40 days until kickoff, honoring the highly decorated career of Mike Haynes

As we inch ever closer to the start of football season, yesterday's honoree in our Spotlight Series was defensive standout Viliami Latu. With 40 days until the opener against Northern Arizona University, today's honoree's accolades speak volumes as we look back to Hall of Famer Mike Haynes.

A two-sport star at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, Haynes was a standout early on. Playing both sides of the ball at quarterback and cornerback, Mike was selected to his high school all-star team as a senior, laying the groundwork for his football future. A track and field star in his own right, Mike still holds the school record for long jump at John Marshall with a leap of 23'5", a jump that won the league championship in his senior year.

In his four years at Arizona State (1971-75), Haynes was originally slated to play wide receiver, but Coach Kush had a greater need for Haynes on defense.

"We put Mike at cornerback as a freshman because we needed help there,” explained Kush. “It was my intent to move him (back) to receiver, but he was so valuable to us there he stayed the full four years."

Haynes was so valuable in fact, that before a 1974 game against then-No. 16 ranked North Carolina State, opposing head coach Lou Holtz made a point to inform Mike that he was the best defensive back he had ever seen at the collegiate level, and emphasize that he would not have many opportunities to get his hands on the ball.

The only time he did touch the ball in that matchup? A 97 yard kickoff return for touchdown, one of just two scores the Sun Devils could muster in a 35-14 defeat at Sun Devil Stadium.

That 1974 season saw Mike lead the nation with 11 interceptions, falling one short of the record of 12 set by Henry Rich in 1960. His 17 career interceptions set a program record for Arizona State, later surpassed by Mike Richardson's 18 from 1979-82.

Haynes was also dynamic on special teams, playing both as a kickoff and punt return specialist. Mike led the Devils in punt returns from 1973-75 and kickoff returns from 1974-75, tallying four total kick returns for touchdown in his career.

With all of the statistical success, the accolades weren't far behind. In his Sun Devil career, Mike was a three-time All-WAC selection and a two-time All-American, becoming Arizona State's third consensus All-American in 1975.

Additionally, Mike was named the defensive MVP of the 1973 Fiesta Bowl, intercepting two passes and recovering the fumble that led to the go-ahead field goal for the Sun Devils in the 3rd quarter, ultimately capping off an 11-1 season with a 28-7 win over the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Haynes became the third Sun Devil to be drafted in the first round when the New England Patriots selected him 5th overall in the 1976 NFL Draft. Mike's 14 year NFL career with the Patriots and Los Angeles Raiders would be a continuation of his days in the maroon and gold, starting 158 of the 177 games he appeared in throughout his career.

He would record 46 interceptions (two returned for touchdown) accounting for 688 return yards, including a whopping 220 return yards in 1986. He added 12 fumble recoveries, and even added two sacks.

Just as in his college days, Mike's professional accolades were numerous. His rookie season in 1976 ended with AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, was named a Second-team All-Pro for the first of eight times in his career, and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of nine times. Mike would also be named First-team All-Pro in 1984 and 1985, winning Super Bowl XVIII with the Raiders in 1984 before hanging up his cleats following the 1989 season.

As if the awards above weren't enough, Mike was named to numerous anniversary teams, including the 35th and 50th Anniversary Teams for the Patriots, the 75th and 100th Anniversary Teams for the NFL, and the 1980's All-Decade Team. In 2010, Mike was listed at No. 49 of NFL Network's Top 100 Greatest Players.

With such an illustrious career, surely there's no way Mike would've been a Hall of Famer anywhere, right?

WRONG!

Mike's first call to the Hall came from Arizona State as part of the Class of 1977, and will again be honored with the 1975 team as part of the Class of 2025 during Hall of Fame Weekend on October 18th against Texas Tech. Mike would later have his number 40 retired in 2000, one of only five Sun Devils to be so honored.

Mike would next be inducted into the John Marshall High School Hall of Fame in 1986. As part of the induction ceremony, the school's football stadium was renamed in Mike's honor in recognition of his athletic accomplishments while a student athlete.

Then in 1994, Mike would be inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame, seeing his number 40 retired once again at Foxboro Stadium.

Next, the big ones. 28 years ago this week, Mike was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining John Henry Johnson and Charley Taylor as the third Sun Devil to be honored in Canton. Three years later in 2000, Haynes would be inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame, becoming the second Sun Devil player (Danny White in 1997) and third Sun Devil overall (Dan Devine in 1985) to receive such honors.

It is far from hyperbole to list Mike Haynes in conversation of the greatest players in Arizona State football history. In fact, NFL.com's Jim Reineking listed Mike atop his list of the Top 10 NFL players from Arizona State. For each and every accomplishment of his illustrious career, he is our more than worthy selection for today's entry to our Spotlight Series.