View source for Bob Hayes

{{Short description|American football player and sprinter (1942–2002)}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox gridiron football biography
| name          = Bob Hayes
| image         = Bob hayes cowboys.jpg
| number        = 22
| position      = [[Wide receiver]]
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1942|12|20}}
| birth_place   = [[Jacksonville, Florida]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2002|9|18|1942|12|20}}
| death_place   = Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
| height_ft     = 5
| height_in     = 11
| weight_lb     = 185
| high_school   = [[Matthew Gilbert High School|Matthew Gilbert]] (Jacksonville)
| college       = [[Florida A&M Rattlers football|Florida A&M]] (1962–1964)
| draftyear     = 1964
| draftround    = 7
| draftpick     = 88
| afldraftyear  = 1964
| afldraftround = 14
| afldraftpick  = 105
| pastteams     =
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|1965|1974}})
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1975}})
| highlights    =
* [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl VI|VI]])
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1966 All-Pro Team|1966]], [[1968 All-Pro Team|1968]])
* Second-team All-Pro ([[1967 All-Pro Team|1967]])
* 3× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1966 Pro Bowl|1965]]–[[1968 Pro Bowl|1967]])
* 2× [[List of National Football League season receiving touchdown leaders|NFL receiving touchdowns leader]] (1965, 1966)
* [[Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor]]
| statlabel1    = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Reception]]s
| statvalue1    = 371
| statlabel2    = Receiving yards
| statvalue2    = 7,414
| statlabel3    = Receiving [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3    = 71
| pfr           = HayeBo00
| HOF           = bob-hayes 
}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name= Bob Hayes
| image=
| imagesize=
| caption=
| nationality=
| sport=Track and field
| event=[[100 metres]]<br/>[[200 metres]]<br/>[[4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 metres]]
| club=MVP Track & Field Club
| birth_date=
| birth_place=
| height=
| weight=636
| pb=
'''60 yd''': 5.9{{abbr|h|Hand Timed}}{{efn|name=WR|Former World Record}}<br/>
'''70 yd''': 6.9{{abbr|h|Hand Timed}} '''[[List of world records in athletics#Indoor events|WR]]''' <br/>
'''100 yd''': 9.1{{abbr|h|Hand Timed}}{{efn|name=WR}} (St. Louis, 1963) <br/>
'''100&nbsp;m''': 9.9{{abbr|h|Hand Timed}}{{efn|name=WR}} (Tokyo, 1964)<br/>
'''200&nbsp;m''': 20.5{{abbr|h|Hand Timed}} (Coral Gables, 1963)<br/>
'''220 yd''': 20.6{{abbr|h|Hand Timed}} (Coral Gables, 1963)
'''4 × 100&nbsp;m''': 39.06 s Former World Record (Tokyo, 1964)
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalOlympics}}
{{MedalGold|[[1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Tokyo]]|[[Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres|100 m]]}}
{{MedalGold |[[1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Tokyo]]|[[Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 m relay]]}}
}}

'''Robert Lee Hayes''' (December 20, 1942 – September 18, 2002), nicknamed "'''Bullet Bob'''", was an American [[sprint (running)|sprinter]] and professional [[American football|football]] player. After winning gold medals at the [[1964 Summer Olympics]], he played as a [[wide receiver|split end]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Dallas Cowboys]] (for 11 seasons). Hayes is the only athlete to win both an Olympic [[gold medal]] and a [[Super Bowl ring]]. He was a two-sport standout in college in both track and field and [[college football|football]] at [[Florida A&M University]]. Hayes was enshrined in the [[Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor]] in 2001 and was selected for induction in the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in January 2009. Hayes is the second Olympic gold medalist to be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, after [[Jim Thorpe]]. He once held the world record for the 70-yard dash (with a time of 6.9 seconds). He also is tied for the world's second-fastest time in the [[60-yard dash]].
He was once considered the "world's fastest human" by virtue of his multiple world records in the 60-yard, 100-yard, 220-yard, and Olympic 100-meter dashes. He was inducted into the [[United States Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame|United States Olympic Hall of Fame]].<ref name="OFame">{{cite web |url=https://www.voanews.com/archive/us-olympic-hall-fame-induct-new-members |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802085543/https://www.voanews.com/archive/us-olympic-hall-fame-induct-new-members |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 2, 2020 |title=US Olympic Hall of Fame to Induct New Members |publisher=[[Voice of America]] |date=October 28, 2009 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref>

