Mercury Hayes
Encyclopedia
Mercury Wayne Hayes is a former professional American football
and Canadian football
wide receiver
, kickoff returner, and punt returner
. He has played in the National Football League
(NFL) for the New Orleans Saints
and Atlanta Falcons
, and he has played in the Canadian Football League
(CFL) for the Montreal Alouettes
. Prior to his professional football experience he was a University of Michigan
Wolverines
football star. He was drafted with the 136th overall pick in the 5th round of the 1996 National Football League draft
.
Although he had a modest professional career, he was involved in many of the University of Michigan's most memorable football moments. He is notable for his game-winning catch in the 1995 Pigskin Classic
against the University of Virginia
. Hayes also once held the Michigan record for consecutive games with a reception
(30). Hayes was a member of the 1992 Big Ten Champions who won the 1993 Rose Bowl
. He had attended Booker T. Washington High School
in Houston, Texas
.
After attending Booker T. Washington High School in Houston, Mercury Hayes, son of Richard Hayes, was recruited
by several college football
programs. He selected the University of Michigan over several elite football programs, including the Colorado Buffaloes
, Florida State Seminoles
, Arkansas Razorbacks
, and USC Trojans. During Hayes' Michigan Wolverines career, the team's best finish was as 1992 Big Ten Conference Champions, when coached by Gary Moeller
. During that year, the team finished ranked fifth nationally in both the Associated Press
college football final poll and the CNN
/USA Today
college football final poll, and the team beat the Washington Huskies
38–31 in the January 1, 1993 Rose Bowl in a game that is memorable for Tyrone Wheatley
's MVP performance. Hayes had a 10-yard reception
during the game.
Hayes' 179-yard performance against the Virginia Cavaliers
was the 1995 single-game high by any of the Wolverines wide receivers, tight end
s and running back
s, which included Amani Toomer
, Jay Riemersma
, Chris Howard
, Jerame Tuman
, Tshimanga Biakabutuka, Tai Streets
and Chris Floyd
. The effort tied Jack Clancy
's 1966 single-game total and Amani Toomer
's 1994 single-game total for fourth on the Michigan all-time single game reception yards list. It is worth noting that Clancy is the Michigan all-time single-game yardage recordholder at 197 yards. Braylon Edwards
and Tai Streets
have since surpassed 179 yards, in 2004 and 1998 respectively, to move the trio down to sixth. Hayes' 48 receptions and 923 yards also led all Wolverines in receiving for the 1995 season. At the end of his Michigan career, Hayes' 923 yards ranked sixth on the single-season yardage list, but it is now fifteenth. His 2144 career yards ranked fifth and now ranks eleventh. The quarterback
s during his 1995 season were Brian Griese
and Scott Dreisbach
. Other quarterbacks during his collegiate career were Todd Collins and Elvis Grbac
.
In 1995, Hayes established the Michigan football record for most consecutive games with a reception by stringing together thirty such games. His record was broken by Marquise Walker
's 32 games in 2001 and later surpassed by Braylon Edwards
's 38 games and Jason Avant
's 35 games. Hayes ranks tenth in career yards per reception at 17.3 and eleventh in career all-purpose yards. He is listed prominently among Michigan's all-time leaders in kickoff returns and yards as well as total returns (kickoff, punt, fumble and interception) and return yards
.
Amani Toomer
and Hayes were the fourth pair of Michigan receivers to have played together with 2000 career reception yards. With 2,144 career yards and 124 receptions he ranks 10th and 12th on the All-time Michigan lists 2 yards behind Desmond Howard
and 1 reception behind Derrick Alexander respectively.
from 1992
to 1995
, was recruited by University of Colorado
, Florida State University
, University of Arkansas
, and University of Southern California
. The University of Colorado was so interested in having him in the 1992 incoming class with Koy Detmer
and Rashaan Salaam
that they reserved their 25th scholarship for him, hoping he would change his mind after having committed to Michigan.
In the September 24, 1994 Miracle at Michigan
, #7-ranked Colorado, with former Michigan coaching staff member Bill McCartney
as their coach, exacted their revenge on #4-ranked Michigan. Kordell Stewart
completed a 64-yard hail mary pass
to Detroit native Michael Westbrook
against Ty Law
and Chuck Winters
as time expired to complete a miracle 27–26 comeback. In the game, Hayes had 3 receptions
for 62 yards as well as a run for 14 yards. He also returned 3 kickoff
s for 54 yards. The ending of this game has been described as one of the two wildest finishes in University of Michigan Football history.
