3 NFL wide receivers who changed the position

NFL wide receivers who changed the position: Bob Hayes

Hayes is the only athlete in history to win both an Olympic Gold Medal and a Super Bowl ring.

At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Hayes won the gold medal in the 100-meter dash, while running in borrowed cleats. His 10.06-second time tied a world record.

As a rookie, he recorded 46 receptions for 1,003 yards and a league-high 12 touchdowns. His speed was so unguardable that he altered the game as we know it.

Hayes’s play is credited with creating the modern zone defense and bump-and-run. Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated detailed his impact:

"“The zone defense had existed in the NFL before his arrival, but it was crude by today’s standards, and Hayes could destroy that kind of coverage the same way he did man-to-man alignments. So coaches came up with a double zone to try to control him. A cornerback would play him tight as he came off the line–in those days defenders could do anything they wanted to a receiver, except grab and hold–and another defensive back would pick him up deep. Or coaches would assign the deepest defensive back, usually the free safety, to make sure he stayed behind Hayes, which opened up vast areas underneath. No other player caused that kind of strategic overhaul of the defensive game.”"

Despite the strategic adjustments, Hayes went on to average a whopping 20.0 yards per reception over 10 years with the Cowboys.