Lester Hayes
Encyclopedia
Lester Hayes is a former professional American football
player for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
of the National Football League
.
Hayes was commonly referred to as "the Judge" and also as "Lester the Molester" because of his Bump and run coverage
. A big Star Wars
fan, during pregame interviews for Super Bowl XVIII
he declared himself the "only true Jedi
" in the NFL. He was also known for using Stickum
before it was banned in 1981 in a rule bearing his name. He had a distinct stance, as exemplified on his photo on the Raiders' home page, crouching very low when facing the opposing wide receiver.
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 helped lead the Raiders to two Super Bowl
wins (1980
, 1983
), and was a five-time Pro Bowl
er (1980–1984).
He was known as one of the greatest shutdown cornerbacks in NFL history. His best performance was probably in Super Bowl XVIII. He had only one tackle, but that was because he so effectively covered Charlie Brown and Art Monk
that Joe Theismann
hardly threw to the left side of the field.
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.
Lester Hayes currently lives with his wife in Modesto
, California
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Hayes was commonly referred to as "the Judge" and also as "Lester the Molester" because of his Bump and run coverage
Bump and run coverage
Bump and run coverage is a strategy often used by defensive backs in American Football in which a defensive player lines up directly in front of a wide receiver and tries to impede him with arms, hands, or entire body and disrupt their intended route...
. A big Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
fan, during pregame interviews for Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
he declared himself the "only true Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
" in the NFL. He was also known for using Stickum
Stickum
Stickum is a trademark adhesive of Mueller Sports Medicine, of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, US. It is available in powder, paste and aerosol spray forms...
before it was banned in 1981 in a rule bearing his name. He had a distinct stance, as exemplified on his photo on the Raiders' home page, crouching very low when facing the opposing wide receiver.
In college, he became an All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
Safety
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
at Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. Hayes was converted to cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
after being drafted by the Raiders in 1977. Hayes helped lead the Raiders to two Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
wins (1980
Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
, 1983
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
), and was a five-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er (1980–1984).
He was known as one of the greatest shutdown cornerbacks in NFL history. His best performance was probably in Super Bowl XVIII. He had only one tackle, but that was because he so effectively covered Charlie Brown and Art Monk
Art Monk
James Arthur "Art" Monk is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
that Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann
Joseph Robert "Joe" Theismann is a former quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League . He achieved his most enduring fame in his 12 seasons playing for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and quarterback of the winning team in Super Bowl XVII...
hardly threw to the left side of the field.
In 1980, Hayes led the NFL with 13 interceptions and was named AP Defensive Player of the Year
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
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
Willie Brown (football player)
William Ferdie Brown is a former American Football cornerback. He is currently on the coaching staff of the Oakland Raiders.-Playing career:...
. 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
Stuttering
Stuttering , also known as stammering , is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds...
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.
Lester Hayes currently lives with his wife in Modesto
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
External links
- 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.