National Football League

Cowboys lineman gives his hair as Christmas gift

Published Dec. 24, 2014 4:49 p.m. ET

foxsports

IRVING, Texas -- Nick Hayden's long locks are long gone, but it's for a good cause.

The Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle had eight inches of hair cut off this week and donated it to Children With Hair Loss, an organization that helps children with medically related hair loss.

It was time to say goodbye... 8 inches cut and donated to children with hair loss pic.twitter.com/LMm3gTux4C
— Nick Hayden (@NickHaydenWI) December 23, 2014

"Some kid needs it for Christmas more than I do," Hayden said Wednesday while sporting a clean-cut look in the Cowboys' Valley Ranch locker room.

"Me and my wife have been looking around, just seeing where I can donate it. I knew I was going to do it, just didn't know when. I just thought Christmas was an appropriate time for it."

Hayden said he plans to grow his hair out again, but not as long as he had it before his donation. In the meantime, he said he's enjoying being more aerodynamic on top.

"It's kind of nice. I kind of feel faster out there without it," Hayden said. "We'll see if it helps at all, but I could tell my helmet was a little loose today."

Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire

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