Hayes is notable for his 7-reception 179-yard performance culminating in a game-winning, fourth down, time expired 15-yard touchdown
catch on August 26, 1995 from Scott Dreisbach
to seal an 18–17 win in Michigan's greatest comeback, a record that stood for eight years until 2003, when the Wolverines pulled off a 21-point comeback against Minnesota. The reception was recorded against University of Virginia Cavaliers
defensive back
s Ronde Barber
and Paul London in the Pigskin Classic
to complete what was at the time the largest comeback in Michigan Football history in Lloyd Carr
's coaching debut. The game constituted the other of the two wildest finishes in Michigan Football history.
Hayes is notable as one of the victims of Beaver Stadium
attendees' ice and snowball hurling on November 18, 1995. In the game, Hayes caught 6 receptions for 132 yards and had 3 kickoff returns for 48 yards. The game ended as a 27–17 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Hayes also had season highs in reception yards as a freshman
and sophomore
against his hometown Houston Cougars football
team. As a sophomore, he totalled 127 yards on six receptions; three punt returns for 38 yards; and two kickoff returns for 54 yards in a 42–21 win on September 25, 1993. The game included Hayes' longest punt return as a Wolverine (26 yards) and represented Hayes career high in all-purpose yards. The game was also Hayes' third highest receiving yards total and the highest total he would have until his senior season. The freshman game, Michigan's third of the season, marked Hayes' debut as a kickoff returner.
was a quality draft for wide receiver
s. Among the wide receivers drafted that year were first rounders Keyshawn Johnson
, Terry Glenn
, Eddie Kennison
, Marvin Harrison
and Eric Moulds
. Additionally, Bobby Engram
, Terrell Owens
, Muhsin Muhammad
, Joe Horn
and former Michigan teammate Amani Toomer were also drafted that year. Hayes was the first of three 1996 fifth round picks by the Saints. He was drafted just after Pro Bowl
wide receiver Joe Horn, the 135th pick. Mercury Hayes' NFL career longest reception of 50 yards, caught in week 14 of the 1996 National Football League season in a 26–10 loss to the St. Louis Rams
, was the first NFL pass by Doug Nussmeier
(Nussmeier's second pass was his only touchdown completion). Although Hayes only compiled 4 receptions for 101 yards; 2 rushes for 7 yards and 2 kickoff returns for 30 yards while appearing in 7 games, he earned nearly $39,000 in bonus money over the course of his rookie season. Hayes started the 1997 National Football League season on the New Orleans Saints' roster and appeared in 4 games.
Hayes signed with the Atlanta Falcons
on October 27, 1997 and appeared in two games for the Falcons. He was released by the Falcons in the pre-season of the following year. Hayes was picked up on September 18, 1998 by the Washington Redskins
and added to their practice squad, but was released 19 days later. In February 1999, he was drafted by the Barcelona Dragons
, but he was released from the team five weeks later.
Mercury Hayes was signed by the Montreal Alouettes
in June 1999. They released him in July and re-signed him in August. His 2000 season began productively with an impressive pre-season effort (including 67 and 77-yard touchdown runs in the same quarter of one game) followed by effective 65-yard and 68-yard regular season reception totals in early August. However, by the end of August, Hayes was on the sidelines nursing an injury. He failed to accumulate 259 yards receiving on the season, which would have placed him among the top 15 Canadian Football League receivers in yardage for the 2000 Canadian Football League season. In September, he was released from the team. In 2002, he attempted comeback with the Norfolk Nighthawks
of the af2
, and this was his last attempt at professional football.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, kickoff returner, and punt returner
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
. He has played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and he has played in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL) for the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. Prior to his professional football experience he was a University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
football star. He was drafted with the 136th overall pick in the 5th round of the 1996 National Football League draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
.