==Early life==
Hayes attended [[Matthew Gilbert High School]] in [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]], where he was a halfback on the football team. The 1958 Gilbert High Panthers finished 12–0, winning the [[Florida High School Athletic Association]] black school state championship with a 14–7 victory over [[Dillard High School]] of [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]] before more than 11,000 spectators. In times of racial segregation laws, their achievement went basically unnoticed, until 50 years later when they were recognized as one of the best teams in [[Florida High School Athletic Association]] (FHSAA) history.

==College career==
A highly recruited athlete, Hayes accepted a football scholarship from [[Florida A&M University]], a [[historically black colleges and universities|historically black college]], where he excelled in track and field. 

In 1962, the [[University of Miami]] invited him to a meet on their campus, where he tied the world record of 9.2 seconds in the [[100-yard dash]], which had been set by [[Frank Budd]] of [[Villanova University]] the previous year. He also was the first person to break six seconds in the 60-yard dash with his indoor world record of 5.9 seconds.

In 1963, although he never used a traditional sprinter form, he broke the 100-yard dash record with a time of 9.1,<ref name=ergnon>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OxdZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FOMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6504%2C4186516 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |agency=Associated Press |title=100-yard dash record shaved to 9.1 by Hayes |date=June 22, 1963 |page=1B}}</ref><ref name=wmstr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UERjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PHQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6555%2C3607594 |work=Wilmington Morning Star |location=North Carolina |agency=UPI |title=Hayes shatters world record |date=June 22, 1963 |page=6}}</ref> a mark that would not be broken for eleven years (until [[Ivory Crockett]] ran a 9.0 in 1974). The same year, Hayes set the world best for 200 meters (20.5 seconds, although the time was never ratified) and ran the 220-yard dash in a time of 20.6 seconds (while running into an {{convert|8|mph|m/s|abbr=on}} wind). He was selected to represent the United States in the [[1964 Summer Olympics]] in Tokyo. His football coach [[Jake Gaither]] was not very high on giving Hayes time to train, which caused then president [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] to call him and insist he allow Hayes time off and to keep him healthy.<ref>{{cite news| last=Deford | first=Frank | url=https://www.si.com/vault/2001/08/06/308496/time-bandits-maurice-greene-is-the-latest-holder-of-the-grand-and-curious-title-worlds-fastest-human-bestowed-on-men-who-have-stolen-fractions-of-seconds-from-the-100-meter-record | title=Time Bandits Maurice Greene is the latest holder of the grand and curious title World's Fastest Human | access-date=February 19, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611181146/http://www.si.com/vault/2001/08/06/308496/time-bandits-maurice-greene-is-the-latest-holder-of-the-grand-and-curious-title-worlds-fastest-human-bestowed-on-men-who-have-stolen-fractions-of-seconds-from-the-100-meter-record | archive-date=June 11, 2016 | url-status=dead | work=si.com}}</ref>

He was the AAU 100-yard dash champion three years running, from 1962 to 1964, and in 1964 was the NCAA champion in the 200-meter dash. He missed part of his senior year because of his Olympic bid for the gold medal.

In 1976, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Florida A&M University Sports Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was inducted into the [[Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]] Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was inducted into the [[Black College Football Hall of Fame]].

