Hayden Epstein kicked a 58-yard field goal in the 1997 California Interscholastic Federation championship game and was rated by various ratings agencies and all-star selection committees as the best kicker in the national high school class of 1998.
37 Facts About Hayden Epstein
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Hayden Epstein tied a Michigan record with a 56-yard field goal in 1999 and broke it with a 57-yard field goal in 2001, both against Michigan State.
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Hayden Epstein played for two Michigan teams that won Big Ten Conference championships.
4.
Hayden Epstein was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL draft.
5.
Hayden Epstein played for the Minnesota Vikings, Berlin Thunder, Edmonton Eskimos and Rhein Fire.
6.
Hayden Epstein played for a Thunder team that won a World Bowl championship.
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Hayden Epstein, who is Jewish, was born in San Diego, California.
8.
Hayden Epstein was a Parade All-American at Torrey Pines High School and honored as the top kicker in the nation by Prep Football Report and PrepStar College Recruiting.
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Hayden Epstein's 1997 kick was a San Diego section CIF record until David Quintero posted a 59-yard kick on September 11,2015.
10.
Hayden Epstein enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1998 and played college football as a placekicker and punter for head coach Lloyd Carr's Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1998 to 2001.
11.
Hayden Epstein was successful on 26 of 42 field goals and 85 of 88 extra point attempts.
12.
Hayden Epstein averaged 39.9 yards on 167 punts at Michigan.
13.
Hayden Epstein was a two-time finalist for both the Lou Groza and Ray Guy Awards at Michigan, according to some sources, but the University of Michigan seems to only recognize him as Guy Award finalist as a junior in 2000.
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Hayden Epstein performed punting duties for the team in its final two games against Hawaii and Arkansas, landing 6 of his 9 punts inside the 20 yard line and averaging 40.1 yards per punt.
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That day would be Hayden Epstein's highest scoring day as a Wolverine.
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Hayden Epstein punted six times, resulting in his first 50-yard punt and 2 punts landing inside the 20 yard line.
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Hayden Epstein was the first player to handle placekicking, kickoff and punting responsibilities for Michigan since Mike Gillette in 1988.
18.
Hayden Epstein finished the season with 36 points and 32 punts for 1282 yards.
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On September 16,2000, Hayden Epstein missed a 24-yard field goal for the 2000 team with 3:24 remaining against to UCLA.
20.
In that game, Hayden Epstein, who totalled 400 punt yards on 9 attempts, had landed what would become his career high 5 punts inside UCLA's 20-yard line and executed his first career 60-yard punt.
21.
Hayden Epstein dropped 3 of his 6 punts inside the 20 yard line and posted a touchback when kicking off to Ohio State with 1:18 remaining to force them to attempt to drive from their own 20.
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Hayden Epstein earned his second Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week recognition.
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Hayden Epstein finished the season with 50 points and 55 punts for 2224 yards.
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Hayden Epstein earned All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention honors by both the coaches and media as a punter and placekicker.
25.
Hayden Epstein was one of 10 finalists for the inaugural Ray Guy Award.
26.
Hayden Epstein made the game-winning 31-yard field goal against the Wisconsin on November 17,2001, with 10 seconds left.
27.
Hayden Epstein set up the field goal when his punt bounced off of Badger Brett Bell and was recovered by Brandon Williams with 14 seconds left.
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Hayden Epstein's performance earned him Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week recognition and his 8 points gave him the team scoring lead with 69 points.
29.
Hayden Epstein finished the season with 76 points and 71 punts for 2790 yards.
30.
Hayden Epstein's single-season punt yardage total was a school record that was surpassed the following season by Adam Finley.
31.
Hayden Epstein earned All-Big Ten Conference second-team honors as a placekicker from the coaches and honorable mention honors by both the coaches and media as a punter.
32.
Hayden Epstein concluded his career by making 2 field goals in the January 26,2002 Senior Bowl.
33.
Hayden Epstein was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2002 NFL draft and played in six games with the Jaguars in the 2002 NFL season before being picked up off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings on October 23,2002, where he was a kickoff specialist for the remainder of the season.
34.
Hayden Epstein tore his anterior cruciate ligament with one week remaining in the 2002 season and had offseason surgery.
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Hayden Epstein was 2-for-2 on both field goals and PATs.
36.
Hayden Epstein was the punter and performed kickoffs for the World Bowl XII champion 2004 Thunder team, although Jonathan Ruffin performed field goal attempts for them.
37.
On February 6,2008, Hayden Epstein signed back on with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL, but he was released again on April 28.