Former UH football player D.J. Hayden killed in collision near downtown Houston
Hayden, a defensive back who played two seasons for the Cougars and was the 12th overall pick by the Oaklaiders in the 2013 NFL draft, was in an Acura SUV struck by a Chrysler 300 that ran a red light at “high velocity” near Fannin and Pierce streets around 2 a.m., Assistant Chief Megan Howard said.
D.J. Hayden, a former football player for the University of Houston who went on to survive a potentially fatal injury on the field in 2012 and was selected in the first round of the NFL draft several months later, passed away early on Saturday in a Houston collision.
According to the Houston Police Department, Hayden, 33, was one of six people killed when a car raced through a red light close to downtown Houston. Other victims included Ralph Oragwu and Zachary McMillian, two former UH teammates. Jeffrey Lewis, a fourth former Cougars football player, lived through the collision.
In a statement, UH’s athletic department said, “the entire University of Houston community is heartbroken” over the deaths of the three former players and is with Lewis “in his recovery ahead.”
“We extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones, as we collectively mourn the loss of three individuals who made an indelible impact on each life they touched,” the statement said. “While their combined talents provided Houston Football some of its most unforgettable moments, their unique legacies will best be remembered for the way they loved their teammates, supported their communities and defied the odds.”
A moment of silence was held prior to Saturday’s homecoming game between UH and Cincinnati at TDECU Stadium.
Four people died at the scene, including the driver of the Chrysler. Two more people died at the hospital.
The force of the crash sent both vehicles under the Interstate 45 overpass that crosses over Fannin and separates downtown Houston from the Midtown neighborhood. The Chrysler rolled onto a sidewalk and killed a pedestrian, police said. The driver of the Chrysler died at the scene, police said.
The Acura SUV rolled and came to a rest on its roof near the intersection of Fannin and Gray Street. Three people were ejected from the SUV. Two of those people died at the scene, and a third died after being taken to a hospital, police said.
Another person involved in the crash died at the hospital, but it was unclear which vehicle that person was riding in. As of Saturday afternoon, one person remained unconscious in the hospital, and another was in stable condition.
A Houston police spokeswoman said the department is still investigating the crash, and police do not have any video of the crash.
The crash site, a block south of Co-Cathedral of the Scared Heart, was still blocked off and being cleaned up Saturday afternoon.
A Houston Public Works employee at the intersection said the crews were cleaning up fluids spilled by the vehicles after the crash.
Crashes with six fatalities are exceedingly rare compared to the roughly 4,000 fatal wrecks Texas experiences each year. Since 2013, there have been only 21 crashes, including the one Saturday, in Texas that killed six or more people. In most cases, they are in remote areas of the state with high speed limits on rural roads.
The last roadway crash that killed more than five people in the Houston area was more than nine years ago, when a driver fleeing police in League City crashed his pickup into a sedan, killing himself, his passenger and four people in the sedan on Aug. 10, 2014.
Heart injury to NFL
At UH, Hayden defied the odds, a medical marvel who survived a near-fatal injury during a practice his senior season and went on to play nine NFL seasons.
MORE ON D.J. HAYDEN: What to know about the former UH Football and NFL player
Hayden suffered a tear of the inferior vena cava, the main vein that carries blood from the lower half of the body to the heart, in a collision with a teammate late in the 2012 season. Thanks to quick action by school trainers and medical personnel, Hayden survived an injury that was fatal 95% of the time, doctors said at the time.
Less than a week after undergoing surgery, Hayden was released from the hospital. Doctors told Hayden he would need months to recover and that it would be at least a year, if ever, before he could reevaluate his playing career.
Instead, Hayden went through predraft workouts within months of the injury and erased fears about his condition as the Raiders selected him with the No. 12 overall pick.
“I came a long way,” Hayden told the Houston Chronicle at his Missouri City home shortly after being drafted in 2013. “For me to be here right now is just a blessing.”
A graduate of Elkins High School, Hayden spent two seasons at Navarro College before he transferred to the University of Houston, where he was a two-time All-Conference USA selection.
“Our family is heartbroken over the passing of Zach McMillian, D.J. Hayden and Ralph Oragwu,” former UH football coach Tony Levine posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “Such truly amazing men. I recruited Zach, watched D.J. coach a high school football game a few weeks ago, and Ralph was a leader at our restaurant. Words cannot describe how much they’ll be missed.”
Hayden played nine seasons in the NFL with the Raiders, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Commanders. He last played in the NFL in 2021.
“D.J.’s perseverance and dedication to his teammates will be fondly remembered by everyone who knew him,” the Raiders said in a statement. “The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with D.J.’s loved ones at this time.”
McMillian, a graduate of Dulles High School, was an all-conference defensive back who played for the Cougars from 2010–13. He was the son of Audray McMillian, who played for the Cougars from 1980–84 and nine seasons in the NFL with the Oilers and Minnesota Vikings.
McMillian was currently serving as a teacher and coach at St. Cecilia Catholic School.
“It is with deep sadness and very heavy hearts that we inform the members of our school community of the sudden death of our football coach, Zach McMillian, who was killed in a tragic car accident early this morning,” St. Cecilia Catholic School said in a statement.
Oragwu, who graduated from Marshall, was an offensive lineman for the Cougars from 2009-13. He was employed at Levine’s Chick-fil-A location at Sienna Crossing.
Former UH wide receiver B.J. Singleton recalled his recruiting trip to UH, hosted by Hayden and McMillian.
“Great human beings,” Singleton wrote on social media. “Me and Ralph used to go at it in team and 1-on-1s. I can’t even believe I’m typing this. To all my UH Brothers I love you dearly. My deepest condolences to all the families.”
Added former teammate Daniel Spencer: “I’m sick to my stomach man. Zach and D.J. taught me so much. We used to go at it every day helping each other get better. … No matter the time spend away I will forever cherish all the moments with my brothers.”
Correction (Nov. 15, 5:30 p.m.): This story has been updated to reflect new reporting that corrects information from law enforcement.
John Wayne Ferguson, Hana Ikramuddin and Dug Begley contributed to this report.
