Bob Hayes Changed the Game, but He's Not a Pro Football Hall of Famer

Bob Hayes was one of the greatest athletes in history, an Olympic gold medalist, the fastest man in the world in the 1960s and a good wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys.

But now that he's a seniors committee nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it must be said: He doesn't merit induction in Canton.

Hayes took the NFL by storm as a rookie in 1965, catching 46 passes for 1,003 yards and leading the league in touchdown catches with 12. In 1966 he was even better, with 64 catches for 1,232 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns.

But then something happened: Opposing coaches realized that they'd never be able to match up a defensive back one-on-one with Hayes, so they started to employ zone defenses. And that pretty much worked. Hayes' receiving yards steadily decreased, and after being a Pro Bowler in each of his first three NFL seasons, he never was again.

Hayes was an important player in football history; he changed the game by forcing teams to use zone defenses. But he was also a one-dimensional player who basically had one skill -- "go long" -- and didn't become a complete receiver.

Hayes provided lots of exciting highlights on the field, and he's a fun guy to see on NFL Films. But while he deserves his spot in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, he was just a good football player, not a great one.