- Lester Hayes
Infobox NFLretired
position=Cornerback
number=37
birthdate=birth date and age|1955|1|22Houston, Texas
debutyear=1977
finalyear=1986
draftyear=1977
draftround=5
draftpick=126
college=Texas A&M
teams=
* Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders (1977–1986)
stat1label=Interceptions
stat1value=39
stat2label=INT yards
stat2value=572
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=4
nfl=HAY296625
highlights=
* 5xPro Bowl selection (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
* 6xAll-Pro selection (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
*NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
* 1980NFL Defensive Player of the Year
* Raiders single season leader in interceptions with 13
HOF=
CollegeHOF=Lester Hayes (born
January 22 ,1955 ) is a former professionalAmerican football player for theNational Football League Oakland/LA Raiders.Hayes was commonly referred to as "Lester the Molester" (a nickname he detested) and "the Judge." A big
Star Wars fan, during pregame interviews forSuper Bowl XVIII he declared himself the "only trueJedi " in the NFL. ["Super Bowl by the Bay", p.51, (c)1984 by Bohn & Bland Publishers, Inc.] He was known for his "bump and run " coverage style, and for usingStickum before it was banned in a rule bearing his name.In college, he became an All-American Safety at Texas A&M. Hayes was converted to
cornerback after being drafted by the Raiders in 1977. Hayes was a member of two Raiders championship teams (1980, 1983), and was a five-timePro Bowl er (1980–1984).In 1980 Hayes led the NFL with 13 interceptions and was named AP Defensive Player of the Year and the NEA Defensive Player of the Year. He retired after the 1986 season with a total of 39 interceptions, a Raider record shared with Hall of Famer Willie Brown. He is eligible for enshrinement in the
Professional Football Hall of Fame , and in 2007 was chosen amongst 26 semi-finalists.Hayes was a lifelong stutterer until well into his professional career. He tended to stay quiet, rather than draw attention to his condition. For this reason, he was often looked upon as not very smart, but after successful treatment, people "couldn't shut him up," according to former Raiders coach John Madden, and it was revealed that Hayes was an articulate, intelligent man. At autograph signings, he maintains a constant flow of chatter, entertaining his fans with his wit and style.
Lester Hayes currently lives with his wife in Modesto,
California .References
External links
* [http://www.footballresearch.com/articles/frpage.cfm?topic=rulesname Professional Football Researchers Association] explanation of "The Lester Hayes Rule".
* [http://www.sportslawnews.com/archive/Articles%202000/superbowlring.htm] Lester Hayes pawns Super Bowl ring to pay for emergency dental surgery.
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