Although he had a modest professional career, he was involved in many of the University of Michigan's most memorable football moments. He is notable for his game-winning catch in the 1995 Pigskin Classic
Pigskin Classic
The Pigskin Classic was a season-opening college football game played at Anaheim Stadium from 1990 until 1994, and continued from 1995-2002 at various stadiums. It was initially created as a west-coast counterpart of the Kickoff Classic and hosted by the National Association of Collegiate Directors...
against the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. Hayes also once held the Michigan record for consecutive games with a reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
(30). Hayes was a member of the 1992 Big Ten Champions who won the 1993 Rose Bowl
1993 Rose Bowl
The 1993 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was the 79th Rose Bowl Game. In the game, the #7 Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten, defeated the ninth-ranked Washington Huskies, champions of the Pac-10, 38-31...
. He had attended Booker T. Washington High School
Booker T. Washington High School (Houston)
Booker T. Washington High School is a secondary school located at 119 East 39th Street in Houston, Texas with a zip code of 77018.Booker T. Washington, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Houston Independent School District. Booker T...
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
College career
Recruitment
Recruitment refers to the process of attracting, screening, and selecting qualified people for a job. For some components of the recruitment process, mid- and large-size organizations often retain professional recruiters or outsource some of the process to recruitment agencies.The recruitment...
by several college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
programs. He selected the University of Michigan over several elite football programs, including the Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
, Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, and USC Trojans. During Hayes' Michigan Wolverines career, the team's best finish was as 1992 Big Ten Conference Champions, when coached by Gary Moeller
Gary Moeller
Gary O. Moeller is an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .758...
. During that year, the team finished ranked fifth nationally in both the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
college football final poll and the CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
/USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
college football final poll, and the team beat the Washington Huskies
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
38–31 in the January 1, 1993 Rose Bowl in a game that is memorable for Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Anthony Wheatley is the running backs coach at Syracuse University and a former professional American football player who played 10 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most successful high school and collegiate athletes in Metropolitan Detroit history...
's MVP performance. Hayes had a 10-yard reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
during the game.
Hayes' 179-yard performance against the Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
was the 1995 single-game high by any of the Wolverines wide receivers, tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
s and running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s, which included Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...
, Jay Riemersma
Jay Riemersma
Allen Jay Riemersma is a former American football tight end. He played for the University of Michigan from 1994 to 1995. He next played nine seasons in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers . In 2007, he accepted a position as the regional director of the Family Research...
, Chris Howard
Chris Howard (American football)
Christopher L. "Chris" Howard is a retired professional American football running back who played in the National Football League for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Howard had been drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
, Jerame Tuman
Jerame Tuman
Jerame Dean Tuman is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
, Tshimanga Biakabutuka, Tai Streets
Tai Streets
Tai Streets is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League . He was selected with the second pick of the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Detroit Lions in 2004. He was the leading receiver for the...
and Chris Floyd
Chris Floyd (American football)
Christopher Michael "Chris" Floyd is a retired American football fullback who played in the National Football League for the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns. He had previously played for the Michigan Wolverines football team where in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, his...
. The effort tied Jack Clancy
Jack Clancy
Jack David Clancy is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Miami Dolphins in 1967 and 1969 and for the Green Bay Packers in 1970. He also played in college for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1963 to 1966....
's 1966 single-game total and Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...
's 1994 single-game total for fourth on the Michigan all-time single game reception yards list. It is worth noting that Clancy is the Michigan all-time single-game yardage recordholder at 197 yards. Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....
and Tai Streets
Tai Streets
Tai Streets is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League . He was selected with the second pick of the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Detroit Lions in 2004. He was the leading receiver for the...
have since surpassed 179 yards, in 2004 and 1998 respectively, to move the trio down to sixth. Hayes' 48 receptions and 923 yards also led all Wolverines in receiving for the 1995 season. At the end of his Michigan career, Hayes' 923 yards ranked sixth on the single-season yardage list, but it is now fifteenth. His 2144 career yards ranked fifth and now ranks eleventh. The quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
s during his 1995 season were Brian Griese
Brian Griese
Brian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
and Scott Dreisbach
Scott Dreisbach
Scott Dreisbach is a former American football quarterback who last played for the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League...
. Other quarterbacks during his collegiate career were Todd Collins and Elvis Grbac
Elvis Grbac
Elvis M. Grbac is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. During his career he was a starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens...
.
In 1995, Hayes established the Michigan football record for most consecutive games with a reception by stringing together thirty such games. His record was broken by Marquise Walker
Marquise Walker
Marquise Walker is a former professional American football wide receiver and punt returner who signed to play in the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Michigan where he set many of the school's receiving records and became an 2001 College Football...
