Walter Payton (July 25, 1954 – November 1, 1999) was an American football player who spent his entire professional career with the National Football League's Chicago Bears. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football. Payton, a nine-time Pro Bowl selectee, once held the league's record for most career rushing yards, touchdowns, carries, yards from scrimmage, all-purpose yards, and many other categories. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Hall of Fame NFL player and coach Mike Ditka described Payton as the greatest football player he had ever seen—but even greater as a human being.[1]
Payton began his football career in Mississippi, and went on to have an outstanding collegiate football career at Jackson State University where he was an All-American. He started his professional career with the Bears in 1975, who selected him as the 1975 Draft's fourth overall pick. Payton proceeded to win two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards, and won Super Bowl XX with the 1985 Chicago Bears. After struggling with the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis for several months, Payton died on November 1, 1999, aged 45, from cholangiocarcinoma. His legacy include the Walter Payton Award, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and a heightened awareness of the need for organ donations.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Early life
* 2 College career
* 3 Professional career
o 3.1 1975–1982
o 3.2 1983–1986
o 3.3 1986−1987
* 4 Playing style
* 5 Personal life
* 6 Investments
* 7 Illness and death
* 8 Legacy
* 9 Career statistics
o 9.1 Career totals
* 10 NFL records
o 10.1 Service
o 10.2 Rushing attempts
o 10.3 Rushing yards gained
o 10.4 Rushing touchdowns
o 10.5 Yards from scrimmage gained
o 10.6 All-purpose attempts
o 10.7 All-purpose yards gained
* 11 References
* 12 External links
[edit] Early life
Payton was one of three children born to Edward and Alyne Payton in Columbia, Mississippi. His father was a factory worker who had played semi-professional baseball.[2] Payton was an active member of the Boy Scouts, Little League, and his local church. At John J. Jefferson High School, Payton played drums in the marching band, participated in the track team and sang in the school choir.[3][4] Outside of school, he played drums in jazz-rock groups.[4]
During his first few years at high school, his older brother Eddie was on the football team, and Payton did not play partly to avoid competing with him. After Eddie graduated, the football coach asked Payton to try out for the team, and he agreed on condition that he be allowed to continue playing in the band.[4] Once he began to play football, as a junior, he achieved instant success as a running back.[4] At 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), he was not especially large, but his speed and strength made him one of the team's featured players. Jefferson High School was integrated with neighboring Columbia High School that year; Payton and his teammates were upset that their head coach, Charles L. Boston, had become an assistant and Payton boycotted some of the spring practices in protest, but returned during the fall season.[5][6] He then earned state-wide honors as a member of Mississippi's all-state team, leading Columbia to an unexpected 8-2 season.[6][7] His performance helped ease the local tensions surrounding desegregation.[3][8]
[edit] College career
Although Payton had established himself as one of the state’s top running back prospects, he received no invitations from Southeastern Conference colleges and universities, which were accepting only a few black players at the time.[9] He decided to pursue his collegiate career at the historically African-American, Jackson State University, where his older brother Eddie had played football (declining a scholarship offer from the University of Kansas, where fellow Chicago Bears running back legend Gale Sayers had played).[5][6]
While attending Jackson State, Payton played alongside many future professional football players, including Jerome Barkum, Robert Brazile, and Jackie Slater. As a member of the Jackson State Tigers, Payton rushed for more than 3,500 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Also, he broke the NCAA's scoring record by rushing for 65 touchdowns during his college career. In 1973, Payton was selected for the All-American Team. The following year he was named Black College Player of the Year.[10] Payton graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor's degree in Communications.[5][6]
He acquired the nickname "Sweetness" in college. The nickname's origin is ambiguous: it is variously said to have stemmed from his personality, from his athletic grace, or as an ironic description of his aggressive playing style.[11] In 1996, Payton was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[6] On January 18, 2010, it was announced that Payton would be one of eleven members of the inaugural class inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame on February 20, 2010.[12]
[edit] Professional career
[edit] 1975–1982
The Chicago Bears drafted Payton in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft, as the fourth overall pick. The Bears had endured several losing seasons after the retirement of the iconic Gale Sayers in 1972. Payton's first game was not particularly successful; he was held to zero net rushing yards on eight attempts. His best performance of the season was the final game against the New Orleans Saints, where he rushed for 134 yards on 20 carries. Payton finished the season with only 679 yards and seven touchdowns.[5][6][13]
Payton was eager to improve his performance. During the 1976 NFL season, Payton rushed for more than 1,000 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. After the season, he was selected to play in the 1977 Pro Bowl, where he was declared the Pro Bowl MVP. The next year, he rushed for 1,852 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, becoming the league’s leading scorer for the season. He earned numerous awards that season, including the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers of America's Most Valuable Player awards. A memorable game of the 1977 NFL season was against the Minnesota Vikings on November 20. He rushed for a then-record 275 yards on 40 carries, despite suffering with the flu, breaking the previous record of 273 yards held by O.J. Simpson.[14] By the end of the decade, Payton had received additional accolades for his exploits as a blocker, receiver, emergency punter, and quarterback.[5][6][15]