==Olympics==
[[File:Bob Hayes 1964.jpg|thumb|220px|Hayes at the 1964 Olympics]]

[[File:FAMU athlete Robert Hayes practices running on the track.jpg|thumb|right|170px|At FAMU in 1962]]

At the [[1964 Summer Olympics]], in Tokyo, Hayes won the 100 m and in doing so tied the then [[Men's 100 metres world record progression|world record in the 100 m]] with a time of 10.06 seconds, even though he was running in lane 1 which had, the day before, been used for the 20&nbsp;km racewalk and this badly damaged the cinder track. He also was running in borrowed spikes because one of his shoes had been kicked under the bed when he was playing with some friends and he didn't realize until he got there.<ref>Hayes, Bob (1992) ''Run, Bullet, Run: The Rise, Fall, and Recovery of Bob Hayes''. New York: Harper & Row. {{ISBN|0060182008}}.</ref> This was followed by a second gold medal in the 4 × 100-meter relay, which also produced a new World Record (39.06 seconds).<ref name=sr>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/bob-hayes-1.html |title=Bob Hayes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417094344/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/bob-hayes-1.html |archive-date=April 17, 2020}}</ref>
However, the international track and field federation World Athletics, formerly IAAF, faultily "only" accredits Hayes with a hand-timed 10.0 s during his 10.06 s race making him Olympic Champion over 100 m - that although the official manual stopwatches clocked Hayes at 9.8 s, 9.9 s and 9.9 s, which, according to the rules, was a hand-timed 9.9 s.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Hayes' come-from-behind win for the US team in the relay was one of the most memorable Olympic moments. Hand-timed between 8.5 and 8.9 seconds, his relay leg is the [[Anchor leg#All-time top 10 (men)|fastest in history]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121113200001/http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/fanguide/athlete?athlete=5325 Bob Hayes – Olympics Athletes – 2008 Summer Olympics – Beijing, China – ESPN]. Sports.espn.go.com.</ref> [[Jocelyn Delecour]], France's anchor leg runner, famously said to [[Paul Drayton (athlete)|Paul Drayton]] before the relay final that, "You can't win, all you have is Bob Hayes." Drayton was able to reply afterwards, "That's all we need." The race was also Hayes' last as a track and field athlete, as he permanently switched to football after it, aged only 21.<ref>{{YouTube|mh-YLy_wnrc|See the race}}</ref>

In some of the first meets to be timed with experimental [[Fully automatic time|fully automatic timing]], Hayes was the first man to break ten seconds for the 100 meters, albeit with a 5.3&nbsp;m/s [[wind assistance]] in the semi-finals of the 1964 Olympics. His time was recorded at 9.91 seconds. [[Jim Hines]] officially broke 10 seconds at the high altitude of Mexico City, Mexico in 1968 (and on a synthetic track) with a wind-legal 9.95 which stood as the world record for almost 15 years. The next to surpass Hayes at a low altitude Olympics was [[Carl Lewis]] in 1984 when he won in 9.99, some 20 years later (though [[Hasely Crawford]] equaled the time in 1976).<ref>[http://run-down.com/guests/jc_bobhayes.php JC Bob Hayes]. Run-down.com. Retrieved on May 30, 2015.</ref>

Until the Tokyo Olympics, world records were measured by officials with stopwatches, measured to the nearest tenth of a second. Although [[Fully automatic time|fully automatic timing]] was used in Tokyo, the times were given the appearance of manual timing. This was done by subtracting 0.05 seconds from the automatic time and rounding to the nearest tenth of a second, making Hayes' time of 10.06 seconds convert to 10.0 seconds, despite the fact that the officials with stopwatches had measured Hayes' time to be 9.9 seconds,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131113125002/http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=52318 revisionist history: men's 100 WR]. Track and Field News. November 1, 2013</ref> and the average difference between manual and automatic times was typically 0.15 to 0.20 seconds. This unique method of determining the official time therefore denied Hayes the record of being the first to officially record 9.9 seconds for the 100 meters. The first official times of 9.9 seconds were recorded at the "[[Night of Speed]]" in 1968.

