Lester Hayes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lester Hayes | |
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| Position(s): Cornerback |
Jersey #(s): 37 |
| Born: January 22, 1955 Houston, Texas |
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| Career Information | |
| Year(s): 1977–1986 | |
| NFL Draft: 1977 / Round: 5 / Pick: 126 | |
| College: Texas A&M | |
| Professional Teams | |
| Career Stats | |
| Interceptions | 39 |
| INT yards | 572 |
| Touchdowns | 4 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
| Career Highlights and Awards | |
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Lester Hayes (born January 22, 1955) is a former professional American football player for the National 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 for Super Bowl XVIII he declared himself the "only true Jedi" in the NFL.[1] He was known for his "bump and run" coverage style, and for using Stickum 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-time Pro Bowler (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.
[edit] References
- ^ Super Bowl by the Bay, p.51, (c)1984 by Bohn & Bland Publishers, Inc.
[edit] External links
- Professional Football Researchers Association explanation of "The Lester Hayes Rule".
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