On November 20, 1977, up against the Minnesota Vikings, Payton was suffering with a 101 degree fever and an intense flu. He played through his illness and rushed for 275 yards on 40 attempts, with 1 touchdown. His long run was for 58 yards, he also received one pass for 6 yards that game. He broke O.J. Simpson's record of most rushing yards in a game of 273 yards. His record stood for 23 years until Corey Dillon of the Cincinnati Bengals ran for 278 yards against the Denver Broncos in 2000. Since Dillon three other people have beat his record. Adrian Peterson holds the record today for rushing 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers.[citation needed]
[edit] 1983–1986
The Bears struggled to assemble consecutive winning seasons, landing only two playoff berths since his arrival. The lack of success prompted the Bears' management to replace Neill Armstrong with Mike Ditka for the season that began in the Fall of 1982. Ditka, a tight end during the 1960s and 1970s who would also join the Pro Football Hall of Fame, led the Bears to a 3–6 (strike-shortened) record in 1982. He led the Bears to an 8–8 finish in 1983 and to a 10–6 finish in 1984. Payton continued his success by rushing for more than 1,400 yards in both seasons. On October 7, 1984, Payton broke Jim Brown's career rushing record of 12,312 yards. In 1985, Payton rushed for more than 1,500 yards, helping the Bears establish the league's second-best offense. The Bears' 46 defense of that season would go on to become one of the best in NFL history, setting a record for points allowed.[16]
Payton performed with his teammates in the widely released 1985 music video The Super Bowl Shuffle. The Bears went on to a 15–1 record that culminated in a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Although Payton's offensive prowess had assisted the Bears throughout the 1985 season, the New England Patriots prevented him from reaching the end zone. According to quarterback Jim McMahon, he was targeted by two or three defensive Patriots during each play.[17] In a later interview, Ditka stated that Payton's lack of a touchdown in this game was one of his major regrets.[5][6][18]
[edit] 1986−1987
Payton, who was a twelve-year veteran, amassed 1,333 yards in the 1986 NFL season. The Bears won the NFC Central Division, but lost to the Washington Redskins 27–13 in the divisional round. At the end of the 1986 season, he announced that he would retire after completing the 1987 NFL season. During his last season with the Bears, Payton split carries with his successor, Neal Anderson, and rushed for only 533 yards. Payton's career ended with another loss to the Washington Redskins in the divisional round of the playoffs by the score of 21–17 on January 10, 1988. Over his entire career, Payton rushed for 16,726 yards, which broke the record for most rushing yards by any NFL player in history, and scored 110 touchdowns. He became the first African American to break a record that was held only by whites in the NFL during modern football (1955–present). He caught 492 passes for 4,538 yards and 15 touchdowns. Payton set several team records, including most career rushing yards, receptions, and touchdowns. His jersey number was retired by the Bears, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.[5][6] The only game he missed in his 13-year career was in his rookie season of 1975. His ankle was injured, and an assistant coach held him out of play; the miss rankled Payton for years afterwards.[4]
[edit] Playing style
Payton's motto was "Never Die Easy", which is also the title of his posthumously published autobiography. Payton attributed this motto to Bob Hill, his coach at Jackson State. In practice, this meant that Payton refused to deliberately run out-of-bounds, and always delivered some punishment to his tacklers before being forced off the field or forced down.[9]
One of Payton's signature maneuvers was the "stutter-step", a high-stepping, irregularly paced run. He developed this as a way to distract his pursuers during long runs, saying that it startled them into thinking and gave him some advantage over players who were actually faster runners.[9] In his autobiography, he likened the stutter step to a kind of "option play": when he was stutter-stepping, defenders would have to commit to a pursuit angle based upon whether they thought he would accelerate after the stutter-step, or cut — he would read this angle and do the opposite of what the defender had committed to.[1]
He re-invented the practice of stiff-arming his tacklers, which had gone out of favor among running backs in the 1970s.[19] At times, he used his high school experience as a long jumper to leap over his opponents, landing on his head in the end zone to gain a touchdown in a game against the Buffalo Bills.[20] His running gait was somewhat unusual, as his knees were minimally bent, and the motion was largely powered from the hip.[21] This may have given his knees, a football player's most vulnerable joints, some protection, although he underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees in 1983. He referred to this procedure as an 11,000-yard checkup.[21]
After scoring touchdowns, Payton declined to celebrate; instead, he would often hand the ball to his teammates or the official. He disapproved of the growing practice of touchdown celebrations; he preferred post-game antics such as rushing into the locker room and locking his fellow teammates out in the cold while taking a long shower.[9] Although Payton would have won the respect of his peers and coaches by his running alone, he made 492 receptions and over 4,000 yards over his career and was a consistent threat in the passing game.[22]
[edit] Personal life
Payton married Connie Norwood in 1976. During his rookie years he resided in a home on the north side of Arlington Heights, Illinois. The couple had two children, Jarrett Payton (born 1980) and Brittney (born December 26 1985)[23] and resided in South Barrington, Illinois.