==Professional football career==
===Dallas Cowboys===
The [[Dallas Cowboys]] selected Hayes in the seventh round (88th overall) of the [[1964 NFL draft]] with a future draft pick, which allowed the team to draft him before his college eligibility was over, taking a chance that the Olympic sprinter with unrefined football skills could excel as a [[wide receiver]].<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19641209&id=PyEmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CP4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2456,1931474 Cowboys and Giants Sign 2 Speedsters]. Gettysburg Times. December 9, 1964</ref> He was also selected by the [[Denver Broncos]] in the 14th round (105th overall) of the [[1964 American Football League draft|1964 AFL draft]], with a future selection. Hayes has been credited by many with forcing the NFL to develop a [[zone defense]] and the [[bump and run coverage|bump and run]] to attempt to contain him.<ref name="profootballhof.com">[http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/story.jsp?story_id=3095 Enshrinement » Class of 2009 announced] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203071341/http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/story.jsp?story_id=3095 |date=February 3, 2009 }}. Profootballhof.com. Retrieved on May 30, 2015.</ref>

Hayes' first two seasons were most successful, during which he led the NFL both times in receiving touchdowns with 12 and 13 touchdowns, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rank|first=Adam|url=http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap2000000324888/NFL-players-from-historically-black-colleges|title=NFL players from historically black colleges|publisher=[[National Football League]]|date=February 10, 2014|access-date=February 27, 2014}}</ref> In 1966 Hayes caught six passes for 195 yards against the [[New York Giants]] at the [[Cotton Bowl (stadium)|Cotton Bowl]]. Later, in the [[Dallas Cowboys]]-[[Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]] match-up, Hayes caught nine passes for 246 yards (a franchise record until [[Miles Austin]] broke it with a 250-yard performance on October 11, 2009, against the [[Kansas City Chiefs]]). Hayes' speed forced other teams to go to a zone since no single player could keep up with him. Spreading the defense out in hopes of containing Hayes allowed the Cowboys' talented running game to flourish, rushers [[Don Perkins]], [[Calvin Hill]], [[Walt Garrison]] and [[Duane Thomas]] taking advantage of the diminished coverage at the line of scrimmage. In the 1967 season, Hayes led the NFL in punt return yards, and went on to set an NFL playoff record with 141 punt return yards in Dallas' 52-14 win over the [[Cleveland Browns]]. Hayes also caught 5 passes for 145 yards in that game, including an 86-yard touchdown catch.

Hayes is also infamous for two events, both involving the NFL championship games in [[1966 NFL Championship Game|1966]] and [[1967 NFL Championship Game|1967]], both against the [[Green Bay Packers]]. In the 1966 game, on the last meaningful play of the game, Hayes missed an assignment of blocking linebacker [[Dave Robinson (American football)|Dave Robinson]], which resulted in [[Don Meredith]] nearly being sacked by Robinson and as a result throwing a desperation pass into the end zone that was intercepted by [[Tom Brown (safety)|Tom Brown]]. In the 1967 NFL championship, the "Ice Bowl" played on New Year's Eve, 1967, Hayes was alleged to have inadvertently disclosed whether the upcoming play was a pass or run because on running plays he kept his hands inside his pants to keep them warm and the Green Bay defense knew they didn't need to cover him.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12127344/nfl-chilling-recollection-classic-ice-bowl | title=A chilling recollection of 'Ice Bowl' | date=January 7, 2015 | access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref>

On July 17, [[1975 NFL season|1975]], he was traded to the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in exchange for a third round draft choice (#73-[[Duke Fergerson]]).<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19750718&id=ALslAAAAIBAJ&pg=1047,3651557&hl=es | title=Bob Hayes, Traded By Dallas To San Francisco | access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref>

Hayes wore No. 22 with the Cowboys, which would later be worn by [[running back]] [[Emmitt Smith]].