's 32 games in 2001 and later surpassed by Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....
's 38 games and Jason Avant
Jason Avant
Jason Raye Avant is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
's 35 games. Hayes ranks tenth in career yards per reception at 17.3 and eleventh in career all-purpose yards. He is listed prominently among Michigan's all-time leaders in kickoff returns and yards as well as total returns (kickoff, punt, fumble and interception) and return yards
Return yards
Return yards is an American football and Canadian football statistical measure that takes several forms. In American and Canadian football, progress is measured by advancing the football towards the opposing team's Goal line...
.
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...
and Hayes were the fourth pair of Michigan receivers to have played together with 2000 career reception yards. With 2,144 career yards and 124 receptions he ranks 10th and 12th on the All-time Michigan lists 2 yards behind Desmond Howard
Desmond Howard
Desmond Kevin Howard is a former NFL wide receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner.He played football for the University of Michigan from 1989–1991 and won the Heisman Trophy in 1991...
and 1 reception behind Derrick Alexander respectively.
Notable games
Hayes, who wore #9 for the Michigan WolverinesMichigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
from 1992
1992 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first year of the Bowl Coalition, and ended with Alabama's first national championship in thirteen years—their first since the departure of Bear Bryant...
to 1995
1995 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first year of the Bowl Alliance and was a relatively calm year compared to the early 1990s.Tom Osborne led Nebraska to its second straight national title with a victory over Florida in the Fiesta Bowl....
, was recruited by University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, and University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. The University of Colorado was so interested in having him in the 1992 incoming class with Koy Detmer
Koy Detmer
Koy Dennis Detmer is a retired American football quarterback. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado. He is the younger brother of former NFL quarterback Ty Detmer, and son of coach Sonny...
and Rashaan Salaam
Rashaan Salaam
Rashaan Iman Salaam is a former professional American football player. Salaam won the 1994 Heisman Trophy as a running back for the University of Colorado at Boulder, rushing for 2,055 yards by the end of the season. Salaam is the fourth major college football player to rush for over 2,000 yards...
that they reserved their 25th scholarship for him, hoping he would change his mind after having committed to Michigan.
In the September 24, 1994 Miracle at Michigan
The Miracle at Michigan
The Miracle at Michigan refers to the final play that occurred during the American football game played on September 24, 1994 between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The game was decided on Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart's 64-yard...
, #7-ranked Colorado, with former Michigan coaching staff member Bill McCartney
Bill McCartney
William Paul McCartney is a former American football player and coach and the founder of the Promise Keepers men's ministry. He was the head coach at the University of Colorado from 1982 to 1994, where he compiled a record of 93–55–5 and won three consecutive Big Eight Conference...
as their coach, exacted their revenge on #4-ranked Michigan. Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart, nicknamed "Slash" , is a former American NFL quarterback. Stewart attended the University of Colorado and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers...
completed a 64-yard hail mary pass
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
to Detroit native Michael Westbrook
Michael Westbrook
Michael Deanailo Westbrook is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Westbrook spent 7 seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1995 to 2001 and the 2002 season with the Cincinnati Bengals before retiring...
against Ty Law
Ty Law
Tajuan "Ty" Law is a retired football cornerback of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 23rd overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
and Chuck Winters
Chuck Winters
Charles "Chuck" Winters is a former Canadian Football League linebacker and defensive back who played for the Toronto Argonauts....
as time expired to complete a miracle 27–26 comeback. In the game, Hayes had 3 receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 62 yards as well as a run for 14 yards. He also returned 3 kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
s for 54 yards. The ending of this game has been described as one of the two wildest finishes in University of Michigan Football history.
Hayes is notable for his 7-reception 179-yard performance culminating in a game-winning, fourth down, time expired 15-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
catch on August 26, 1995 from Scott Dreisbach
Scott Dreisbach
Scott Dreisbach is a former American football quarterback who last played for the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League...
to seal an 18–17 win in Michigan's greatest comeback, a record that stood for eight years until 2003, when the Wolverines pulled off a 21-point comeback against Minnesota. The reception was recorded against University of Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
s Ronde Barber
Ronde Barber
Jamael Orondé "Rondé" Barber is an American football cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
and Paul London in the Pigskin Classic
Pigskin Classic
The Pigskin Classic was a season-opening college football game played at Anaheim Stadium from 1990 until 1994, and continued from 1995-2002 at various stadiums. It was initially created as a west-coast counterpart of the Kickoff Classic and hosted by the National Association of Collegiate Directors...
to complete what was at the time the largest comeback in Michigan Football history in Lloyd Carr
Lloyd Carr
Lloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...
