Mike Haynes (cornerback)

Last updated

Mike Haynes
No. 40, 22
Position: Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (1953-07-01) July 1, 1953 (age 70)
Denison, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:192 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High school: John Marshall
(Los Angeles, California)
College: Arizona State
NFL draft: 1976  / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:46
Int yards:688
Total touchdowns:5
Player stats at PFR

Michael James Haynes (born July 1, 1953) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Raiders. Regarded as one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, [1] [2] he used his speed, physicality, quickness and range to become both an elite defensive back and an outstanding punt returner. Haynes was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. He was also named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994, as well the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019 for his accomplishments during his 14-year career.

Contents

Voted NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1976, Haynes would go to be a nine-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro throughout his career, in addition to six selections as a second-team All-Pro (including five consecutive from 1976–1980). He was also named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.

Early years

Haynes went to T.S. King Middle School, as stated by him in the 2012 recognition for his Hall of Fame (NFL) awards. Haynes played cornerback at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles. The team on which he played chose two all star players to represent Marshall, which would eventually lead to his further career. In addition to football, Haynes also participated in track and field and currently holds the long jump record at John Marshall. During his senior year in 1971, Haynes started both ways on offense (QB) and defense (cornerback). However, Marshall went 0–7–1 in the Northern League in 1971 and tied Belmont 20–20 in his final game. In a show of his athletic accomplishments, John Marshall High School named the school football stadium in his honor when he was inducted into the school football hall of fame in 1986.

In his final regular season track meet, Haynes had to run the final leg of the mile relay, then rest before completing his final long jump effort. The opposing team (archrival Belmont), believing they had won the league championship, loaded their bus and went home. Haynes rested, then leaped 23'5", a school record that still stands, winning the event, the meet and the league championship with it.

College career

At Arizona State, Haynes was a three-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection, and a two-time All-America selection. In his four seasons, Haynes intercepted 17 passes, including a nation-leading 11 interceptions in his junior season of 1974. [3] He also set a school record that same year by returning 46 punts, and scored two touchdowns on punt returns in 1975. In 2000, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Professional career

New England Patriots

Haynes was selected in the first round in the 1976 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. He enjoyed a sensational rookie year with the Patriots with eight interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and an AFC-leading 608 yards on 45 punt returns. That year, Haynes gave the Patriots their first-ever touchdowns on punt returns with 89-yard and 62-yard returns. He earned a Pro Bowl invitation as a rookie, the first of nine Pro Bowl bids. He also won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. The 1976 Patriots had an 11–3 record and clinched a playoff berth for the first time in 13 years, losing to Oakland in the first round. In 1978, Haynes recorded 6 interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown against the Baltimore Colts. The Patriots won their division but lost to Houston in the playoffs.

Haynes recorded 28 interceptions and 1,159 yards on 111 returns, a 10.4-yard average during his seven years with the Patriots. He started his career with 58 consecutive starts before being sidelined with a rib injury late in 1979.

Haynes was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 1994, and his number 40 was retired as well. He was named to the Patriots' All-1970s Team, the 35th Anniversary Team named in 1994, as well as the 50th Anniversary Team named in 2009. He makes sporadic appearances involving the team to this day.

Los Angeles Raiders

Haynes played out his option with the Patriots in 1982, and in November 1983, his contract was awarded to the Los Angeles Raiders in a settlement that gave the Patriots a No. 1 draft choice in 1984 and a No. 2 pick in 1985. After playing the last five regular season games, he started in the Raiders' Super Bowl XVIII victory, notching one interception, two pass breakups and one tackle. His partner in the Raiders' secondary was Lester Hayes, and the tandem was quickly recognized as one of the best cornerback duos in league history. [4] Washington Redskins general manager Bobby Beathard later said that Haynes tipped the balance heavily in the Raiders' favor. The Raiders and Redskins had played in the regular season when Haynes was still a Patriot, and his addition gave the Raiders the luxury of having two shutdown corners. [5]

In seven seasons with the Raiders, Haynes returned only one punt but he added 18 interceptions to give him a career total of 46 which were returned for 688 yards and two touchdowns, including a team-record 97-yard return against Miami in 1984. Haynes finished that season with a league-leading 220 interception return yards. He also had 12 career fumble recoveries. Haynes was an All-Pro choice in 1977, 1978, 1982, 1984 and 1985 and an All-AFC pick eight times. On special teams, he totaled 112 punt returns for 1,168 yards and two scores.

In 1997, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1999, he was ranked number 93 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He is ranked number 49 on the NFL Network Top 100 Greatest Players. [6]

Personal life

Haynes's nephew is basketball player Justin Bibbs. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XVIII</span> 1984 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl XVII champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Los Angeles Raiders to determine the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1983 season. The Raiders defeated the Redskins, 38–9. The Raiders' 38 points scored and 29-point margin of victory broke Super Bowl records; it remains the most points scored by an AFC team in a Super Bowl, later matched by the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. This is the first time the city of Tampa hosted the Super Bowl and was the AFC's last Super Bowl win until Super Bowl XXXII, won by the Denver Broncos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrell Green</span> American football player (born 1960)

Darrell Ray Green is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to have ever played in the NFL. Green was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Woodson</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Roderick Kevin Woodson is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Widely considered one of the greatest defensive backs of all time, Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for touchdown (12). He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interception</span> American football play in which a defensive player catches a pass, resulting in a turnover

In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team but caught by a player of the team on defense, who thereby usually gains possession of the ball for their team. It is commonly seen in football, including American and Canadian football, as well as association football, rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, as well as any sport by which a loose object is passed between players toward a goal. In basketball, this is called a steal.