[edit] Investments
In 1995, Walter, along with many other investors, sought to bring an NFL expansion team to St. Louis, Missouri. Although the NFL strongly favored a franchise in St. Louis, their efforts were thwarted because of internal dissension among the investment group members[1] leading the NFL to award franchises to investment groups in Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Charlotte, North Carolina (Carolina Panthers).[24]
Payton pursued various business ventures in retirement, including becoming co-owner of Dale Coyne Racing in the CART IndyCar World Series. He also drove in several Trans-Am Series events, including a 1993 race at Road America in which his car overturned and caught fire. He suffered burns but escaped serious injury.[25]
In 1995, he and several partners purchased a Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad roundhouse in Aurora, Illinois. The property became known as "Walter Payton's Roundhouse", hosting a restaurant, brewery, banquet and meeting facility, and museum. In 1999 the property received an award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.[26] The beers brewed at the Roundhouse received awards in the 2000s.[27] Payton made appeared on a 1987 episode of Saturday Night Live (co-hosting with fellow football player Joe Montana).[28]
[edit] Illness and death
In February 1999, Payton announced that he had a rare autoimmune liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis, which may have led to his cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer).[29] He spent his final months as an advocate for organ transplants, appearing in many commercials to encourage others to donate organs, although by the time his first appeal was recorded, his illness was already too far advanced for transplantation to have been a viable option.[9] In April of that year, Payton made a final public appearance at a Chicago Cubs game with Mike Ditka, where he threw the game's ceremonial first pitch.[30][31] Author Don Yaeger worked with him during the last weeks of his life to create his autobiography, Never Die Easy.[4]
On November 1, 1999, Payton died from the complications that arose from his illness. He was 45 years old. During the same week, the NFL held special ceremonies in each game to commemorate his career and legacy. In addition, the Chicago Bears wore special #34 patches on their jerseys to honor Payton.[30] His body was cremated after his death.[32]
Speakers at Payton's public funeral service, held in Soldier Field, included Jesse Jackson; former National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue; former teammate Dan Hampton; his widow Connie Payton; and his children, Jarrett and Brittney.[33] Among the 1,000 mourners at the private service were John Madden; Illinois Governor George Ryan; Chicago's mayor Richard M. Daley; former teammates Matt Suhey, Mike Singletary, Roland Harper, and Jim McMahon; the Bears' equipment manager and building superintendent; and many other people representing a wide social, political, and economic spectrum.[34]
[edit] Legacy
Payton's legacy continues through the charitable Walter and Connie Payton Foundation. His own appeals—and after his death, his foundation's—for greater awareness of the need for organ donations are widely credited with bringing national attention to the problem.[35] After his appeals, donations in Illinois skyrocketed, and the regional organ bank of Illinois was overwhelmed with calls.[36] In response, the City of Chicago inserted organ donation requests into city-vehicle-registration mailings in early 2000, and, by August 2000, 13,000 people had signed on to the program.[37] The foundation continues to run a program that Payton organized to donate toys to underprivileged children across the Chicago area each Christmas.[38] The family established the Walter Payton Cancer Fund in 2002.[39]
Many modern NFL running backs have cited Payton as a source of inspiration. Emmitt Smith tearfully paid homage to Payton after breaking Payton’s rushing record.[40] LaDainian Tomlinson, who set numerous records during the 2006 NFL season, named Payton as one of his foremost mentors and inspirations.[41] Ahman Green, a player for the Bears' rival Green Bay Packers, is said to have idolized Payton, viewing the highlight film "Pure Payton" before each game.[42] Walter's son, Jarrett Payton, was a running back for the Tennessee Titans, NFL Europe's Amsterdam Admirals and CFL's Montreal Alouettes. During his tenure at the University of Miami, Jarrett wore a #34 jersey to honor his father's memory.[38] In 1999 he was ranked #8 in the Sporting News 100 greatest NFL players of all time.
The city of Chicago has honored Payton’s memory in several ways. In 1999, the city created a special city sticker that featured Payton. The profits from the sales of these stickers along with the special license plate created by the State of Illinois are given to support organ-donor programs across Illinois.[43] Also, the city named a high school, Walter Payton College Prep, in his honor. In September 2007, the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center opened the Walter Payton Liver Center.[44] Chicago Metra commuters have long been witness to a simple "#34 Sweetness", painted on a bridge piling of the Air Line on the south end of the Chicago Union Station yards.
His Walter Payton's Roundhouse continues to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the Aurora, Illinois site. There are two athletic awards named after Payton. The NCAA gives the "Walter Payton Award" to the best offensive player from a Division I FCS (still often known by its former designation of Division I-AA) football team. The NFL hands out the "Walter Payton Man of the Year" award for player achievements in community service during a particular season.
The Chicago Bears honored Payton's career and life on November 1, 2009 by airing a special tribute video during halftime. The video consisted of highlight clips from Payton's career and interview segments from Mike Ditka, Virginia McCaskey, Richard Dent, and many other members of the Bears organization. Payton's wife, daughter, son, and mother were present to watch the video, which aired on Soldier Field's Jumbotron.[45]
After Payton's death, Nickol Knoll Hill, an old landfill site turned into a golf course in Arlington Heights, Illinois, was renamed "Payton's Hill". There are two plaques on the hill to remind visitors of the hill that it was where Payton used to train in 1970s/80s. Pictures and memorabilia of Payton cover the walls of the golf course club house.
