by Thomas Edens

Created on: January 14, 2009

"Bullet" Bob Hayes had one of the most significant careers in the history of the NFL. The speedy wide receiver changed the way teams think of prospective pass catchers when he joined the Cowboys after an illustrious career as a track star. Few athletes can match the variety of accomplishments on Bob Hayes' resume.

In the early 60's, Bob Hayes was a running back and sprinter at Florida A&M University. He established the world record in the 100 yard dash in 1962, turning in a time of 9.2 seconds. The next year, he broke his own record by a tenth of a second. His record of 9.1 seconds stood for over a decade. Hayes also set world records in the 200 meters, the 220 yard dash, and the 60 yard dash. Bob Hayes won the NCAA Championship in the 200 meters in 1964, before skipping his senior season to compete in the Olympics.

The 1964 Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan. Hayes won a gold medal in the 100 meters despite drawing a poor lane assignment. He added a second gold medal when he anchored the U.S. Men's 4x100 meter relay team, setting another world record in the process.
It was the last competitive race that Bob Hayes would ever run.

The Dallas Cowboys took a chance on Bullet Bob in the seventh round of the 1964 NFL Draft. Hayes was picked with the 88th overall selection, the equivalent of a third round pick today. The Denver Broncos selected Hayes in the fourteenth round of the 1964 AFL Draft. For those fans of obscure trivia, Bob Hayes was drafted one spot ahead of a tackle from Wichita State named Bill Parcells.

Bob Hayes didn't waste any time putting his speed to good use in Dallas, rewarding the Cowboys with an exceptional rookie campaign. Hayes caught just 46 passes, but totaled 1,003 yards, and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 21.8 yards per reception that season, one of the highest marks in NFL History. Hayes was named to the Pro Bowl and if there had been a Rookie of the Year Award, he would have won that as well.

In 1966, Hayes had his best season. He caught 64 passes for 1232 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team despite not starting a single game for the Cowboys. Bob Hayes would never reach the 1000 yard plateau again.

During his athletic career, Bullet Bob Hayes held numerous world records, won an individual NCAA Championship, two gold medals, and a Super Bowl. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times and to the All-Pro team twice. His career average of 20 yards per reception stands as the eleventh best in NFL history. Hayes caught 371 passes for 7414 yards and 71 touchdowns. He is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, likely because he only started 25 games in his career, although he is a Senior Committee finalist for the class of 2009.

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