Walter Payton - wikipedia Walter Payton This article is about the American football running back. For the musician, see Walter Payton ( musician ). Walter Payton Payton playing for the Chicago Bears in 1984 No. 34 Position : Running back Born : ( 1954 - 07 - 25 ) July 25, 1954 Columbia, Mississippi Died : November 1, 1999 ( 1999 - 11 - 01 ) ( aged 45 ) South Barrington, Illinois Height : 5 ft 10 in ( 1.78 m ) Weight : 200 lb ( 91 kg ) Career information High school : Columbia ( Columbia, Mississippi ) College : Jackson State NFL Draft : 1975 / Round : 1 / Pick : 4 Career history Chicago Bears ( 1975 -- 1987 ) Career highlights and awards Super Bowl champion ( XX ) 9 × Pro Bowl ( 1976 -- 1980, 1983 -- 1986 ) 7 × First - team All - Pro ( 1976 -- 1980, 1984, 1985 ) Second - team All - Pro ( 1986 ) AP NFL Most Valuable Player ( 1977 ) Bert Bell Award ( 1985 ) 2 × NFC Offensive Player of the Year ( 1977, 1985 ) NFL Offensive Player of the Year ( 1977 ) NFL Man of the Year ( 1977 ) NFL rushing yards leader ( 1977 ) NFL rushing touchdowns leader ( 1977 ) 4 × NFL rushing attempts leader ( 1976 -- 1979 ) NFL 1970s All - Decade Team NFL 1980s All - Decade Team NFL 75th Anniversary All - Time Team Chicago Bears No. 34 retired Career NFL statistics Rushing yards : 16,726 Yards per carry : 4.4 Rushing touchdowns : 110 Receptions : 492 Receiving yards : 4,538 Receiving touchdowns : 15 Player stats at NFL.com Player stats at PFR Pro Football Hall of Fame College Football Hall of Fame Walter Jerry Payton ( July 25, 1954 -- November 1, 1999 ) was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League ( NFL ) for thirteen seasons. Payton was known around the NFL as `` Sweetness ''. A nine - time Pro Bowl selectee, Payton is remembered as a prolific rusher, once holding records for career rushing yards, touchdowns, carries, yards from scrimmage, all - purpose yards, and many other categories. He was also versatile, and retired with the most receptions by a non-receiver, and had eight career touchdown passes. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996. 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. 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 Chicago Bears in 1975, who selected him with the 1975 Draft 's fourth overall pick. Payton proceeded to win the 1977 AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award and won Super Bowl XX with the 1985 Chicago Bears. He retired from football at the end of the 1987 season having rushed for at least 1,200 yards in 10 of his 13 seasons in the NFL. 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 includes the Walter Payton Award, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and a heightened awareness of the need for organ donations. Contents 1 Early life 2 College career 2.1 Breakout performance 2.2 Statistics 3 Professional career 3.1 1975 -- 1982 3.2 1983 -- 1986 3.3 1986 -- 1987 4 Playing style 5 Personal life 6 Investments 7 Illness and death 8 Legacy 9 NFL career statistics 10 NFL records 11 Notes 12 References 13 External links 14 Further reading Early life Payton was one of three children born to Peter and Alyne Payton in Columbia, Mississippi. His father was a factory worker who had played semi-professional baseball. 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. Outside of school, he played drums in jazz - rock groups. His 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. Once he began to play football, as a junior, he achieved instant success as a running back, running 65 yards for a touchdown on his first high school carry. 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. John J. 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. He then earned statewide honors as a member of Mississippi 's all - state team, leading Columbia to an unexpected 8 -- 2 season. His performance helped ease the local tensions surrounding desegregation. Tommy Davis, Columbia 's football coach, claimed that he could always count on Payton when the team needed to score. Payton 's statistics proved that was no exaggeration : he scored in every game during his junior and senior years. He was named to the all - conference team two years in a row. Payton also led the Little Dixie Conference in scoring his senior year and made the all - state team. In addition to excelling at football, Payton averaged 18 points a game for Columbia 's basketball team, leaped three - quarters of an inch short of 23 feet in the long jump, played baseball, and continued to drum in the school band. College career Though Payton had established himself as one of Mississippi 's best running back prospects, he received no invitations from Southeastern Conference colleges, which accepted few black players at the time. After originally committing to Kansas State University, he decided to pursue his collegiate career at the historically black school Jackson State University ( MS ) where his older brother Eddie played football. He was never recruited by the University of Kansas, according to then - coach Don Fambrough as Payton claimed in his autobiography. 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, and set the school record for career rushing touchdowns with 65. In 1973, Payton had a school record 24 rushing touchdowns, and was named Black College Player of the Year. He won this award again in 1974, in addition to being selected for the All - American Team. Payton graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor 's degree in Communications. 