[edit] Career statistics
Payton was the NFL's all-time leader in rushing yards and all-purpose yards prior to the 2002 NFL season, when Emmitt Smith broke his record. He also held the single game rushing record until the 2000 NFL season, when it was broken by Corey Dillon. Payton led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns in the 1977 NFL season. Also, he was among the top-ten players for rushing attempts during his entire career, including 1976, 1977, and 1978, leading the category in 1979. As of 2006, he was the NFL's second all-time rusher, and he ranked third in rushing touchdowns scored.[46] Along with Frank Gifford, Payton threw more six (6) interceptions, more than any other non-quarterback position in NFL history.[47]
[edit] Career totals
* Former NFL record
Stat Regular season Postseason
Rushing Yards 16,726* 632
Rushing Touchdowns 110* 2
Rushing Attempts 3,838* 180
Receiving Yards 4,538 178
Receiving Touchdowns 15 0
Receptions 492 22
Yards from Scrimmage 21,264* 810
All-purpose Yards
(does not include passing yards) 21,803* 867
Passing Yards 331 19
Passing Touchdowns 8 1
Games Played 190 9
[edit] NFL records
[edit] Service
Consecutive regular season starts by a running back: 170,[48] from 01975-12-07 December 7, 1975 to 01987-09-20 September 20, 1987
* Payton missed only one game in his career in which he was eligible to play, which was due to a coach's decision.
[edit] Rushing attempts
Consecutive seasons leading the league in rushing attempts: 4 (1976—1979)
[edit] Rushing yards gained
Rushing yards gained, career: 16,726
* Broken by Emmitt Smith
Seasons with 1,000 or more yards rushing: 10 (1976—1981, 1983—1986)
* Payton played in only nine games during the 1982 season due to the player's strike.
* Broken by Emmitt Smith
Rushing yards gained, game: 275, Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings, 01977-11-20 November 20, 1977
* Broken by Corey Dillon on 02000-10-22 October 22, 2000
Games with 100 or more yards rushing, career: 77
* Broken by Emmitt Smith
Consecutive games with 100 or more yards rushing: 9, from 01985-10-13 October 13, 1985 to 01985-12-08 December 8, 1985
* Broken by Chris Johnson
[edit] Rushing touchdowns
Rushing touchdowns, career: 110
* Broken by Marcus Allen
[edit] Yards from scrimmage gained
Yards from scrimmage gained, career: 21,264
* Broken by Jerry Rice
Games with 100 or more yards from scrimmage gained, career: 108
[edit] All-purpose attempts
All-purpose attempts, career: 4,368
* Broken by Emmitt Smith
All-purpose attempts, season: 400 (1979)
* Broken by Eric Dickerson in 1983
[edit] All-purpose yards gained
All-purpose yards gained, career: 21,803
Games with 150 or more all-purpose yards gained, career: 46
* Tied by Barry Sanders
[edit] References
1. ^ a b c Never Die Easy: The Autobiography of Walter Payton. New York Times review of Never Die Easy (by Michael Lichtenstein), 2000
2. ^ Walter Payton profile.
3. ^ a b "AT A GLANCE - Payton, Walter". Oxford African American Studies Center. http://www.oxfordaasc.com/article/aag/896. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
4. ^ a b c d e f "Walter Payton, Extraordinary Running Back for Chicago Bears, Dies at 45". New York Times, November 2, 1999.
5. ^ a b c d e f g Payton34.com, Walter Payton Biography, Retrieved on May 16, 2007.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i BearsHistory.com, Walter Payton, Bears RB, 1975–1987, retrieved May 16, 2007.
7. ^ Walter Payton Biography, retrieved May 16, 2007.
8. ^ "Walter Payton always at home in bronze sculpture". Chicago Tribune. 2009-11-01. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/nov/01/sports/chi-01-haugh-bears-payton-nov01. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
9. ^ a b c d e Walter Payton; Don Yaeger (2001). Never Die Easy. Random House. ISBN 0375758216.
10. ^ www.biography.com
11. ^ Walter Payton bio. PBS, 2002
12. ^ "Payton, Rice among 11 set for Black Hall". ESPN. January 18, 2010. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4836017. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
13. ^ "1970's Chicago Bears: Peaks & Valleys". http://www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1970schicagobears.aspx.
14. ^ "Payton Runs All Over The Place". Sports Illustrated. 1977-11-28. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1093068/index.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
15. ^ "34 Walter Payton". http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/hof-payton.asp.
16. ^ "R. Ryan Takes Baltimore Defense Back to '86 With the 46". Washington Post, June 14, 2005.
17. ^ Walter Payton; Don Yaeger (2001). Never Die Easy. Random House. p. 124. ISBN 0375758216.
18. ^ "1985 Chicago Bears–World Champions Again". http://www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1985chicagobears.aspx.
19. ^ "Brown, Payton delivered the pain". Pro Football Weekly, 2007
20. ^ "Sweetness, Till the Bitter End". Washington Post, November 2, 1999
21. ^ a b Main ingredient in 'Sweetness' was heart Pro Football Weekly, August 1, 1993.
22. ^ Walter Payton entry into the Pro-Football Hall of Fame in 2007
23. ^ "Jarrett Payton". National Football League. http://www.nfl.com/players/jarrettpayton/profile?id=PAY601397. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
24. ^ "Q&A: Hall of Fame eve". http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/payton/article1.html.
25. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: AUTO RACING; Payton Escapes Serious Injury in Crash". New York Times. 1993-08-21. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE4DA123DF932A1575BC0A965958260. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
26. ^ Robin Shepard. The Best Breweries and Brewpubs of Illinois: Searching for the Perfect Pint. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 3. ISBN 9780299188948. http://books.google.com/books?id=xyF1wp70jp4C&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=payton+roundhouse+historic+preservation&source=bl&ots=_aKn1Y1bSL&sig=9xTNsPzr2O47t3rDYRy_v1AT724&hl=en&ei=sY0uS431BpL6nAeQx633CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CCoQ6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=payton%20roundhouse%20historic%20preservation&f=false.
27. ^ "America's Brewing Company -World Beer Cup and GABF Medal Winning Brewpub". Walter Payton's Roundhouse. http://www.walterpaytonsroundhouse.com/content/5.html. Retrieved 2009-12-20.
28. ^ Saturday Night Live – Walter Peyton/Joe Montana guest hosts
29. ^ "Gallbladder & Bile Duct Cancer". Johns Hopkins University Pathology. http://pathology2.jhu.edu/gbbd/types_ca.cfm. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
30. ^ a b "Payton dead at 45". http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/payton/article6.html.
31. ^ "NFL's all-time leading rusher dies at 45". http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/news/1999/1031/144491.html.
32. ^ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6885
33. ^ Chicagoans Bid Payton Fond Farewell At Soldier Field. New York Times, November 7, 1999
34. ^ Walter Payton, 1954 - 1999. Daily Herald, 1999
35. ^ "Levin Joins Senate Colleagues, NFL Players to Promote Organ and Tissue Donation". United States Senate, 2000
36. ^ "Jennings death puts lung cancer in the public eye". ABC, 2005
37. ^ Jesse White Unveils New Organ Donor License Plate. Illinois Secretary of State, August 2000
38. ^ a b "Walter Payton, Bears RB, 1975–1987". http://www.bearshistory.com/lore/walterpayton.aspx.
39. ^ Walter Payton Cancer Fund: Research
40. ^ Emmitt Smith. ESPN, 2007.
41. ^ "IS LT the best ever?". http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/061214.
42. ^ Green Bay Packers Player Profile: Ahman Green
43. ^ Secretary of State White Joins City Clerk Laski to Increase Organ Donor Participation Illinois
44. ^ "Walter Payton Liver Center opens at UIC". ABC7Chicago.com, September 5, 2007
45. ^ Mayer, Larry (2009-11-02). "Emotional video tribute highlights Payton ceremony". chicagobears.com. http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=6263. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
46. ^ NFL Rushing Records. NFL Record and Fact Book, Updated Through 2006 Season.
47. ^ Payton's interception record
48. ^ George Enterprises: Legendary Football Career
[edit] External links
* Payton34.com, the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation
* Walter Payton's Roundhouse
* Walter Payton Cancer Fund
* Walter Payton Liver Center at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago
* Walter Payton tribute page at the Chicago Bears
* Payton needs liver transplant, Sports Illustrated, February 2, 1999
* Biography at Bearshistory.com
* Walter Payton at the Internet Movie Database
* Works by or about Walter Payton in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
* Walter Payton collected news and commentary at The New York Times
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Bert Jones AP NFL Most Valuable Player
1977 season Succeeded by
Terry Bradshaw
Records
Preceded by
Jim Brown NFL Career Rushing Yards Leader
1984–2002 Succeeded by
Emmitt Smith
Preceded by
O. J. Simpson NFL single-game rushing record
November 20, 1977 – October 22, 2000 Succeeded by
Corey Dillon
[show]v · d · e1975 NFL Draft First Round Selections
Steve Bartkowski · Randy White · Ken Huff · Walter Payton · Mack Mitchell · Robert Brazile · Larry Burton · Gary Johnson · Mike Fanning · Jimmy Webb · Dennis Harrah · Kurt Schumacher · Lynn Boden · Glenn Cameron · Don Hardeman · Russ Francis · Louis Wright · Thomas Henderson · Tom Ruud · Doug France · Tim Gray · Mike Williams · Darryl Carlton · Neal Colzie · Mark Mullaney · Dave Brown
Draft years
70 · 71 · 72 · 73 · 74 · 75 · 76 · 77 · 78 · 79 · 80 · 81 · 82 · 83 · 84 · 85 · 86 · 87 · 88 · 89 · 90 · 91 · 92 · 93 · 94 · 95 · 96 · 97 · 98 · 99 · 00 · 01 · 02 · 03 · 04 · 05 · 06 · 07 · 08 · 09 · 10 · 11
[show]v · d · eChicago Bears Super Bowl XX Champions
4 Steve Fuller | 6 Kevin Butler | 8 Maury Buford | 9 Jim McMahon | 18 Mike Tomczak | 20 Thomas Sanders | 21 Leslie Frazier | 22 Dave Duerson | 23 Shaun Gayle | 24 Jeff Fisher | 26 Matt Suhey | 27 Mike Richardson | 29 Dennis Gentry | 31 Ken Taylor | 33 Calvin Thomas | 34 Walter Payton | 45 Gary Fencik | 48 Reggie Phillips | 50 Mike Singletary | 51 Jim Morrissey | 52 Cliff Thrift | 53 Dan Rains | 54 Brian Cabral | 55 Otis Wilson | 57 Tom Thayer | 58 Wilber Marshall | 59 Ron Rivera | 60 Tom Andrews | 62 Mark Bortz | 63 Jay Hilgenberg | 70 Henry Waechter | 71 Andy Frederick | 72 William Perry | 73 Mike Hartenstine | 74 Jim Covert | 75 Stefan Humphries | 76 Steve McMichael | 78 Keith Van Horne | 80 Tim Wrightman | 82 Ken Margerum | 83 Willie Gault | 85 Dennis McKinnon | 87 Emery Moorehead | 89 Keith Ortego | 95 Richard Dent (MVP) | 98 Tyrone Keys | 99 Dan Hampton
Head Coach: Mike Ditka
Coaches: Dale Haupt | Ed Hughes | Steve Kazor | Jim LaRue | Ted Plumb | Johnny Roland | Buddy Ryan | Dick Stanfel
[show]v · d · eNational Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
Sammy Baugh | Otto Graham | Joe Montana | Johnny Unitas | Jim Brown | Marion Motley | Bronko Nagurski | Walter Payton | Gale Sayers | O.J. Simpson | Steve Van Buren | Lance Alworth | Raymond Berry | Don Hutson | Jerry Rice | Mike Ditka | Kellen Winslow | Roosevelt Brown | Forrest Gregg | Anthony Muñoz | John Hannah | Jim Parker | Gene Upshaw | Mel Hein | Mike Webster | Deacon Jones | Gino Marchetti | Reggie White | Joe Greene | Bob Lilly | Merlin Olsen | Dick Butkus | Jack Ham | Ted Hendricks | Jack Lambert | Willie Lanier | Ray Nitschke | Lawrence Taylor | Mel Blount | Mike Haynes | Dick Lane | Rod Woodson | Ken Houston | Ronnie Lott | Larry Wilson | Ray Guy | Jan Stenerud | Billy Johnson
[show]v · d · eNational Football League | NFL's 1970s All-Decade Team
Terry Bradshaw | Ken Stabler | Roger Staubach | Earl Campbell | Franco Harris | Walter Payton | O. J. Simpson | Harold Carmichael | Drew Pearson | Lynn Swann | Paul Warfield | Dave Casper | Charlie Sanders | Dan Dierdorf | Art Shell | Rayfield Wright | Ron Yary | Joe DeLamielleure | John Hannah | Larry Little | Gene Upshaw | Jim Langer | Mike Webster | Carl Eller | L. C. Greenwood | Harvey Martin | Jack Youngblood | Joe Greene | Bob Lilly | Merlin Olsen | Alan Page | Bobby Bell | Robert Brazile | Dick Butkus | Jack Ham | Ted Hendricks | Jack Lambert | Willie Brown | Jimmy Johnson | Roger Wehrli | Louis Wright | Dick Anderson | Cliff Harris | Ken Houston | Rick Upchurch | Larry Wilson | Garo Yepremian | Jim Bakken | Ray Guy
[show]v · d · eNational Football League | NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team
Joe Montana | Dan Fouts | Walter Payton | Eric Dickerson | Roger Craig | John Riggins | Jerry Rice | Steve Largent | James Lofton | Art Monk | Kellen Winslow | Ozzie Newsome | Anthony Muñoz | Jim Covert | Gary Zimmerman | Joe Jacoby | John Hannah | Russ Grimm | Bill Fralic | Mike Munchak | Dwight Stephenson | Mike Webster | Reggie White | Howie Long | Lee Roy Selmon | Bruce Smith | Randy White | Dan Hampton | Keith Millard | Dave Butz | Mike Singletary | Lawrence Taylor | Ted Hendricks | Jack Lambert | Andre Tippett | John Anderson | Carl Banks | Mike Haynes | Mel Blount | Frank Minnifield | Lester Hayes | Ronnie Lott | Kenny Easley | Deron Cherry | Joey Browner | Nolan Cromwell | Sean Landeta | Reggie Roby | Morten Andersen | Gary Anderson | Eddie Murray | Billy Johnson | John Taylor | Mike Nelms | Rick Upchurch | Bill Walsh | Chuck Noll
[show]v · d · eNFL MVP Award from the Associated Press
1957: J. Brown | 1958: J. Brown | 1959: Unitas | 1960: Not Awarded | 1961: Hornung | 1962: J. Taylor | 1963: Tittle | 1964: Unitas | 1965: J. Brown | 1966: Starr | 1967: Unitas | 1968: Morrall | 1969: Gabriel | 1970: Brodie | 1971: Page | 1972: L. Brown | 1973: Simpson | 1974: Stabler | 1975: Tarkenton 1976: Jones | 1977: Payton | 1978: Bradshaw | 1979: Campbell | 1980: Sipe | 1981: Anderson | 1982: Moseley | 1983: Theismann | 1984: Marino | 1985: Allen | 1986: L. Taylor | 1987: Elway | 1988: Esiason | 1989: Montana | 1990: Montana | 1991: Thomas | 1992: Young | 1993: Smith | 1994: Young | 1995: Favre | 1996: Favre | 1997: Favre & Sanders | 1998: Davis | 1999: Warner | 2000: Faulk | 2001: Warner | 2002: Gannon | 2003: Manning & McNair | 2004: Manning | 2005: Alexander | 2006: Tomlinson | 2007: Brady | 2008: Manning | 2009: Manning | 2010: Brady
[show]v · d · eNFL Offensive Player of the Year Award from the Associated Press
1972: Brown | 1973: Simpson | 1974: Stabler | 1975: Tarkenton | 1976: Jones | 1977: Payton | 1978: Campbell | 1979: Campbell | 1980: Campbell | 1981: Anderson | 1982: Fouts | 1983: Theismann | 1984: Marino | 1985: Allen | 1986: Dickerson | 1987: Rice | 1988: Craig | 1989: Montana | 1990: Moon | 1991: Thomas | 1992: Young | 1993: Rice | 1994: Sanders | 1995: Favre | 1996: Davis | 1997: Sanders | 1998: Davis | 1999: Faulk | 2000: Faulk | 2001: Faulk | 2002: Holmes | 2003: Lewis | 2004: Manning | 2005: Alexander | 2006: Tomlinson | 2007: Brady | 2008: Brees | 2009: Johnson | 2010: Brady
[show]v · d · eBert Bell Award
1959: Unitas | 1960: Van Brocklin | 1961: Hornung | 1962: Robustelli | 1963: J. Brown | 1964: Unitas | 1965: Retzlaff | 1966: Meredith | 1967: Unitas | 1968: Kelly | 1969: Gabriel | 1970: Blanda | 1971: Staubach | 1972: L. Brown | 1973: Simpson | 1974: Olsen | 1975: Tarkenton | 1976: Stabler | 1977: Griese | 1978: Bradshaw | 1979: Campbell | 1980: Jaworski | 1981: Anderson | 1982: Theismann | 1983: Riggins | 1984: Marino | 1985: Payton | 1986: Taylor | 1987: Rice | 1988: Cunningham | 1989: Montana | 1990: Cunningham | 1991: Sanders | 1992: Young | 1993: Smith | 1994: Young | 1995: Favre | 1996: Favre | 1997: Sanders | 1998: Cunningham | 1999: Warner | 2000: Gannon | 2001: Faulk | 2002: Gannon | 2003: Manning | 2004: Manning | 2005: Alexander | 2006: Tomlinson | 2007: Brady | 2008: Peterson | 2009: Brees | 2010: Vick
[show]v · d · eWalter Payton Man of the Year Award
1970: Unitas · 1971: Hadl · 1972: Lanier · 1973: Dawson · 1974: Blanda · 1975: Anderson · 1976: Harris · 1977: Payton · 1978: Staubach · 1979: Greene · 1980: Carmichael · 1981: Swann · 1982: Theismann · 1983: Benirschke · 1984: Lyons · 1985: Stephenson · 1986: Williams · 1987: Duerson · 1988: Largent · 1989: Moon · 1990: Singletary · 1991: Muñoz · 1992: Elway · 1993: Thomas · 1994: Seau · 1995: Esiason · 1996: Green · 1997: Aikman · 1998: Marino · 1999: Carter · 2000: Flanigan & Brooks · 2001: Bettis · 2002: Vincent · 2003: Shields · 2004: Dunn · 2005: Manning · 2006: Brees & Tomlinson · 2007: Taylor · 2008: Warner · 2009: Waters · 2010: Williams
[show]v · d · e10,000 Rushing Yards Club
Emmitt Smith · Walter Payton · Barry Sanders · Curtis Martin · Jerome Bettis · LaDainian Tomlinson · Eric Dickerson · Tony Dorsett · Jim Brown · Marshall Faulk · Edgerrin James · Marcus Allen · Franco Harris · Thurman Thomas · Fred Taylor · John Riggins · Corey Dillon · O. J. Simpson · Warrick Dunn · Ricky Watters · Jamal Lewis · Tiki Barber · Eddie George · Ottis Anderson · Thomas Jones
Italics denotes active player
[show]v · d · eChicago Bears
Formerly the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Staleys • Founded in 1919 • Based in Chicago, Illinois
The Franchise
History • Current season • Owner: Virginia Halas McCaskey
Records
Seasons • Records and statistics • Award winners • Players • Head Coaches • Pro Football Hall of Famers • First-round Draft Picks • Quarterbacks
Stadiums
Staley Field • Wrigley Field • Soldier Field • Memorial Stadium • Soldier Field II
Lore
Fog Bowl • 1932 Playoff Game • First NFL Championship Game • "The Sneakers Game" • Monsters of the Midway • 46 Defense • 15-1 • Super Bowl XX • Thanksgiving Classic • Bears 73, Redskins 0 • Instant Replay Game • Staley Swindle • Cardiac Kids • George S. Halas Trophy • Christmas games • American Bowl • Brian Piccolo Award • 75th Anniversary (League • Team • NFL All-Time Team)
Culture
Brian's Song (1971) / (2001) • "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" • "The Super Bowl Shuffle" • Da Super Fans • Chuck Swirsky • Staley Da Bear • Logos and Uniforms • Halas Hall • A.E. Staley • Jack Brickhouse • Papa Bear • Roosevelt/Wabash • 85386 Payton
Rivalries
Green Bay Packers • Minnesota Vikings
Retired Numbers
3 • 5 • 7 • 28 • 34 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 51 • 56 • 61 • 66 • 77
Key Personnel
Chairman: Michael McCaskey • President/CEO: Ted Phillips • General Manager: Jerry Angelo • Head Coach: Lovie Smith
NFL Championships (9)
1921 · 1932 • 1933 • 1940 • 1941 • 1943 • 1946 • 1963 • 1985
Super Bowl Appearances (2)
1985 (XX) • 2006 (XLI)
Other honors
NFL Championship Appearances (10) – 1933 • 1934 • 1937 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1946 • 1956 • 1963
NFC Championship Game Appearances (5) – 1984 • 1985 • 1988 • 2006 • 2010
Division Titles | NFL Western (8) – 1933 • 1934 • 1937 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1946 – NFC Central (7) – 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1990 • 2001 – NFC North (3) – 2005 • 2006 • 2010
