American · Columbia, Mississippi · Born 25 July 1954 · Died 1999-11-01Walter Payton, nicknamed 'Sweetness', was a legendary Chicago Bears running back who retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher and helped Chicago win Super Bowl XX.
Walter Jerry Payton was born on 25 July 1954 in Columbia, Mississippi, the youngest of three children, and did not play organised football until his junior year of high school, going on to set an NCAA scoring record at Jackson State University. The Chicago Bears selected Payton fourth overall in the 1975 NFL Draft, and he developed into one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, nicknamed "Sweetness," winning NFL MVP honours in 1977 after setting a single-game rushing record of 275 yards. Payton broke Jim Brown's career rushing record in 1984, and helped the Bears win Super Bowl XX in 1986, retiring in 1987 as the league's all-time leading rusher, having also amassed the most receptions by a non-receiver in NFL history at the time. Payton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, and after announcing in early 1999 that he was suffering from the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis, died from complications of the illness on 1 November 1999, at age 45. His death prompted renewed national awareness of organ donation, and the NFL's annual Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, recognising charitable work, is named in his honour.
'Sweetness', legendary Chicago Bears running back
How They Played
Elusive runner with exceptional balance, strong pass-catching ability, and famous high-stepping style
Lasting Impact
Revolutionized running back position with complete skill set, inspired Walter Payton Award for best FCS player
Career Honours
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (1993)
- Super Bowl XX champion
- NFL MVP (1977)
- 9x Pro Bowl
- 5x First-team All-Pro
| Team | Period | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 1975–1987 | 190 |
American Athletes