BIOGRAPHY

Casey Hayward Jr., 2x NFL Pro Bowl cornerback, Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient and Georgia native, was born to Casey and Tish Hayward. Native of Perry, Georgia, Hayward attended Perry High School, where he was a three-sport star in football, basketball and track & field. 

In football, Hayward was a three-year starter at quarterback playing minimal games at cornerback.  Named Regional Player of the Year, All-State defensive back and an All-middle Georgia player, Hayward was also a member of the team's leadership council and a starting guard in basketball.  As an outstanding track & field athlete, Hayward excelled in sprints and jumps. He recorded a personal-best leap of 22 ft, 3 in. in the long jump, where he took gold, while also recording a personal best of 22.75 seconds in the 200-meter dash.

Hayward would commit to Vanderbilt University on a full football scholarship. Playing as a true freshman in the SEC, he made his permanent move to cornerback. By his senior year, he was named midseason All-American by Sports Illustrated and second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation, becoming the first Vanderbilt All-American in four years. Participating in the 2012 Senior Bowl, Hayward completed his stint at Vanderbilt graduating with a degree in Sociology.  

After graduating from Vanderbilt, Hayward entered the 2012 NFL Draft and would be selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 62nd overall pick. In his first season, he won NFL defensive Rookie of the Month, having intercepted 4 passes in 3 games. He finished 3rd for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the NFL All-Joes team. 

In March of 2016, Hayward signed a three-year deal with the San Diego Chargers. Named All Pro in 2016 and 2017, he finished first in the league with seven interceptions, second in the league with 20 passes defensed, and named a Pro Bowl selection both years. He was also ranked 64th on the NFL Top 100 Players list. In 2018, the Los Angeles Chargers signed Hayward to a three-year, $33.25 million contract extension that included $20 million guaranteed. He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 1 of the 2021 season before being released by the Chargers in March of 2021. 

Hayward, rightfully nicknamed an iron man, having only missed one game in 2020 to snap a streak of 107 consecutive games played, he would not be off of an NFL roster for long. A pure ballhawk, having recorded six and seven interceptions in two of his seasons and 23 in his nine-year career, Hayward would sign with the Las Vegas Raiders in May 2021.

Off the field, a Walter Payton Man of the Year winner and Co-founder of Hayward’s Hands, Hayward is devoted to strengthening the community. Casey and his mom, Tish, founded Hayward’s Hands with a mission to pray, teach, encourage, give, help and inspire people of all ages to make their dreams come true.  In 2016, Tish lost her battle to breast cancer, only inspiring Casey to become more involved in community initiatives while carrying out his mom’s legacy. Through Hayward’s Hands, Casey has been able to raise and donate over $200,000 to charities and families in need. Donating over $100,000 of his own money, Hayward’s Hands has partnered with corporations and charities including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Habitat for Humanity, Microsoft, Walmart and United Way.  Hosting over 5 annual events every year including Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway, Shoot for a Cure Basketball Tournament and Christmas Toy Drives, Casey’s impact far outweighs the football field.