PERRYSBURG, Ohio — For a lot of football fans, the love for a team was created by our parents. For Hayden Salsbury, it was the same way.
"My dad. He's the biggest Michigan fan I know," Hayden said. "He's a Michigan fan, and he made me a Michigan fan."
His dad Scott is from West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, less than an hour from Ann Arbor.
Hayden and his family live in a home that's part-house, part-shrine to Michigan sports. Posters, signed balls and a lot of pictures line the walls.
Hayden comes from a family of die-hard Michigan fans. For years, Scott has used game day as a way to bond with his kids.
"We started going to more games," Scott said. "We were going to a lot, but Hayden took a special interest in this, and a lot of people took a special interest in Hayden."
Over the years, Hayden began his transformation into a Michigan super fan. His gameday attire started to include a cape and sunglasses, making him instantly recognizable to fans and players.
"Everybody would see him," Scott said. "They would have him on the jumbotron. That just started to evolve. And the players get to know him. Before you know it, they're coming up to him."
In the last few seasons, Hayden and his family have met some of the biggest names in the Michigan community.
"Desmond Howard, Blake Corum, JJ [McCarthy], Derek Jeter," Hayden said, to name a few.
But for Hayden, being a Michigan fan isn't about the names, but the people they are.
"Being a Michigan fan, I haven't met a mean Michigan fan," Hayden said. "You get some of those Ohio State fans that are just different."
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