Hayes Pullard

On August 2, 2019, Pullard signed with the Arizona Cardinals. He was released on August 25, 2019.

On August 27, 2019, Pullard signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was released during final roster cuts on August 30, 2019.

On September 2, 2018, Pullard was waived by the Chargers. He was re-signed on October 30, 2018.

On September 3, 2017, Pullard was waived by the Jaguars.

On September 4, 2017, Pullard was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Chargers and was reunited with Chargers' defensive coordinator Gus Bradley who was Pullard's head coach in Jacksonville. He was signed as depth at middle linebacker after starter Denzel Perryman was placed on injured/reserve with an ankle injury. Upon joining the team, head coach Anthony Lynn named Pullard the backup middle linebacker behind Korey Toomer. He competed in an open competition between himself, Korey Toomer, and Kyle Emanuel for the job as the starting middle linebacker.

In May 2015, Hayes Pullard graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in policy, planning and development.

The Cleveland Browns selected Pullard in the seventh round (219th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. He was the 33rd linebacker selected in 2015.

On May 17, 2015, the Cleveland Browns signed Pullard four-year, $2.35 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $79,240. He was released by the Browns on September 5, 2015. He was signed to the Browns' practice squad the following day.

On October 28, 2015, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Pullard off the Browns' practice squad. They signed him to a four-year, $2.28 million contract.

Many in the news media speculated that Pullard would forego his senior year of football and join the 2014 NFL Draft. But Pullard had promised his mother he would graduate from college, and declined to do so.

Pullard was again elected team co-captain by his fellow players in the 2014 season. Steve Sarkisian was named USC's permanent head coach at the end of the 2013 season. Sarkisian said Pullard was a team leader in soothing feelings and helping make the transition a smooth one. In the second game of the season, Pullard was ejected for the last half of the game for hitting Stanford University wide receiver Ty Montgomery out of bounds after the play was over. The Trojans ended their season playing in the Holiday Bowl, winning 45-42 over the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. Pullard had a team-high 87 tackles his final season, making him the first USC player since Dennis Johnson (1977 to 1979) to lead the team in tackles for three back-to-back seasons. He ended his career at USC with 369 tackles—seventh most in USC history and just 27 short of the 396 career tackles set by Marcus Cotton from 1984 to 1987.

Pullard was elected team co-captain by his fellow players in the 2013 season. McDonald was the individual most responsible for telling Pullard to step up as a team leader, a role Pullard then embraced. USC lost three of its first five games of Pullard's senior season, and Kiffin was fired as head coach on September 29, 2013. Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron was named the interim head coach, and led the team to a 6–2 record. At season's end, Pullard had 94 tackles.

In Pullard's junior year in 2012, USC began the season ranked Number 1 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll. USC's 2012 season was a dismal one, as the team finished 7-6. The team played in the Sun Bowl, losing 21-7 to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. A violent altercation (which some media reported as a fistfight, while others said it was verbal) broke out in the USC locker room after the game, in which some younger players criticized senior quarterback Matt Barkley for not playing even though injured and for generally poor leadership throughout the season. Pullard had an outstanding year, however, and along with T. J. McDonald was one of only two players to have more than 100 tackles (107) in a season—the first time any USC player had as many tackles in a single season since 1996.

Pullard started all 12 games for the Trojans in the 2011 season. Pullard was a weak side linebacker, helping to lead the team in weak-side tackles. He led the team in tackles (81), and he and fellow freshman linebacker Dion Bailey became the first freshmen to lead USC in tackles since the team began keeping records.

He was redshirted his freshman year (the 2010 season) after suffering a knee sprain mid-season. He had surgery in the off-season to correct problems which arose from the sprain. That summer, the NCAA punished USC for numerous rules and recruiting violations, banning the team from playing in Pac-10 conference championship games and bowl games for two seasons. Pullard had the right to transfer to another school, but declined to do so.

Hayes Pullard was born in Inglewood, California, to Hayes Pullard, Jr. and his wife, Sharon Pullard. He was one of 10 children. His uncle was Robert Pullard, a stand-out pole vaulter at the University of Southern California (USC) from 1971 to 1974. His uncle placed third at the 1973 NCAA track and field championships, and fourth in 1974. His mother was manager at a bank, and an ordained minister. Hayes' father collapsed on September 29, 2008, while playing basketball on his 60th birthday. He fell into a coma, and died on October 13, 2008.

Pullard played linebacker and defensive back on defense, and running back on offense. From 2007 to 2009, Pullard played alongside De'Anthony Thomas and Marcus Martin, and the three helped Crenshaw High School become the first Los Angeles City Section team to play in a state championship game. In his last two years, he had 211 defensive tackles, gained 1,475 yards (1,349 m) on offense (including 20 touchdowns), and caught 21 receptions for 234 yards (214 m) on offense (four for touchdowns). By the end of his senior season, Pullard stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 215 pounds (98 kg).

Hayes Joseph Pullard III (born April 18, 1992), also known by the nickname HP, is an American football inside linebacker who is currently a free agent. He played college football at USC. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft.