Mermaids and Dinosaurs[edit]
In December 2015, Hayes received media attention for his disbelief in
dinosaurs. He claimed, "No, I don't believe dinosaurs existed. Not even a little bit." He continued, stating "I believe there is more of a chance you will find a mermaid than you will a dinosaur because we find different species in the water all the time."
[3] According to his former teammate and friend
Chris Long, "He thinks archaeologists place bones underground like a parent would place Easter eggs. They just planted them. It's some large conspiracy. He does not believe that dinosaurs ever existed and he thinks that mermaids are real. I love dinosaurs, so we have a big point of contention."
[4]
In a 2016 segment on HBO's
Hard Knocks, it was revealed that Hayes is a firm believer in
mermaids. According to head coach Jeff Fisher, "I remember him getting really excited about the potential for moving out here [from St. Louis to Los Angeles] because he knew he would be closer to mermaids here on the West Coast."
[5]