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 a sarcastic description of his aggressive playing style. Payton was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996, and posthumously inducted into the inaugural class of the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Breakout performance On October 1, 1972, during Payton 's sophomore year, he set a then - best SWAC single - game scoring record by rushing for seven touchdowns ( on runs of 6, 8, 2, 3, 1, 2, and 31 yards ) and two 2 - point conversions for 46 points as Jackson State crushed Lane College, 72 -- 0. He also set a school record with 279 rushing yards in the game. Statistics Source : Rushing Kicking Year Att Yds Avg TD XPM FGM 1971 94 651 6.9 5 13 1972 124 781 6.3 15 21 0 1973 205 1,139 5.6 24 13 175 1,029 5.9 19 6 Totals 598 3,600 6.0 63 53 5 Professional career 1975 -- 1982 The Chicago Bears drafted Walter 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. However, Payton led the league in yards per kickoff return. Payton was eager to improve his performance. During the 1976 NFL season, Payton rushed for 1,390 yards and scored 13 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, breaking the previous record of 273 yards held by O.J. Simpson. In that record - setting game against the Vikings, Payton was suffering with a 101 - degree fever and intense flu. His longest run was for 58 yards, and he caught one pass for 6 yards. His record stood for 23 years until Corey Dillon of the Cincinnati Bengals ran for 278 yards on October 22, 2000. ( Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings set the current record of 296 rushing yards in 2007. ) By the end of the decade, Payton had received additional accolades for his exploits as a blocker, receiver, emergency punter, and quarterback. 1983 -- 1986 Payton ( 34 ) pictured breaking the NFL 's career rushing record on October 7, 1984. 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 September 19, 1984, Payton passed Franco Harris as the active leader in career rushing yards. Three weeks later, on October 7, 1984 against the New Orleans Saints, 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 with the emergence of quarterback Jim McMahon. The Bears ' 46 defense of that season would go on to become one of the best in NFL history, setting a record for fewest points allowed. In one 1984 game, Payton was pressed into service as the team 's fourth - string quarterback. 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, he did not score any touchdowns in the postseason and the New England Patriots prevented him from reaching the end zone in the Super Bowl. According to quarterback Jim McMahon, he was targeted by two or three defenders on every play, and others stated that Payton 's mere presence allowed others to shine, given that at least 2 people were targeting Payton on every play. In a later interview, Ditka stated that one of his major regrets was Payton 's lack of a touchdown in the Super Bowl. 1986 -- 1987 Payton, who was a 12 - 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 from professional football after completing the 1987 NFL season. During his last season with the Bears, Payton split carries with his successor, Neal Anderson, and rushed for a career - low 533 yards along with four touchdowns. 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 caught 492 passes for 4,538 yards and 15 touchdowns. Payton set several team records, including most career rushing yards, receptions, touchdowns, and touchdown passes by a running back. His jersey number was retired by the Bears, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. The only game he missed in his 13 - year career was in his rookie season of 1975. 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. 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. 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. He re-invented the practice of stiff - arming his tacklers, which had gone out of favor among running backs in the 1970s. 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. His running gait was somewhat unusual, as his knees were minimally bent, and the motion was largely powered from the hip. 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. 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 teammates out in the cold while taking a long shower. Although Payton would have won the respect of his peers and coaches by his running alone, he retired as the career leader in receptions for a running back with 492 for over 4,500 yards, and still holds the career record for a running back with 8 touchdown passes. Personal life Throughout his life, Payton had claimed his date of birth as July 25, 1954, a date which is cited in many of his early biographies. However, while researching his biography of Payton, Sports Illustrated 's Jeff Pearlman discovered his actual date of birth to be July 25, 1953. Pearlman found Payton 's earliest use of the later date during his pursuit of the Heisman Trophy at Jackson State. Payton married Connie Norwood in 1976. During his rookie year, 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 ) and resided in South Barrington, Illinois. A 2011 biography by Pearlman describes a tumultuous personal life very different from his positive public image. According to Pearlman 's biography, Payton was a consistent adulterer, and a multiple drug user. His drug use began with painkillers provided to him by the Bears to cope with the punishment he absorbed during games, and continued after his football career ended. Payton did not cope well with life after his career, especially with issues of boredom and loneliness. The book further states that Payton was depressed and suicidal in the mid-1990s. His wife and family contend that the book is filled with factual misstatements, and paints too bleak a picture of his life. However, many reviewers of Pearlman 's work have found it to have been `` exhaustively '' researched and documented by hundreds of interviews. The