Hayden was born and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky, where he currently resides. His two younger brothers, Nicky and Roger Lee, are also professional factory-backed motorcycle racers and his father, Earl, was a dirt track racer for twenty years. Hayden's mother, Rose, also rode the Powder Puff class for five years.
He finished 6th in the 2006 AMA Superbike Championship.
In 2004, he won the first ever championship in the AMA Supersport class.
In 2001, at the Springfield TT, the Hayden brothers took the first three positions: Nicky Hayden placed first, Tommy placed second, and Roger Lee Hayden finished third.
1998 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year