===San Francisco 49ers===
In [[1975 NFL season|1975]] with the [[1975 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]], Hayes teamed up with [[Gene Washington (American football, born 1947)|Gene Washington]] in the starting lineup. After not playing up to expectations in the first five games, he was waived on October 22 to make room for [[wide receiver]] [[Terry Beasley]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2457&dat=19751023&id=MRQ9AAAAIBAJ&pg=5030,3103651&hl=es |work=Bangor Daily News |location=Maine |agency=UPI |title=San Francisco waives Bob Hayes |date=October 23, 1975 |page=13 |access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref><ref name=vawvme>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ti8PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hIUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6064%2C4021842 |work=Victoria Advocate |location=Texas |agency=Associated Press |title=49ers waive Hayes |date=October 23, 1975 |page=2B}}</ref>

===Multiple offensive threat===
In addition to receiving, Hayes returned punts for the Cowboys and was the NFL's leading [[Return specialist#Punt returner|punt returner]] in 1968 with a 20.8 yards per return average and two touchdowns, including a 90 yarder against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. He was named to the [[Pro Bowl]] three times and First-team All-Pro twice and Second-team All-Pro twice. He helped Dallas win five Eastern Conference titles, two NFC titles, played in two Super Bowls, and was instrumental in Dallas' first-ever Super Bowl victory after the 1971 season, making Hayes the only person to win both an Olympic [[gold medal]] and a [[Super Bowl#Super Bowl winners|Super Bowl ring]]. Later in his career, as defenses improved playing zone and the bump and run was refined, Hayes' value was as a decoy rather than a deep threat.

===Cowboy records===
Hayes was the second player (after [[Frank Clarke (American football)|Franklin Clarke]]) in the history of the [[Dallas Cowboys]] franchise to surpass 1,000 yards (ground or air) in a single season, and he did that in his rookie year by finishing with 1,003 yards. Also during his rookie year, he led the team with 46 receptions and set franchise records for total [[touchdowns]] (13) and total receiving touchdowns (12). He finished his 11-year career with 371 receptions for 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns, giving him an impressive 20 yards per catch average (his yards per catch average remains a franchise record, while his touchdown reception record stood until 2017, when it was broken by [[Dez Bryant]].) He also rushed for 68 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns, gained 581 yards on 23 kickoff returns, and returned 104 punts for 1,158 yards and three touchdowns.

In [[1965 NFL season|1965]] he also started a streak ([[1965 NFL season|1965]]–[[1966 NFL season|1966]]) of seven consecutive games with at least a [[touchdown]] catch, which still stands as a Cowboys record shared with [[Frank Clarke (American football)|Franklin Clarke]] ([[1961 NFL season|1961]]–[[1962 NFL season|1962]]), [[Terrell Owens]] ([[2007 NFL season|2007]]) and [[Dez Bryant]] ([[2012 NFL season|2012]]).

His 7,295 receiving yards are the sixth-most in [[Dallas Cowboys]] history. To this day{{When|date=February 2023}}, Hayes holds ten regular-season receiving records, four punt return records and 22 overall franchise marks, making him one of the greatest receivers to ever play for the Cowboys.

