For Hayward, Pro Bowl is Just the Beginning

Chargers cornerback believes he's already one of the best in the game

Chargers defensive back Casey Hayward leads the National Football League in interceptions. For his efforts, he was named to his first career Pro Bowl team, something the 5th-year pro has been working on for a long time now.

“To finally get noticed for some things you think you’re pretty good at,” says Hayward, “to be voted to the Pro Bowl shows you’re pretty elite at your position and I feel like I am elite.”

The former Packers defensive back spent most of his four years in Green Bay as a slot corner. He came to San Diego and immediately moved outside, showing off a skill set that he believed he had. And Casey says he’s not done improving yet.

“Everybody always says you’re going to be a Pro Bowler,” says Hayward. “I say that’s cool … I want to be All-Pro, though. I think if I can get my numbers up even higher I can’t be denied that.”

Hayward’s name has not been mentioned by national media members next to the likes of Richard Sherman or Patrick Peterson but Hayward’s seven interceptions are as many as those two perennial Pro Bowlers combined. He did not truly get his chance to shine until injuries forced him in to the #1 corner spot.

That means he’s had to guard the likes of Amari Cooper, Mike Evans and Julio Jones every week. Cooper had one catch for 28 yards (on a play where Hayward was in great position and just missed the ball) and Evans was held to three catches for 38 yards.

Statistically, those times they matched up with Hayward were the worst games of the season for those two Pro Bowl wideouts.

“I’ve followed the ones and done pretty good,” says Hayward. “We can go back the last seven; eight weeks, like I said all year I don’t think anyone has played as well as I have at cornerback. Like I said if people want to throw those numbers out there you can throw those numbers out that and I’m pretty sure mine are up there.”

Hayward also leads the NFL with 26 passes defensed and has only allowed one touchdown. That means teams have been testing him and he has been passing with flying colors.

“I’ve done what other players are doing but even better, I think. I feel like nobody has played better than me at cornerback this year. They can stack my numbers up with anybody. I match ones just like other guys and I’ve done it better so how can you say I’m not?”

Hayward gives a lot of the credit for his success to his position coach, Ron Milus, who has had to work a little bit to get Casey to fully buy in to his methods.

“I’m a little hard-headed sometimes. I would butt heads with him sometimes but at the end of the day he’s right most of the time. Not most of the time, all the time. Don’t get me wrong, all the time he is right. So hopefully we continue this version next year and doing better things.”

Next year Jason Verrett will be back from his ACL injury so the Chargers will have a pair of Pro Bowlers at cornerback. Whether or not Milus and the rest of the staff are there to help them develop is a story for a different day.

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