Lions’ D.J. Hayden nearly died five years ago in football practice

Hayden politely declined multiple interview requests for this story. He did note he rarely reflects on the injury that took him to the brink of death five years ago these days, although he can never escape the scar that runs the length of his torso when he looks in the mirror. And his annual youth camp in Houston is named “Play Your Heart Out.” It’s that same sense of humor that displayed concern for his abs on the operating table.

Which, in case you were wondering, survived too.

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Who can ever forget that day? Doc O’Shea literally saved his life – we are blessed to have Doc on staff.

I always pull for our Coogs in the NFL regardless of team; Case is still my favorite Coog, but DJ is one of my special players.

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Hayden helped the Lions end one of the longest road losing streaks in the NFL. If I heard it correctly, the Lions were 0-26 at Green Bay before tonight. Coogs are not just making it to the NFL, they are making their marks.

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