Hayes Focused On Future
Mike Helm
Cardinals Media Relations
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The coming out party for Gerald Hayes has been something in the works for a long time. It looked like a sure bet that 2005 was going to be the year the middle linebacker put himself on the growing list of rising stars on the Cardinals defense.
His workload had increased dramatically as the 2004 season progressed and Head Coach Dennis Green named Hayes the starter entering training camp in 2005. But in the first preseason game against Dallas on August 13, Hayes went down with cartilage damage to his left knee, an injury that required surgery and also forced Hayes to sit out the entire 2005 season. He has been rehabbing since then but refuses to linger on his injury or his misfortune from a year ago.
“I was looking forward to last year but things happen,” the New Jersey native explained. “Right now I just have to keep on working. I have to deal with the situations that I can control and keep pushing forward. I don’t want to look at the things that were supposed to happen, but look at what is going to happen this year.”
Hayes, a three time all-Big East Conference selection at the University of Pittsburgh who played with Cardinals Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald in 2002, was well liked and highly respected by his college coaches in the Steel City. During his junior season, in 2001, his defensive coaches gave every player a hard hat to sit next to the practice field as a symbol of hard work. During his senior season, when coaches decided to give out only one hard hat, it was Hayes who was chosen to carry it to the field every day.
As humble as he is talented, Hayes just grins when asked what it is that coaches see in his style of play.
“I just want to be the best, that is really all I have to say,” he added. “I just try to keep God first and then go get everything else.”
Hayes loves to play football and really misses being out on the field. And while he doesn’t like to linger on his injury, he does know that he has work to do in order to get ready for the 2006 season. His rehabilitation is going well he says, but for now, his goals have to be focused on what will enable him to return to the playing field.
“I just want to get healthy, that is the first and foremost thing. Without my knee being right, I can’t accomplish anything that I want to,” Hayes said. “But it seems like I have been out of football for a long time, even though I really haven’t.”
What really made Hayes miss playing on Sundays was watching his teammates, especially his fellow linebackers, out there doing what they love to do. What they were born to do, just as Hayes was.
“Those guys (linebacker corps) are fun to watch. Football is a great sport to play professionally, especially when you see guys that love it,” he said.
When he talks about his desire to play again it is easy to see why coaches at every level have spoken highly of the 6-1, 241 pound Hayes. He has a respect for the game and for those who play.
“The opportunity to go out there and play alongside my teammates again would mean so much to me,” Hayes offered. “I want to show them that I am here and I am not going anywhere. It is going to be exciting to go out and play football with all these guys again.”
While he does have work ahead of him, Hayes says he is getting better every day. He knows that he is coming back soon and, while not a particularly boastful person, will offer this piece of advice for those who follow the Cardinals:
“Expect big things. That is it. Just expect big things”
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Mike Helm
Cardinals Media Relations
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His workload had increased dramatically as the 2004 season progressed and Head Coach Dennis Green named Hayes the starter entering training camp in 2005. But in the first preseason game against Dallas on August 13, Hayes went down with cartilage damage to his left knee, an injury that required surgery and also forced Hayes to sit out the entire 2005 season. He has been rehabbing since then but refuses to linger on his injury or his misfortune from a year ago.
“I was looking forward to last year but things happen,” the New Jersey native explained. “Right now I just have to keep on working. I have to deal with the situations that I can control and keep pushing forward. I don’t want to look at the things that were supposed to happen, but look at what is going to happen this year.”
Hayes, a three time all-Big East Conference selection at the University of Pittsburgh who played with Cardinals Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald in 2002, was well liked and highly respected by his college coaches in the Steel City. During his junior season, in 2001, his defensive coaches gave every player a hard hat to sit next to the practice field as a symbol of hard work. During his senior season, when coaches decided to give out only one hard hat, it was Hayes who was chosen to carry it to the field every day.
As humble as he is talented, Hayes just grins when asked what it is that coaches see in his style of play.
“I just want to be the best, that is really all I have to say,” he added. “I just try to keep God first and then go get everything else.”
Hayes loves to play football and really misses being out on the field. And while he doesn’t like to linger on his injury, he does know that he has work to do in order to get ready for the 2006 season. His rehabilitation is going well he says, but for now, his goals have to be focused on what will enable him to return to the playing field.
“I just want to get healthy, that is the first and foremost thing. Without my knee being right, I can’t accomplish anything that I want to,” Hayes said. “But it seems like I have been out of football for a long time, even though I really haven’t.”
What really made Hayes miss playing on Sundays was watching his teammates, especially his fellow linebackers, out there doing what they love to do. What they were born to do, just as Hayes was.
“Those guys (linebacker corps) are fun to watch. Football is a great sport to play professionally, especially when you see guys that love it,” he said.
When he talks about his desire to play again it is easy to see why coaches at every level have spoken highly of the 6-1, 241 pound Hayes. He has a respect for the game and for those who play.
“The opportunity to go out there and play alongside my teammates again would mean so much to me,” Hayes offered. “I want to show them that I am here and I am not going anywhere. It is going to be exciting to go out and play football with all these guys again.”
While he does have work ahead of him, Hayes says he is getting better every day. He knows that he is coming back soon and, while not a particularly boastful person, will offer this piece of advice for those who follow the Cardinals:
“Expect big things. That is it. Just expect big things”
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