the Dolphins in the eleventh round of the 1972 NFL Draft.

Raymond Lucian Mallouf was an American football quarterback and punter who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL). He played four seasons for the Chicago Cardinals, interrupted by World War II, and one season with the New York Giants.

Thomas Scott "Tim" Van Galder was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) with the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Jets (1973). He played college football and baseball at Iowa State University and the New Mexico Military Institute. While at Iowa State he earned all Big Eight Conference honors in both sports. He was later a sportscaster on St. Louis television.

Noel Charles Jenke was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for three different teams during the 1971 through 1974 seasons. Before playing professional football, Jenke was a minor league baseball player in the Boston Red Sox organization.

Dennis Hayden Cambal was an American football player for the National Football League (NFL)'s New York Jets. He played the running back position in college at William & Mary. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 14th round of the 1972 NFL Draft and was placed on their taxi squad for the 1972 season but then was cut. The Jets signed him as a free agent before the 1973 season and he made the team, playing in 8 games mostly as a tight end and on special teams. He missed 5 games in October and November due to an injury he suffered in the Jets' October 21 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1974 he crossed the Jets' picket line during the 1974 NFL strike during the preseason, but was waived before the regular season started.

William Tim Anderson is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for the Toronto Argonauts, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

James Charles White was an American football defensive end for the New England Patriots, the Houston Oilers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Denver Broncos of the National Football League, as well as the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Colorado State.

Donald Perry Heater is a former American football running back who played for St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL).

Stephen Craig Conley is a former American football player, who played both running back and linebacker. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL), and also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the World Football League (WFL).

Cephus Weatherspoon is a former American football wide receiver who played professionally for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL) and the Birmingham Vulcans of the World Football League (WFL).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Tomasson, Chris (April 23, 1971). "A Vikings draft bust, drug addict and prison inmate, Leo Hayden turned his life around". Pioneer Press. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  2. ↑ "WFL dream built Fire under Origer". Miami Herald. March 5, 1974. p. 7-D. Retrieved 2022-09-03– via newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "FBI arrests St. Louis' back". Cumberland News. June 13, 1974. p. 42. Retrieved 2022-09-03– via newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Hayden out on bond". Journal Herald. June 14, 1974. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-09-03– via newspapers.com.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.