Long before he graduated from the University of South Carolina and the Baltimore Ravens selected him as the 25th overall pick in 2018, Hayden Hurst thought baseball was his calling. But after only two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, life took a cruel turn. After suffering from depression as an 18-year-old, he ultimately chose to become a Gamecock and pursue football. His condition, however, also followed.

On January 17, 2016, his parents got a call from Columbia early in the morning that their son was hospitalized after attempting suicide. But as they say, the sun shines the brightest after a dark storm. He resolved to give his all to fight his dark side. Football defined his second lifetime. And he used it well in the NFL. Now, after a year apart from the sport, he is ready to wrap that chapter.

“About a year overdue but life sped up on me these last 12 months…. 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,” Hurst wrote today on an Instagram post. “From my high school days at Bolles, to getting drafted by the Pirates, walking on at South Carolina and then making the jump to the NFL.

“It is a blessing how far sports took me in this life. 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.”

For most of his childhood, Hurst wanted to be a baseball player. In fact, football was such a small part of his life plan that he only played one high school season in the sport. He gave up the opportunity to play in college because the Pirates were ready to select him for MLB, and he turned out spectacularly in their minor league camp, which led to his selection. His fate, though, had a different plan.

He started calling his parents to come down and be around. He tried to explain that he was experiencing the yips. Hurst wasn’t able to feel his hand and lost all control over baseball. He once hit a kid on the head, knocking him unconscious. Depression became apparent when he would sit in a dark room and drink to forget the downward spiral.

Hurst eventually went to his pitching coach and told him that he couldn’t play anymore. When he moved out, he felt like a weight was lifted off of him as he once explained:

“What I went through those three years was horrible. I can’t really explain, it’s hard to, unless you go through depression,” Hurst said in 2020, speaking on Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health. “You feel like nobody is there, despite my family being so close. They’re willing to do whatever. But when you’re in that headspace, in that dark spot, you feel alone.

“You feel nobody is there, nobody cares. I guess, in those years, that’s why I turned to drinking, anything I could get to numb those feelings, where I don’t have to explain it to my family why my life was unraveling.”

To him, his next move was to play football, and that began with the Gamecocks. He was selected to play for the team in 2015. The tight end amassed 1,000+ receiving yards and 100 receptions at South Carolina before moving to the NFL as a first-rounder.

In his short-lived professional career, Hurst went on to represent five different NFL teams, with at least a touchdown for each franchise (except the Chargers). Even with an early retirement, there was no regret.

“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,” he further wrote. “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.

“To all the fans in the cities I played in thank you for supporting me along the way and I hope I represented your hometown well. From Columbia to Baltimore, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Charlotte and Los Angeles I got to see the world! I’m truly at peace announcing my retirement today because I checked every box athletically I wanted to.

“Now it’s time to sit back and be the best husband and father I can be! Let’s see if Nolan can beat Dad #88outthegate Much Love 🫡,” the post concluded.

Hurst married Brooke a year ago, and the couple welcomed their first child, Nolan, in November 2025. He also had to fight for his life as he was born ten weeks early with holes in his lungs. On January 17, the family took him home after he spent 62 days in NICU at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.

As it turns out, he had his fighting genes from his father, and that’s why Hurst did not shy away from already challenging the four-month old to breaking his record. But before that day comes, Hayden is more than happy to be a family guy.

Hurst was a key part of the Carolina Panthers’ offense in 2023, starting eight of the nine games he played. During that time, he caught 18 passes for 184 yards and scored one touchdown. However, his season was cut short after he suffered a serious concussion during a Week 10 game against the Chicago Bears.

The injury was particularly frightening, as it led to a diagnosis of post-traumatic amnesia, leaving him with no memory of the hours following the game. After recovering from that scary situation, he returned to the field for one final season in 2024.

He played his last professional games as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers, appearing in nine contests before officially deciding to retire this week.

As he steps away from the game, fans and fellow players have flooded his social media with messages of support, celebrating his reputation as a “fighter” and a dedicated teammate. 

Congratulatory messages pour in for Hurst’s retirement post

After seven years in the NFL, Hurst takes a deserved retirement, and everybody is more than hyped for his next step. As news of his retirement spread, fans from across the league reached out to share their appreciation for his grit and character.

“👏👏👏 Congrats on a great one!” George Kittle commented, while the Atlanta Falcons page commented “❤️🖤”.

Throughout his career, Hurst proved to be a reliable target and a high-energy competitor. All in all, he played 88 games for the Ravens, Falcons, Bengals, Panthers, and Chargers. He tallied 203 receptions for 1,975 yards and 15 touchdowns.

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There were other comments too, which appreciated his brave journey in the league. 

“As a Bengals fan, nothing was better as a season ticket holder than seeing your energy and grit every Sunday. I wish you would have had more time in stripes. Enjoy retirement, brother, well deserved,” the fan passionately wrote.

If you look at it, Hurst had to fight for everything, from living his life better to even breathing again. That’s the very reason why he always came on the field with a smile on his face and motivation in his eyes. So, now, as he begins to create his own personal story with his wife, Brooke, it is only fair to bid him a happy adieu.

‘“Legendary journey. God bless you and your beautiful, growing family!” one comment read as another added, “Congratulations on an amazing, hard-fought career! We will miss seeing you play, but the best is yet to come.. being an incredible Dad and being present for your wife and son. Wishing you and your family the very best.”

With his playing days behind him, Hurst is now focused on the future. After years of physical sacrifice on and off the field, he is choosing to devote his time and energy to his loved ones, stepping away from the game with the same passion he brought to it. Meanwhile, he will also continue growing his foundation that helped grow voices like Dak Prescott and other players who also fight mental health conditions.