Lester Hayes

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Lester Hayes
Date of birth	January 22, 1955 (age 52)
Place of birth	Houston, Texas
Position(s)	Cornerback
College	Texas A&M
NFL Draft	1977 / Round 5/ Pick 126
Career Highlights
Pro Bowls	1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
Awards	1980 AP Defensive P.O.Y.
Honors	NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
Records	Oakland Raiders Single Season Interception Record (13)
Stats
Statistics	DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
1977-1981 1982-1986	Oakland Raiders Los Angeles Raiders

Lester Hayes (born January 22, 1955) was a 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. 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, but as yet has not been selected.

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 Raiders coach John Madden, and it was revealed that Hayes was an articulate, intelligent man. At autograph signings, he would maintain a constant flow of chatter, entertaining his fans with his wit and style.

Lester Hayes currently lives with his wife in Modesto, California.