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Alvin Haymond AI simulator
(@Alvin Haymond_simulator)
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Alvin Haymond AI simulator
(@Alvin Haymond_simulator)
Alvin Haymond
Alvin Henry Haymond (August 31, 1942 – March 13, 2024) was an American football defensive back who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was primarily known as a punt and kickoff returner; he was the first (and so far only) player to lead the league in punt return yards in three seasons.
Haymond was born on August 31, 1942, in Algiers, New Orleans, Louisiana, to Albert Henry Haymond and Ellen Cole (Peterson) Haymond. He attended L.B. Landry High School. Landry won its first state football title in 1959, with Haymond scoring a touchdown in the title game as a halfback on offense. Haymond was also on Landry’s track team. Future American Football League (AFL) and NFL star linebacker and defensive end Rich Jackson was both Haymond’s teammate at Landry (including on the 1959 championship team under coach Felix James), and later in college at Southern University.
Haymond received an athletic scholarship to attend Southern University. He was a two-way player on the school's football team, playing in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Haymond was a halfback on offense and a defensive back. He also specialized in returning punts and kickoffs.
As a sophomore, in an early November 1961 game against Texas College, Haymond had touchdown runs of 64 and 70 yards. Two week later against Wiley College, he returned a punt 51 yards for a touchdown. As a junior defensive halfback in October 1962, he contributed in tackling the Jackson State College quarterback for a safety. As a senior for the 1963 Jaguars, he scored a running touchdown against the Grambling Tigers on offense in a 22–21 Southern victory; and a month later returned an interception 42 yards against Tennessee State for a touchdown, in a 21–9 Southern win. In 1963, Haymond was selected All-SWAC at safety.
In addition to Rich Jackson, one of his Southern teammates was future AFL and NFL wide receiver Frank Pitts. Haymond was also on Southern's track and field team, and was a highly competitive javelin thrower. In 1962, he was named All-SWAC in track.
Haymond was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the 18th round of the 1964 NFL draft (246th overall). Haymond's principal role with the Colts was as a kickoff and punt returner, though he also played defensive back, and on special teams (suicide squad) in a role other than as return man. He played four years for the Colts (1964-67), during which time the team had a record of 42–11–3.
In his rookie year, Haymond returned only one kick and one punt, but in 1965, he had 41 punt returns for 403 yards (both league highs), with a 9.8 yard average return (3rd highest in the league). He also returned 20 kickoffs for 614 yards, averaging 30.7 yards per kick return, second in the NFL behind all-time great kick returner Gale Sayers. In 1966, he led the league again in punt returns (40) and punt return yardage (347), including a career best 64-yard return, and his 8.7 average yards per return was third in the league.
He also played as a defensive back for the Colts from 1965-67, and had a total of nine interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. In a 1965 game against the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders), Haymond intercepted a pass thrown by future hall of fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen and ran it back for the first one of those touchdowns. Upon scoring, he threw his spread arms in the air to celebrate, the first time this occurred in the NFL. At that time, what would become a routine celebration was considered bad sportsmanship, and his own coach Don Shula reprimanded Haymond. His career high four interceptions came in 1966, playing free safety for the Colts.
Alvin Haymond
Alvin Henry Haymond (August 31, 1942 – March 13, 2024) was an American football defensive back who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was primarily known as a punt and kickoff returner; he was the first (and so far only) player to lead the league in punt return yards in three seasons.
Haymond was born on August 31, 1942, in Algiers, New Orleans, Louisiana, to Albert Henry Haymond and Ellen Cole (Peterson) Haymond. He attended L.B. Landry High School. Landry won its first state football title in 1959, with Haymond scoring a touchdown in the title game as a halfback on offense. Haymond was also on Landry’s track team. Future American Football League (AFL) and NFL star linebacker and defensive end Rich Jackson was both Haymond’s teammate at Landry (including on the 1959 championship team under coach Felix James), and later in college at Southern University.
Haymond received an athletic scholarship to attend Southern University. He was a two-way player on the school's football team, playing in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Haymond was a halfback on offense and a defensive back. He also specialized in returning punts and kickoffs.
As a sophomore, in an early November 1961 game against Texas College, Haymond had touchdown runs of 64 and 70 yards. Two week later against Wiley College, he returned a punt 51 yards for a touchdown. As a junior defensive halfback in October 1962, he contributed in tackling the Jackson State College quarterback for a safety. As a senior for the 1963 Jaguars, he scored a running touchdown against the Grambling Tigers on offense in a 22–21 Southern victory; and a month later returned an interception 42 yards against Tennessee State for a touchdown, in a 21–9 Southern win. In 1963, Haymond was selected All-SWAC at safety.
In addition to Rich Jackson, one of his Southern teammates was future AFL and NFL wide receiver Frank Pitts. Haymond was also on Southern's track and field team, and was a highly competitive javelin thrower. In 1962, he was named All-SWAC in track.
Haymond was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the 18th round of the 1964 NFL draft (246th overall). Haymond's principal role with the Colts was as a kickoff and punt returner, though he also played defensive back, and on special teams (suicide squad) in a role other than as return man. He played four years for the Colts (1964-67), during which time the team had a record of 42–11–3.
In his rookie year, Haymond returned only one kick and one punt, but in 1965, he had 41 punt returns for 403 yards (both league highs), with a 9.8 yard average return (3rd highest in the league). He also returned 20 kickoffs for 614 yards, averaging 30.7 yards per kick return, second in the NFL behind all-time great kick returner Gale Sayers. In 1966, he led the league again in punt returns (40) and punt return yardage (347), including a career best 64-yard return, and his 8.7 average yards per return was third in the league.
He also played as a defensive back for the Colts from 1965-67, and had a total of nine interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. In a 1965 game against the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders), Haymond intercepted a pass thrown by future hall of fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen and ran it back for the first one of those touchdowns. Upon scoring, he threw his spread arms in the air to celebrate, the first time this occurred in the NFL. At that time, what would become a routine celebration was considered bad sportsmanship, and his own coach Don Shula reprimanded Haymond. His career high four interceptions came in 1966, playing free safety for the Colts.