A player with stats like that belongs in the hall of fame........


His 1980 season is considered one of the greatest single campaigns for any player at any position. That season ended with a championship as the Raiders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 in Super Bowl XV.  He intercepted 13 passes during the regular season that year and returned them 273 yards with 1 touchdown. He also recovered 2 fumbles.
Listed as a safety on various online resources and described as a safety who converted to cornerback upon entry into the NFL, Hayes once told me he played linebacker at Texas A&M and he did not want to play corner. But, Raiders Owner Al Davis and Head Coach John Madden asked Hayes to make the switch. The rest is, as they say, history.
Does one season make a career? Does one season make a Hall of Fame career? Absolutely not. However, it is widely thought and widely known that man-to-man corners don’t accumulate many interceptions. Corners who play in predominantly zone defenses and safeties get the bulk of the picks. Hayes still grabbed 39.
P Ray Guy waited an interminable amount of time to be selected for the Hall of Fame. His detractors questioned his career average and the position he played. Ultimately it was impact on the game, his defining of the position, his impact on his team, that finally put him in the Hall where he belongs.