's coaching debut. The game constituted the other of the two wildest finishes in Michigan Football history.
Hayes is notable as one of the victims of Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University. It is home to the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference. The stadium is named for James A...
attendees' ice and snowball hurling on November 18, 1995. In the game, Hayes caught 6 receptions for 132 yards and had 3 kickoff returns for 48 yards. The game ended as a 27–17 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Hayes also had season highs in reception yards as a freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
and sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
against his hometown Houston Cougars football
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
team. As a sophomore, he totalled 127 yards on six receptions; three punt returns for 38 yards; and two kickoff returns for 54 yards in a 42–21 win on September 25, 1993. The game included Hayes' longest punt return as a Wolverine (26 yards) and represented Hayes career high in all-purpose yards. The game was also Hayes' third highest receiving yards total and the highest total he would have until his senior season. The freshman game, Michigan's third of the season, marked Hayes' debut as a kickoff returner.
Professional career
The 1996 NFL draft1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
was a quality draft for wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
s. Among the wide receivers drafted that year were first rounders Keyshawn Johnson
Keyshawn Johnson
Joseph Keyshawn Johnson is a former American football wide receiver, interior designer, business executive, author and current television broadcaster for sports channel ESPN. He retired from football on May 23, 2007 after an eleven-year career in the National Football League...
, Terry Glenn
Terry Glenn
Terry Tyree Glenn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots seventh overall in the 1996 NFL Draft...
, Eddie Kennison
Eddie Kennison
Edward Joseph "Eddie" Kennison, III is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams 18th overall in the 1996 NFL Draft...
, Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
and Eric Moulds
Eric Moulds
Eric Shannon Moulds is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 24th overall in the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State...
. Additionally, Bobby Engram
Bobby Engram
Simon J. "Bobby" Engram III is currently the offensive assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
, Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
, Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
, Joe Horn
Joe Horn
Joseph Horn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and also played for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
and former Michigan teammate Amani Toomer were also drafted that year. Hayes was the first of three 1996 fifth round picks by the Saints. He was drafted just after Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
wide receiver Joe Horn, the 135th pick. Mercury Hayes' NFL career longest reception of 50 yards, caught in week 14 of the 1996 National Football League season in a 26–10 loss to the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, was the first NFL pass by Doug Nussmeier
Doug Nussmeier
Douglas Keith "Doug" Nussmeier is a college football coach, currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Washington under head coach Steve Sarkisian....
(Nussmeier's second pass was his only touchdown completion). Although Hayes only compiled 4 receptions for 101 yards; 2 rushes for 7 yards and 2 kickoff returns for 30 yards while appearing in 7 games, he earned nearly $39,000 in bonus money over the course of his rookie season. Hayes started the 1997 National Football League season on the New Orleans Saints' roster and appeared in 4 games.
Hayes signed with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 27, 1997 and appeared in two games for the Falcons. He was released by the Falcons in the pre-season of the following year. Hayes was picked up on September 18, 1998 by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and added to their practice squad, but was released 19 days later. In February 1999, he was drafted by the Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
, but he was released from the team five weeks later.
Mercury Hayes was signed by the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
in June 1999. They released him in July and re-signed him in August. His 2000 season began productively with an impressive pre-season effort (including 67 and 77-yard touchdown runs in the same quarter of one game) followed by effective 65-yard and 68-yard regular season reception totals in early August. However, by the end of August, Hayes was on the sidelines nursing an injury. He failed to accumulate 259 yards receiving on the season, which would have placed him among the top 15 Canadian Football League receivers in yardage for the 2000 Canadian Football League season. In September, he was released from the team. In 2002, he attempted comeback with the Norfolk Nighthawks
Norfolk Nighthawks
The Norfolk Nighthawks are a now-defunct charter member of the AF2. They played their home games at The Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia...
of the af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
, and this was his last attempt at professional football.