Troy Fitzgerald Brown is an American football coach and former player who is a skill development and kick and punt returners coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a wide receiver and return specialist for 15 seasons in the NFL, spending his entire career with the Patriots. Brown played college football at Marshall University and was selected by the Patriots in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL draft. During his New England tenure, he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2001 and was a member of the franchise's first three Super Bowl-winning teams. In 2020, Brown rejoined the Patriots as an offensive assistant. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Brown also was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Champ Bailey</span> American football player (born 1978)

Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. is an American former football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-American honors, and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aeneas Williams</span> American football player (born 1968)

Aeneas Demetrius Williams is an American former football cornerback and safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Arizona Cardinals franchise. He played college football for the Southern Jaguars and was selected in the third round of the 1991 NFL draft by the Cardinals, where he spent 10 seasons. During his final four seasons, he was a member of the St. Louis Rams. Williams received eight Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro honors, as well as being on the second NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lem Barney</span> American football player (born 1945)

Lemuel Jackson Barney is an American former football cornerback and return specialist who played for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 1967 to 1977, playing occasionally as a punter as well. He played college football for the Jackson State Tigers from 1964 to 1966. He was selected by the Lions in the 1967 NFL/AFL draft and played. He was selected as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1967, played in seven Pro Bowls, and was selected as a first-team All-NFL player in 1968 and 1969. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992. He has also been inducted into the Detroit Lions Hall of Fame, the Jackson State Sports Hall of Fame, the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Brown (American football)</span> American football player, coach and administrator (1940–2019)

William Ferdie Brown was an American professional football player, coach and administrator. He played as a cornerback for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (NFL). Following his playing career, Brown remained with the Raiders as an assistant coach. He served as the head football coach at California State University, Long Beach in 1991, the final season before the school's football program was terminated. Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1984. At the time of his death he was on the Raiders' administrative staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Faulk</span> American football player and coach (born 1976)

Kevin Troy Faulk is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, receiving first-team All-American honors, and was selected in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Patriots. Faulk held a variety of offensive and special teams roles during his career and contributed to the franchise's first three Super Bowl titles. For his accomplishments in New England, he was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2016. After retiring from the NFL, Faulk returned to LSU as a coach from 2018 to 2021. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Brown (cornerback)</span> American football player and coach (1953–2006)

David Steven Brown was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1975), Seattle Seahawks (1976–1986), and Green Bay Packers (1987–1989). He was selected as a second-team All-NFL player in 1984 and a second-team All-AFC player in 1985. His 62 career interceptions ranks tied for tenth in NFL history, with only five players having more interceptions in a career since his career ended in 1989. His 50 interceptions with the Seahawks remains a club record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Freeman</span> American football player (born 1972)

Antonio Michael Freeman is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), most notably for the Green Bay Packers. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and Virginia Tech.

Marc Douglas Wilson is an American former professional football quarterback who played for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders. He played college football for the BYU Cougars, where he won the Sammy Baugh Trophy. Selected by the Raiders in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft, Wilson spent seven seasons with the team. In his final two seasons, he was a member of the New England Patriots. Wilson was inducted to College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Wehrli</span> American football player (born 1947)

Roger Russell Wehrli is an American former football cornerback who played for his entire 14-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 until 1982. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler after playing college football for the Missouri Tigers, where he was a consensus All-American and a first-round draft choice by the Cardinals in 1969. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Claude "Hoot" Gibson is a former American football player and coach. A defensive back and kick returner, he played college football at North Carolina State University, and professionally in the American Football League (AFL) for the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders.

Raymond DeWayne Clayborn is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for the New England Patriots (1977–1989) and Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). A three-time Pro Bowl and five-time All-Pro selection, he was the Patriots' starting cornerback in Super Bowl XX. Prior to the that he was an All-American defensive back and a running back/returner at the University of Texas.

Ronald Lee Fellows is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Raiders. He played college football at the University of Missouri.

Tyrone Christopher Hughes is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Rodrick Hill is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Kentucky State Thorobreds. Hill played in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Raiders. After his NFL career, he played five seasons in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and still holds the career interception record for that franchise.

Lawrence Andrew Anderson is a former professional American football player who played cornerback and kick returner for seven seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts.

References

  1. "NFL 100: At No. 79, Mike Haynes wanted to be a receiver. He turned into one of the greatest cornerbacks ever". Steve Buckley. The Athletic. July 19, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  2. "Gil Brandt's greatest NFL cornerbacks of all time". Gil Brandt. NFL. July 5, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  3. "Player Bio: Mike Haynes - Arizona State University Official Athletic Site".
  4. "Before Revis and Cromartie there was Haynes and Hayes". The New York Times . September 24, 2011.
  5. McGinn, Bob (2009). The Ultimate Super Bowl Book . Minneapolis: MVP Books. pp. 136–137. ISBN   978-0-7603-3651-9.
  6. "The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players". NFL Network. Archived from the original on December 7, 2010.
  7. Jolley, Frank (March 14, 2017). "Next Level: Former area stars now in the Big Dance". Daily Commercial . Retrieved September 26, 2018.