Current League Affiliations
League: National Football League • Conference: National Football Conference • Division: North Division
Former League Affiliations
League: Independent (1919) • Conference: National Conference (1950–1952); Western Conference (1953–1969) • Division: NFL Western Division (1933–1949); Central Division (1967–1969); NFC Central Division (1970–2001)
Local Broadcast Affiliates
Fox Chicago • WBBM Newsradio 780
[show] Seasons (91)
1920s
1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 1929
1930s
1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939
1940s
1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949
1950s
1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959
1960s
1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969
1970s
1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979
1980s
1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989
1990s
1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999
2000s
2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009
2010s
2010
[show]v · d · eChicago Bears first-round draft picks
Stydahar · McDonald · Gray · Luckman · Osmanski · Turner · Harmon · Standlee · Scott · Albert · Steuber · Evans · Lund · Lujack · Fenimore · Kindt · Layne · Bumgardner · D. Harris · Hunsinger · Morrison · B. Williams · Stone · Schroeder · Dooley · B. Anderson · Wallace · Drzewiecki · Schriewer · Leggett · Howley · Clark · R. Davis · Ditka · Bull · Behrman · Evey · Butkus · Sayers · DeLong · Rice · Phillips · Hull · Mayes · Moore · Antoine · Clemons · Chambers · Bryant · Gallagher · Payton · Lick · Albrecht · Hampton · A. Harris · Wilson · Van Horne · McMahon · Covert · Gault · Marshall · Perry · N. Anderson · Harbaugh · Muster · W. Davis · Woolford · Armstrong · Carrier · Thomas · Spellman · Conway · Thierry · Salaam · W. Harris · Enis · McNown · Urlacher · Terrell · Colombo · Haynes · Grossman · T. Harris · Benson · Olsen · C. Williams · Carimi
[show]v · d · eChicago Bears retired numbers
#3 Bronko Nagurski • #5 George McAfee • #7 George Halas • #28 Willie Galimore • #34 Walter Payton • #40 Gale Sayers • #41 Brian Piccolo • #42 Sid Luckman • #51 Dick Butkus • #56 Bill Hewitt • #61 Bill George • #66 Bulldog Turner • #77 Red Grange
[show]v · d · e50th Anniversary Senior Bowl All-Time Team
Offense: QB Joe Namath, Alabama, 1965 | RB Walter Payton, Jackson State, 1975 | RB Bo Jackson, Auburn, 1986 | RB Franco Harris, Penn State, 1972 | WR Lynn Swann, Southern Cal, 1974 | WR Steve Largent, Tulsa, 1976 | FL Art Monk Syracuse, 1980| TE Ozzie Newsome, Alabama, 1978
OL Gene Upshaw, Texas A&I, 1967 | OL Jerry Kramer, Idaho, 1958] | OL Randall McDaniel, Arizona State, 1988 | G Tom Banks, Auburn, 1970 | C Mike Webster, Wisconsin, 1973
Defense: DE Jack Youngblood, Florida, 1971 | DE Ed Jones, Tennessee State, 1974 | DT Bubba Smith, Michigan State, 1967 | DT Joe Greene, North Texas State, 1969 | OLB Ted Hendricks, Miami, 1969 | OLB Derrick Thomas, Alabama, 1989 | MLB Ray Nitschke, Illinois, 1958 | MLB Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama, 1963
CB Roger Wehrli, Missouri, 1969 | CB Dale Carter, Tennessee, 1992 | FS Paul Krause, Iowa, 1964 | SS Albert Lewis, Grambling, 1983
Special Teams P Ray Guy, So. Miss 1972 | PK Morten Andersen, Michigan State, 1982 | KR Greg Pruitt, Oklahoma 1974
[show]v · d · eSenior Bowl Hall of Fame
[show]v · d · ePro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1993
Dan Fouts • Larry Little • Chuck Noll • Walter Payton • Bill Walsh
Good article
Persondata
Name Payton, Walter
Alternative names
Short description American football player
Date of birth July 25, 1954
Place of birth Columbia, Mississippi, U.S.
Date of death November 1, 1999 (aged 45)
Place of death South Barrington, Illinois, U.S.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Payton"
Categories: 1954 births | 1999 deaths | African American players of American football | American football running backs | American racecar drivers | Cancer deaths in Illinois | College Football Hall of Fame inductees | Chicago Bears players | Deaths from cholangiocarcinoma | Jackson State Tigers football players | National Conference Pro Bowl players | NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team | National Football League 10,000 yard rushers | Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees | People from Marion County, Mississippi | National Football League players with retired numbers | People from Barrington, Illinois | Trans-Am drivers
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