The man nicknamed "The World's Fastest Human" after winning 100 metres gold at the 1964 Olympics, has given thanks for being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite being dead.
Bob Hayes, who played for the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, passed away aged 59 from kidney failure, in 2002.
Lucille Hester, Hayes' sister, read to a Hall of Fame news conference on Saturday a 1999 letter from "Bullet Bob" Hayes.
It read "You know I am not sure I am going to be around if I will get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame so you must read this for me...,".
"I would like to thank everyone who supported me to get into the NFL Hall of Fame, the Dallas Cowboys organization, all of my team mates and everyone who played for the Cowboys (thank the San Francisco 49ers too).
