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Who used Stickum on the Raiders?
Hayes was commonly referred to as "the Judge" and also as "Lester the Molester" because of his bump and run coverage. He had a distinct stance, crouching very low when facing the opposing wide receiver. He was also known for using Stickum before it was banned in 1981 by a rule bearing his name.
What did Fred Biletnikoff put on his hands?
For Fred Biletnikoff, it was the 1970s all over again when the Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame receiver broke out an old friend for a newer friend, then lathered gobs of Stickum on Peyton Manning's hands and forearms to show the former quarterback what it was like to play with the stuff for Manning's ESPN+ series Peyton's ...
Who used the most Stickum in the NFL?
Though numerous players on plenty of teams lathered up, Stickum is is probably most associated with Raiders defensive back Lester Hayes, who won the 1980 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award with 13 interceptions, then added five more en route to Super Bowl XV.
Do NFL receivers use Stickum?
When stickum was banned in 1981, they called it the Lester Hayes Rule. But the Lester Hayes Rule did not prevent players from using stickum. Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, for example, admitted during a 2015 ESPN interview to using stickum in a career that began in 1985 and said "all players did it".
Is Stickum better than gloves?
In that thread is also a useful anecdote from someone who has used both, who says that stickum can be better for individual catches, but the gloves have essentially a better expected value due to the ease of use and passive nature etc.
Are sticky gloves allowed in the NFL?
The league's uniform code says that “adhesive or slippery substances on the body, equipment, or uniform of any player” are prohibited. Tackified gloves are allowed, though, provided “such tacky substance does not adhere to the football or otherwise cause handling problems for players.”
When did stick em become illegal?
1981The use of adhesives such as Stickum was banned by the league in 1981, and the resulting action became known as the "Lester Hayes rule" in association with the Oakland Raiders defensive back known for his widespread use of Stickum.
How sticky are receiver gloves?
The grippy polymer used on the new generation of gloves, said to be developed first by a Canadian wide receiver and a chemist in a Pakistan laboratory in 1999, is about 20 percent stickier than a human hand — according to a recent study by the M.I.T. Sports Lab performed at the request of The New York Times.
Why is Lester Hayes not in Hall of Fame?
Yet Hayes seems to have been excluded from the Hall of Fame because voters question the legitimacy of Hayes' achievements because of Stickum. Yet not only is Fred Biletnikoff in the Hall of Fame as a receiver, the award for best college receiver is named after Biletnikoff.
What are the stickiest receiver gloves?
What are the stickiest gloves for football? G1™ FOOTBALL GLOVES. NIKE VAPOR JET 7.0 RECEIVER GLOVES. CUTTERS REV PRO RECEIVER GLOVES.
Why do NFL players not strap their gloves?
NFL rules prohibit “torn or improperly fitting” equipment, so the straps on a glove can't be flapping when the player wearing it is in the game.
Do any NFL wide receivers not wear gloves?
Do Wide Receivers Have To Wear Gloves? No. wide receivers do not have to wear gloves, but it's recommended they do. Footballs naturally stick to the tacky surface of the glove and make it easier to catch.
Who is the most powerful man in the NFL?
1. Aaron Donald. In the list of our strongest NFL players, first off, we have Aaron Donald.
How old is Lester Hayes?
67 years (January 22, 1955)Lester Hayes / Age
Why did Biletnikoff put Stickum on his thighs?
Stickum was everywhere in Biletnikoff's heyday. In cold-weather games, he would put it on the inside of his thighs to keep the goop warm so it would not freeze on him and lose its consistency.
Who drafted Biletnikoff?
Back when the AFL and NFL both held drafts in late November, Biletnikoff was taken by the Raiders in the second round of the 1964 AFL draft and also was selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the NFL draft.
What did Dick Romanski feed Biletnikoff?
No wonder then-Raiders equipment manager Dick Romanski had to manually feed Biletnikoff his chewing gum on the sidelines, before, during and after games. "Two Juicy Fruits, one Wrigley," Romanski told NFL Films. "Or two Spearmint, one Doublemint.".
When was Stickum banned?
Stickum was outlawed in 1981, three years after Biletnikoff played his final game -- and a year after Raiders cornerback Lester Hayes took Stickum to another level, as in all over his body, and intercepted 13 passes. "Yeah, OK, that's good," the younger Romanski recalled his father's staff saying after the goop was banned.
How many yards did Biletnikoff get in Super Bowl XI?
Biletnikoff had four receptions for 79 yards, including two big catches that set Oakland up at the 1- and 2-yard line, respectively, in the Raiders' Super Bowl XI victory over the Minnesota Vikings following the 1976 season.
How many years did Biletnikoff play for Oakland?
Biletnikoff signed with Davis under a goalpost in the Gator Bowl immediately following his Florida State team's win over Oklahoma on Jan. 2, 1965. In 14 seasons with Oakland, Biletnikoff caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns.
Did Bob Romanski use Stickum?
Bob Romanski recently came across a pristine, unopened can of Stickum in his late father's belongings, and the smell brought back a sense of nostalgia. In fact, Biletnikoff said he would have rather used the gloves favored by today's receivers. "That," Biletnikoff said, "would have been easier.".
Who is Fred Biletnikoff?
Frederick S. Biletnikoff (born February 23, 1943) is a former gridiron football player and coach. He was a wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons and later an assistant coach with the team. He retired as an NFL player after the 1978 season, ...