In 2004, he was named to the [[Professional Football Researchers Association]] Hall of Very Good in the association's second HOVG class.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/hall-of-very-good-2004.htm |title=Hall of Very Good |access-date=July 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005051004/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/hall-of-very-good-2004.htm |archive-date=October 5, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|
| Won the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Receiving
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Kick returns
! colspan="5"| Punt returns
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Ret !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Ret !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1965 NFL season|1965]] !! [[1965 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 13 || 13 || 46 || 1,003 || 21.8 || 82 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 12 || '''4''' || -8 || -2.0 || 11 || '''1''' || '''17''' || '''450''' || 26.5 || '''66''' || 0 || 12 || 153 || 12.8 || 47 || 0
|-
! [[1966 NFL season|1966]] !! [[1966 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''14''' || '''14''' || '''64''' || '''1,232''' || 19.3 || '''95''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''13''' || 1 || -1 || -1.0 || -1 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 17 || 106 || 6.2 || 18 || 0
|-
! [[1967 NFL season|1967]] !! [[1967 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 13 || 13 || 49 || 998 || 20.4 || 64 || 10 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 1 || 17 || 17.0 || 17 || 0 || '''24''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 276 || 11.5 || 69 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 1
|-
! [[1968 NFL season|1968]] !! [[1968 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''14''' || '''14''' || 53 || 909 || 17.2 || 54 || 10 || '''4''' || 2 || 0.5 || 6 || 0 || 1 || 20 || 20.0 || 20 || 0 || 15 || '''312''' || '''20.8''' || '''90''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''2'''
|-
! [[1969 NFL season|1969]] !! [[1969 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 10 || 10 || 40 || 746 || 18.7 || 67 || 4 || '''4''' || 17 || 4.3 || 8 || 0 || 3 || 80 || '''26.7''' || 46 || 0 || 18 || 179 || 9.9 || 50 || 0
|-
! [[1970 NFL season|1970]] !! [[1970 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 13 || 9 || 34 || 889 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''26.1''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 89 || 10 || '''4''' || '''34''' || '''8.5''' || '''13''' || '''1''' || 0 || – || – || – || – || 15 || 116 || 7.7 || 34 || 0
|-
! [[1971 NFL season|1971]] !! style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1971 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''14''' || 13 || 35 || 840 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 24.0 || 85 || 8 || 3 || 18 || 6.0 || 11 || 0 || 1 || 14 || 14.0 || 14 || 0 || 1 || 5 || 5.0 || 5 || 0
|-
! [[1972 NFL season|1972]] !! [[1972 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 12 || 5 || 15 || 200 || 13.3 || 29 || 0 || 2 || 8 || 4.0 || 7 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || –
|-
! [[1973 NFL season|1973]] !! [[1973 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 13 || 13 || 22 || 360 || 16.4 || 47 || 3 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || –
|-
! [[1974 NFL season|1974]] !! [[1974 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 12 || 0 || 7 || 118 || 16.9 || 35 || 1 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || – || 2 || 11 || 5.5 || 6 || 0
|-
! [[1975 NFL season|1975]] !! [[1975 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
| 4 || 3 || 6 || 119 || 19.8 || 36 || 0 || 2 || -2 || -1.0 || -1 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HayeBo00.htm Career]
! 132 !! 107 !! 371 !! 7,414 !! 20.0 !! 95 !! 71 !! 24 !! 68 !! 2.8 !! 13 !! 2 !! 23 !! 581 !! 25.3 !! 66 !! 0 !! 104 !! 1,158 !! 11.1 !! 90 !! 3
|}

===Postseason===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Receiving
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Kick returns
! colspan="5"| Punt returns
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Ret !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Ret !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1966 NFL Championship Game|1966]] !! [[1966 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1.0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || – || 3 || -9 || -3.0 || 1 || 0
|-
! [[1967-68 NFL playoffs|1967]] !! [[1967 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 2 || 2 || '''8''' || '''160''' || 20.0 || '''86''' || '''1''' || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || – || 3 || '''141''' || '''47.0''' || '''68''' || 0
|-
! [[1968-69 NFL playoffs|1968]] !! [[1968 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 1 || 1 || 5 || 83 || 16.6 || 29 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || –
|-
! [[1969-70 NFL playoffs|1969]] !! [[1969 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 1 || 1 || 4 || 44 || 11.0 || 17 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || –
|-
! [[1970-71 NFL playoffs|1970]] !! [[1970 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''3''' || '''3''' || 2 || 61 || '''30.5''' || 41 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || '''1''' || '''16''' || '''16.0''' || '''16''' || 0 || '''4''' || 17 || 4.3 || 8 || 0
|-
! [[1971-72 NFL playoffs|1971]] !! style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1971 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''3''' || '''3''' || 7 || 76 || 10.9 || 18 || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''16''' || '''16.0''' || '''16''' || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 2 || 2 || 2.0 || 3 || 0
|-
! [[1972-73 NFL playoffs|1972]] !! [[1972 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 2 || 0 || 1 || 13 || 13.0 || 13 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || –
|-
! [[1973-74 NFL playoffs|1973]] !! [[1973 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 2 || 2 || 3 || 54 || 18.0 || 29 || 0 || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || – || 0 || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HayeBo00.htm Career]
! 15 !! 13 !! 31 !! 492 !! 15.9 !! 86 !! 2 !! 1 !! 16 !! 16.0 !! 16 !! 0 !! 1 !! 16 !! 16.0 !! 16 !! 0 !! 12 !! 151 !! 12.6 !! 68 !! 0
|}

