How Good Was Walter Payton Actually?

[Applause] when someone dies young they tend to deify him it oversimplifies a very complicated [Music] life nicknamed sweetness Walter Payton is seen as one of the best running backs ever he started playing football in Mississippi and shined in college at Jackson State University he played for the Tigers and was named allamerican twice the Chicago Bears selected him fourth overall in the 1975 draft Payton won the 19 1977 AP NFL MVP award and the 1985 Super Bowl with the Bears he retired in 1987 after rushing over one2 200 yards in 10 of his 13 NFL seasons even with two seasons being cut short Payton was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times he holds NFL records for rushing yards touchdowns carries yards from scrimmage allpurpose yards and more he also had the most receptions by a non-re receiver and threw eight touchdown passes sadly on November ver 1999 Walter pyton passed away at 46 years old the NFL held special ceremonies during games that week to honor him and the Chicago Bears wore numbering 34 patches on their jerseys but how good was Walter pton actually to really understand his potential we must go back to how he started Walter pton was born in Columbia Mississippi one of three kids of Peter and Aline Payton his birth year is debated some say 1954 and others say 1953 his dad was a factory worker and played Semi-Pro baseball but died in jail in 1978 due to a stroke Payton was active in Boy Scouts little league and his church in high school he played drums ran track sang in the choir and played in jazz rock bands he didn't join the football team initially to avoid competing with his brother Eddie after Eddie graduated Payton joined the team and quickly became a star scoring a 65 yard touchdown in his first game he earned All State honors and led his team to an 8-2 season Payton wanted to play college football at Kansas State but chose Jackson State University a historically black college where his brother Eddie also played at Jackson State Payton rushed for 3,600 yards and set a School record with 65 career rushing touchdowns he was named black college player of the year twice and earned a degree in Communications in 1975 his nickname sweet came from his personality graceful playing or ironically his aggressive style Payton was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and the black College Football Hall of Fame in 2010 on September 23rd 1972 during Walter Payton's sophomore year he set a record by scoring seven touchdowns and two two-point conversions in a game leading Jackson State to beat Lane College 72-0 he also set a School record with 279 n rushing yards the Chicago Bears selected Payton in the first round of the 1975 NFL draft as the fourth overall pick he started with jersey 21 but switched to 34 the Bears had tough Seasons after Gail sers retired in 1972 Payton's first game wasn't great he had zero rushing yards on eight attempts his best game that season was the final one against the New Orleans Saints where he rushed for 134 yards he ended the season with 679 yards and seven touchdowns but led the league in kickoff return yards Payton improved in the 1976 season rushing for 1390 yards and 13 touchdowns he played in the 1977 Pro Bowl and was named MVP in 1977 he rushed for 1852 yards and 16 touchdowns becoming the League's top scorer he won many awards that year including MVP from the Associated Press and pro football writers of America on November 20th 1977 he set a record by rushing 275 yards in a game against the Minnesota Vikings while sick with a 101 degree fever his record stood until 2000 by the end of the 1970s Payton was known for his skills as a blocker receiver emergency punter and quarterback in 1984 he became the active leader in career rushing yards and broke Jim Brown's career rushing record of 12 through 312 yards in 19 1985 Payton rushed for over 1,500 yards helping the Bears achieve a 15 to1 record and win Super Bowl 20 against the New England Patriots although Payton didn't score any touchdowns in the postseason or the Super Bowl his presence on the field allowed his teammates to excel coach Mike dka later regretted not getting Payton a touchdown in the Super Bowl in the 1986 season Walter Payton a 12-year veteran ran for one to 333 yards the the Bears won the NFC Central Division but lost to the Washington Redskins 27-13 in the playoffs Payton announced he would retire after the 1987 season in his last season he shared the field with Neil Anderson running for a career low 533 yards and four touchdowns his career ended with another playoff loss to the Redskins on January 10th 1988 by 21- 17 pyton finished his career with 16,26 rushing yards and 110 touchdowns setting multiple records the Bears retired his jersey and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 Payton's motto was never die easy meaning he never avoided hits and always tried to push forward he was known for his Stutter Step move confusing Defenders by changing his Pace he also brought back the stiff arm technique and sometimes jumped over opponents using his long jumping skills he had had an unusual running Style with minimal knee Bend and movement from the hips possibly protecting his knees he had surgery on both knees in 1983 after scoring he didn't celebrate but handed the ball to a teammate or official he was the career leader in receptions for a running back with 492 catches for over 4,500 yards and still holds the record for eight touchdown passes by a running back as far as his life off the field pton married Connie Norwood in 1976 they lived in Arlington Heights Illinois during his rookie year and later in South barington Illinois they had two children Jarrett and Britney though Payton served Norwood divorce papers for joint custody they never finalized the divorce and did not live together for much of his life in 1987 pton was awarded the order of Lincoln by the governor of Illinois for his contributions to sports and received the golden plate award from the American Academy of achievement in 1988 in 1987 Payton accidentally shot a nightclub manager in shamberg Illinois with a 9mm manur in pisto he had recently purchased the manager suffered knee damage from the shooting after his playing career pton struggled with depression his agent Bud Holmes and his executive assistant Jenny Quirk recounted instances where Payton talked about suicide in February 1999 Walter pton revealed he had a rare liver disease called primary sclerosing colangitis which led to bile duct cancer he spent his last months advocating for organ donations appearing in many commercials even though it was too late for him to get a transplant in April pton made his final public appearance at a Chicago Cubs game with Mike dika where he threw the ceremonial first pitch he worked with author Don joerger to write his autobiography never die easy on November 1st 1999 pton passed away from his illness at 46 years old the NFL honored him with special ceremonies during games that week and the Chicago Bears wore 34 patches on their jerseys at Payton's public funeral service at Soldier Field speakers included NFL commissioner Paul tagliaboo former teammate Dan Hampton his widow Connie and his children Jarrett and Britney about 1,000 people attended the private service including John Madden Illinois governor George Ryan Chicago mayor Richard M Daly and former teammates like Matt sui Mike single ter Roland Harper and McMahon the city of Chicago has honored Walter Payton's memory in several meaningful ways in 1999 they created a special city sticker featuring pton with profits supporting organ donor programs across Illinois the state of Illinois also issued a special license plate for the same cause Walter Payton college prep a magnet high school was named in his honor and the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center established the Walter Payton Liver Center after a generous donation from his family Chicago Metro commuters see 34 sweetness painted on a bridge near Union Station and US Route 34 in Illinois is named the Walter pton Memorial Highway until 2011 Walter Payton's roundhouse in Aurora Drew many visitors annually and it Now features a plaque commemorating pton two prestigious athletic awards bear Payton's name the ncaa's Walter Payton award for the best offensive player in division 1 FCS football and the NFL's Walter pton Man of the Year award for community service Jackson State University's Wellness Center is named the Walter Payton Recreation and Wellness Center in his honor in 2009 the Chicago Bears paid tribute to Payton with a special halftime video at Soldier Field showcasing his career highlights and interviews with bears Legends the Bears also named their indoor practice facility at Halas Hall after Payton he held numerous NFL records including alltime leading rusher be sure to subscribe and thanks for watching