One of Tikey Hayes’ biggest goals in what he hopes will be a long football career is to become a Super Bowl champion just like former Aliquippa standouts Ty Law and Darrelle Revis.
But considering Hayes is only a junior in high school, being a part of Super Bowl week will have to do for now.
Hayes, a star running back and Penn State recruit, will join 31 other top high school football players from around the country and one international player in Las Vegas on Feb. 10 for Nike’s “Next Ones” football experience. Super Bowl LVIII will be held at Allegiant Stadium the following day.
“I’m honored,” said Hayes, who led Aliquippa to WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A titles last season. “Not a lot of people get to do something like this. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The trip will be all-expenses-paid for Hayes and a guest. Hayes, who will travel to Las Vegas for the first time, said he will take his brother, Richard Lowe.
The event will take place at Bishop Gorman High School and “will feature position drills with NFL legends and current players, individual and team challenges, and a team relay. The experience will culminate with a musical performance and a special trip to Nike’s Hotel LVIII, a space created exclusively for Nike athletes during Super Bowl weekend,” according to an email from Nike.
All 32 NFL teams were tasked with selecting a player in their market to participate. One international player from the NFL UK Academy was picked, as well. Hayes was selected to represent the Steelers, and was awarded with a plaque and mini football helmet — both in black and red colors — during a ceremony at school last week.
Hayes is no doubt a worthy choice. He ran for 2,129 yards and 26 touchdowns last season to push his career rushing total to 5,886 yards, 10th best in WPIAL history. Hayes rushed for 222 yards and three touchdowns in a 60-14 win against Dallas in the PIAA Class 4A championship. Hayes was named to the PUP all-star team and was a state Class 4A co-player of the year.
Hayes will fly to Las Vegas the morning of Feb. 10, participate in activities throughout the day and night, and then return home early the next morning. Hayes also plays on the Aliquippa basketball team, so he will miss the team’s non-section game that day against Upper St. Clair.
“It’s going to mean a lot, actually,” Hayes said. “I might cry. I want to win a Super Bowl. I want to have a legendary career. I want to have a gold jacket. Those are dreams of mine.”
Chances are Hayes will meet quite a few people there who have already achieved one or more of those goals. Odds are he’ll see some other celebrities, as well. Hayes called rapper Rick Ross the celebrity he’d most like to meet.
While Hayes won’t be in attendance for the Super Bowl itself, he knows which team he will be rooting for when he watches from home the next day. Hayes said he has been a Chiefs fan since the sixth grade and that his favorite Chiefs player is running back Isiah Pacheco.
Hayes’ Super Bowl prediction: Chiefs 38, 49ers 21.
But before that, Hayes hopes to have a super experience on Super Bowl Saturday.
“I’m definitely looking forward to going out and having fun,” he said. “I love doing something like this and taking my career to a whole new level. I know I have to keep working to keep getting these kinds of opportunities.”
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.