Hayden Hurst, a former baseball prospect who survived a suicide attempt and went on to become an NFL tight end and mental health advocate, has retired from football.
The 32-year-old did not play last season and hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers. Hurst may be best remembered for his two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, recording 82 catches, 792 yards and nine touchdowns on 119 targets.
The former first-round draft pick also played for the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina Panthers.
‘About a year overdue but life sped up on me these last 12 months,’ the Jacksonville native announced on Instagram, ‘I want to thank everyone that has been a part of my journey and helped me navigate this crazy life over the last 15 years of my sports journey.’
A high school baseball star in Florida, Hurst was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2012 and even pitched in the minors before a case of ‘the yips’ robbed him of his accuracy and led to a period of depression.
Hurst then walked on as a football player at the University of South Carolina, where he admittedly struggled with drugs, both prescription and illegal, and alcohol. Years later, he told First Coast News he hit ‘rock bottom’ when he awoke handcuffed to a hospital bed following a suicide attempt.
Hayden Hurst, a former baseball prospect who survived a suicide attempt and went on to become an NFL tight end and mental health advocate, has retired from football
Hurst shared an old photograph of himself playing peewee football as a kid in Jacksonville
Now, looking back on his football career and the lives he’s touched through the Hayden Hurst Family Foundation, the NFL veteran describes himself as a ‘fighter.’
‘It is a blessing how far sports took me in this life,’ Hurst wrote. ‘When I was stuck in a dorm room at 18 years old in Pirate City, thinking my sports career was over, I never thought I’d turn it into a 7 year NFL career but l put my head down and worked.
‘I was determined to make football work after baseball failed me, and I never let anyone tell me I couldn’t do anything,’ he continued. ‘I wouldn’t change a thing about my career, the ups and downs made me dig deep, talk to God more and find out who I was inside. The answer: a fighter.
‘I fought daily to be the best version of myself that I could and I hope it showed on the field with the passion I played with every snap and every game.’
The married father and noted dog lover went on to thank ‘all the fans in the cities I played in.’
‘Now it’s time to sit back and be the best husband and father I can be!’
Hurst endeared himself to fans in several NFL cities through his charity work, once donating $3,000 for a dog’s emergency surgery in Atlanta.
His foundation focuses on helping ‘youth, military, and others in need regarding their health, education, and wellness,’ according to the group’s website.
In response to his Instagram post, Hurst received some kind words from hundreds of fans as well as one of the premier players at his position.
‘Congrats on a great one!’ wrote San Francisco 49ers tight end Greg Kittle.