How many touchdowns did Fred Biletnikoff have?
He was Florida State's first consensus All-American in football. Biletnikoff compiled 100 receptions for 1,655 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career with the Seminoles, which at the time were all school records. While in college Fred also joined the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
What was the name of the substance that the NFL banned in 1981?
Biletnikoff popularized the use of Stickum , an adhesive that many players applied to their hands to assist with catching and gripping the ball. He would apply the substance all over his body and uniform prior to a game, a practice that was later picked up by Raiders cornerback Lester Hayes after Biletnikoff introduced him to it. The use of Stickum was banned by the NFL in 1981.
How many Pro Bowls did Biletnikoff play?
In his first five seasons in the NFL, Biletnikoff was invited to four Pro Bowls. A highly productive receiver in the postseason, Biletnikoff left the NFL as the all-time leader in postseason receptions (70), receiving yards (1,167), and receiving touchdowns (10) accumulated over 19 postseason games.
What did Biletnikoff call Ali?
Biletnikoff called Ali an "animal" after the sentencing, and said his hatred for him would never go away. In 2015, Biletnikoff founded Tracey's Place of Hope in Loomis, California, a shelter for domestic violence victims and substance abuse treatment for females ages 14 to 18.
What high school did Biletnikoff attend?
All four of his grandparents were Russian-Jewish immigrants. In Erie, Biletnikoff attended what was then Technical Memorial High School, now Erie High School, whose athletic field now bears his name. In high school, Biletnikoff excelled in football, basketball, baseball, and track.
Where did Biletnikoff go to college?
Turning down other notable offers, Biletnikoff chose to attend Florida State University in Tallahassee. He missed several games during his first varsity season in 1962 with a broken foot. He played on both sides of the ball his junior season, leading the team in receptions and interceptions.
What did Fred Biletnikoff have?
What Fred Biletnikoff did have was an ability to get open despite his lack of speed and size. When entering the league, he was considered slow with his 4.7 second 40-yard dash, and small at 6-foot-1.
Why is Biletnikoff named after him?
Because of his overall greatness in college and at the professional level, the name Frederick S. Biletnikoff is widely connected to wide receivers, which is why the NCAA award for the nation’s best wide receiver was named after him in 1994.
Why did Biletnikoff put Stickum on his thighs?
Stickum was everywhere in Biletnikoff's heyday. In cold-weather games, he would put it on the inside of his thighs to keep the goop warm so it would not freeze on him and lose its consistency.
When was Stickum outlawed?
Stickum was outlawed in 1981, three years after Biletnikoff played his final game -- and a year after Raiders cornerback Lester Hayes took Stickum to another level, as in all over his body, and intercepted 13 passes.
Did Stickum catch a pass against the Houston Oilers?
As much as Stickum helped Biletnikoff hold on to the ball in battles with stingy defensive backs -- yes, he also caught one TD pass against the Houston Oilers on his outstretched right forearm, the ball hitting and sticking -- he said he forgot to tell Manning how it tweaked teammates.
Did Biletnikoff use gloves?
In fact, Biletnikoff said he would have rather used the gloves favored by today's receivers.
Did Romanski feed Biletnikoff gum?
And while Romanski was just fine unwrapping and then feeding gum to Biletnikoff, the mess Stickum created was an issue for Romanski's day job.

Overview
Professional career
After graduating from FSU, he was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 1965 AFL Draft, 11th overall and by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 1965 NFL Draft, the 39th overall selection. Biletnikoff signed with the Raiders, where he played for fourteen seasons. With Oakland, he was nicknamed "Coyote", and "Doctor Zhivago" because of his Russian heritage. In 1966, he caught his first touchdown pass, thrown by quarterback Tom Flores, who later becam…
Early years
Biletnikoff was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania, the son of Natalie (Karuba) and Ephriam Biletnikoff. All four of his grandparents were Russian immigrants. In Erie, Biletnikoff attended what was then Technical Memorial High School, now Erie High School, whose athletic field now bears his name. In high school, Biletnikoff excelled in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He was a champion high jumper and earned All-City honors in basketball and baseball. His younger b…
College
Turning down other notable offers, Biletnikoff chose to attend Florida State University in Tallahassee. He missed several games during his first varsity season in 1962 with a broken foot. He played on both sides of the ball his junior season, leading the team in receptions and interceptions. That year, he returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown off a pass thrown by George Mira of the Miami Hurricanes, a record which stood until 1987, when Deion Sanders bro…
Coaching career and later life
Biletnikoff began his career in coaching soon after his retirement from playing. He served on the coaching staff of Orange Glen High School (1982), Palomar College (1983), Diablo Valley College (1984), Oakland Invaders (1985), Arizona Wranglers (1986), and Calgary Stampeders (1987–88). In January 2007, Biletnikoff retired as the wide receivers coach for the Oakland Raiders, which had been his role for 18 seasons starting in 1989.
Honors
Biletnikoff was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. In 1999, Biletnikoff was ranked number 94 on The Sporting News' list of the "100 Greatest Football Players". He was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. The Fred Biletnikoff Award, awarded annually by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation to the nation's outstanding receiver in NCAA Division I FBS since 1994, is named in his honor. In 2016, Biletnikoff was named the Walter Camp Man of t…
See also
• List of NCAA major college football yearly receiving leaders
External links
• Fred Biletnikoff at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Fred Biletnikoff at the College Football Hall of Fame
• Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference ·
• Just Sports Stats