==Death==
On September 18, 2002, Hayes died in his hometown of Jacksonville of [[kidney]] failure, after battling [[prostate cancer]] and [[liver]] ailments.<ref name="OFame"/><ref>"Ex-Olympic star, Cowboy Hayes dies," AP, as reported by [https://web.archive.org/web/20021003225719/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/09/19/hayes_obit_ap/ ''CNNSI.com,'' September 19, 2002]. [retrieved September 11, 2011]</ref>

==Pro Football Hall of Fame==
===2004 controversy===
Hayes was close to being inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 2004, but was denied the opportunity in the final round of decision-making. The decision was marred by controversy, with many claiming that the Hall of Fame Senior Selection Committee had a bias against members of the Dallas Cowboys and other NFL teams.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=1726974 | title=Zimmerman: Hayes deserved to get in | date=February 4, 2004 | access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref> Others believe Hayes' legal and drug use issues marred his chances.<ref name=lwksfl>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gpUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NOcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6681%2C4521393 |work=Lawrence Daily Journal-World |location=Kansas |agency=Associated Press |title=Downfall of ex-Cowboy star Hayes: Last week they sprayed him for lice |date=April 22, 1979 |page=5B}}</ref><ref name=bbhdif>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8PtPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zQgEAAAAIBAJ&hl=es&pg=1980%2C1036472 |work=Ocala Star-Banner |location=Florida |last=Word |first=Ron |agency=Associated Press |title='Bullet' Bob Hayes dies of kidney failure |date=September 20, 2002 |page=1C}}</ref> Shortly after the announcement of the new 2004 Hall of Fame members, long-time ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' writer [[Paul Zimmerman (sportswriter)|Paul Zimmerman]] resigned from the Selection Committee in protest of the decision to leave Hayes out of the Hall. Zimmerman eventually returned as a Hall of Fame voter.<ref>[http://www.thefootballsearchengine.com/JimMarshall/HOFvoters/ Pro Football Hall of Fame Voters]. Thefootballsearchengine.com. Retrieved on May 30, 2015.</ref>

===2009 induction===
On August 27, 2008, Hayes was named as one of two senior candidates for the 2009 Hall of Fame election.<ref>[http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/story.jsp?story_id=2816 Enshrinement » Class of '09 senior candidates] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080903085641/http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/story.jsp?story_id=2816 |date=September 3, 2008}}. Profootballhof.com. Retrieved on May 30, 2015.</ref> On Saturday, January 31, 2009, he was selected as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2009.<ref name="profootballhof.com"/>

The next day Lucille Hester, who claimed to be Hayes's sister,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Frenette|first=Gene|title=Hayes' Hall saga now soap opera|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20090204/news/801240033|access-date=October 17, 2020|website=The Florida Times-Union|language=en|archive-date=October 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019030827/https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20090204/news/801240033|url-status=dead}}</ref> released a letter she said he had drafted three years before he died, on October 29, 1999, in case he did not live to see his induction. Its full text read:

<blockquote>You know I am not sure I am going to be around if I get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame so you must read this for me, I am not sure, I guess I am feeling sorry for myself at this time but you must remember everything I want you to do and say. Mother said you would do what I want because you always did. So read this for me.

I would like to thank everyone who supported me to get into the NFL Hall of Fame, the Dallas Cowboys organization, all of my team mates and everyone who played for the Cowboys, (thank the San Francisco 49rs {{sic}} too). Thank the fans all around the country and the world, thank the committee who voted for me and also the ones who may did not vote for me, thank Mother and my family, thank Roger Stauback {{sic}} and tell all my teammates I love them dearly.

Thank the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all the NFL teams and players, Florida A&M University, thank everyone who went to Mathew {{sic}} Gilbert High School, thank everyone in Jacksonville and Florida and everyone especially on the East Side of Jacksonville. Thank everyone in the City of Dallas and in Texas and just thank everyone in the whole world.

I love you all.</blockquote>

Delivered by Hester in front of hundreds and a national cable television audience, the moment was described as "... one of the most compelling and touching scenes the Hall of Fame has seen."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2009/01/31/2009-01-31_late_receiver_bob_hayes_sister_reads_tha-2.html | location=New York | work=Daily News | title=Late receiver Bob Hayes' sister reads thank-you letter to Hall of Fame | first=Gary | last=Myers | date=January 31, 2009}}</ref> Shortly after, it was discovered that the supposedly signed letter was printed in the [[Calibri]] font, which was not released to the public until five years after Hayes' death.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Townsend |first1=Brad |title=Letter purportedly from former Dallas Cowboy Hayes under more scrutiny |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/020509dnspocowhayes.9a30e7.html |access-date=November 26, 2024 |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |date=February 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116001003/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/020509dnspocowhayes.9a30e7.html |archive-date=January 16, 2010}}</ref> Some family members disputed Lucille Hester's claim to be related to Bob, and took steps to ensure she was not part of the Hall of Fame ceremony.<ref>[http://dal.scout.com/2/835595.html Dallas Cowboys NFL Football Front Page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204052000/http://dal.scout.com/2/835595.html |date=February 4, 2009 }}. Dal.scout.com (May 5, 2015). Retrieved on May 30, 2015.</ref><ref>Fisher, Mike. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090418163010/http://dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1291 Is Bob Hayes' 'Sister' Conning The Cowboys, The Hall Of Fame And The NFL?] Dallas Basketball</ref>

On August 8, 2009, Hayes was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [[Roger Staubach]], Hayes' Dallas Cowboy teammate, along with Hayes' son Bob Hayes Jr., unveiled the bust, which was sculpted by [[Scott Myers]]. On hand were six members of Bob's Gilbert High School championship team.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120904025047/http://www.jacksonville.com/sports/columnists/gene_frenette/2009-08-09/story/bob_hayes_finally_crosses_finish_line_in_canton Bob Hayes finally crosses finish line in Canton]. jacksonville.com. August 9, 2009.</ref> He was later inducted into the Texas Track and Field Coaches Hall of Fame, Class of 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ttfca2.wixsite.com/txtfhalloffame/inductees |title=Txtfhalloffame |access-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116170038/http://ttfca2.wixsite.com/txtfhalloffame/inductees |archive-date=January 16, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* [[David Wallechinsky|Wallechinsky, David]] (2004). ''The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics'', [[Toronto]]: Sport Classic Books. {{ISBN|1-894963-34-2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Profootballhof|276}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=bob-hayes |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=HayeBo00 |rotoworld=}}
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{USATF|new_id=bob-hayes}}
* {{USATF Hall of Fame|id=70}}
* {{Team USA Hall of Fame|new_id=bob-hayes|old_id=Bob-Hayes|archive=20230614163731}}
* {{Olympics.com profile|org_archive=20160920225358}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Find a Grave|6788320}}

{{navboxes
|title=Bob Hayes—awards, championships, and honors
|list1=
{{Footer Olympic Champions 100 m Men}}
{{Olympic champions 4 × 100 metres men|1964}}
{{NFL annual receiving touchdowns leaders}}
{{NFL annual punt return yards leaders}}
{{Dallas Cowboys 1964 NFL draft picks}}
{{Denver Broncos 1964 AFL draft picks}}
{{Super Bowl VI}}
{{Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor}}
{{2009 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
{{Footer US NC 100m Men}}
{{Footer US NC Indoor 60m Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1964 Summer Olympics}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hayes, Bob}}
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:American football wide receivers]]
[[Category:American men sprinters]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players]]
[[Category:Deaths from prostate cancer in Florida]]
[[Category:Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Florida A&M Rattlers football players]]
[[Category:Florida A&M Rattlers track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Jacksonville, Florida]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:San Francisco 49ers players]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Jacksonville, Florida]]
[[Category:USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:World record setters in the sport of athletics]]