ghostwriter for Payton 's autobiography called the book `` an incredible, thoughtful, deep and profound read. It 's exceptional work. '' Payton was inducted as a laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Order of Lincoln ( the state 's highest honor ) by the governor of Illinois in 1987 in the area of sports. Investments In 1995, Payton, along with many other investors, sought to bring an NFL expansion team to St. Louis, Missouri, and Payton expressed his interest in becoming the first minority owner in NFL history. Although the NFL strongly favored a franchise in St. Louis, their efforts were thwarted because of internal dissension among the investment group members leading the NFL to award franchises to investment groups in Jacksonville, Florida ( Jacksonville Jaguars ) and Charlotte, North Carolina ( Carolina Panthers ). St. Louis eventually received a team when the Los Angeles Rams moved to the city in 1995. 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. 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. The beers brewed at the Roundhouse received awards in the 2000s. Payton appeared on a 1987 episode of Saturday Night Live ( co-hosting with fellow football player Joe Montana ). In 1994, he made an appearance at the World Wrestling Federation 's Summerslam event in the corner of Razor Ramon. Illness and death In February 1999, Payton announced that he had a rare liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis, which may have led to his cholangiocarcinoma ( bile duct cancer ). 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. 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. Author Don Yaeger worked with him during the last weeks of his life to create his autobiography, Never Die Easy. On November 1, 1999, Payton died from the complications that arose from his illness. 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. His body was cremated after his death. Speakers at Payton 's public funeral service, held in Soldier Field, included Jesse Jackson ; then National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ; former teammate Dan Hampton ; his widow Connie Payton ; and his children, Jarrett and Brittney. 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. 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. After his appeals, donations in Illinois skyrocketed, and the regional organ bank of Illinois was overwhelmed with calls. 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. The foundation continues to run a program that Payton organized to donate toys to underprivileged children across the Chicago area each Christmas. The family established the Walter Payton Cancer Fund in 2002. 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. LaDainian Tomlinson, who set numerous records during the 2006 NFL season, named Payton as one of his foremost mentors and inspirations. Ahman Green, a former player for the Bears ' rival Green Bay Packers, is said to have idolized Payton, viewing the highlight film `` Pure Payton '' before each game. Walter 's son, Jarrett Payton, was a running back for the Tennessee Titans, NFL Europe 's Amsterdam Admirals, CFL 's Montreal Alouettes, and IFL 's Chicago Slaughter. During his tenure at the University of Miami, Jarrett wore a # 34 jersey to honor his father 's memory. In 2009, Jarrett married on March 4, which was intentionally set to coincide with Payton 's jersey number. 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. 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 after a generous donation from Payton 's family, who were pleased with the care he received there. 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. The CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, which was set in Chicago, honored Payton in 2011 with `` The Walter Payton Elementary School ''. Until its sale to Two Brothers Brewing in 2011, Walter Payton 's Roundhouse continued to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the Aurora, Illinois site. A plaque now hangs on the building commemorating Payton. 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 wellness center at Jackson State University is also named in honor of him, known as `` The Walter Payton Recreation and Wellness Center. '' 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. 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 the 1970s and 1980s. Payton did his morning run at the hill every day. Pictures and memorabilia of Payton cover the walls of the golf course club house. NFL 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, and led the category in 1979. As of 2016, he is the NFL 's second all - time leading rusher, and is ranked fourth in rushing touchdowns scored. Along with Frank Gifford, Payton threw six interceptions, more than any other non-quarterback position in NFL history. He also passed for eight touchdowns, which is second to Gifford ( 14 ) for non-quarterbacks. Legend Led the league Bold Career high Rushing Receiving AllPurpose Passing Year Team Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD YScm Yds TD CHI 13 196 679 3.5 54T 7 33 213 6.5 40 0 892 0 0 1976 CHI 14 311 1,390 4.5 60 13 15 149 9.9 34 0 1,539 0 0 1977 CHI 14 339 1,852 5.5 73 14 27 269 10.0 75T 2,121 0 0 1978 CHI 16 333 1,395 4.2 76 11 50 480 9.6 61 0 1,875 0 0 1979 CHI 16 369 1,610 4.4 43T 14 31 313 10.1 65T 1,923 54 1980 CHI 16 317 1,460 4.6 69T 6 46 367 8.0 54T 1,827 0 0 1981 CHI 16 339 1,222 3.6 39 6 41 379 9.2 30 1,601 0 0 1982 CHI 9 148 596 4.0 26 32 311 9.7 40 0 907 39 CHI 16 314 1,421 4.5 49T 6 53 607 11.5 74T 2,028 95 1984 CHI 16 381 1,684 4.4 72T 11 45 368 8.2 31 0 2,052 47 1985 CHI 16 324 1,551 4.8 40T 9 49 483 9.9 65 2,034 96 1986 CHI 16 321 1,333 4.2 41 8 37 382 10.3 57 1,715 0 0 CHI 12 146 533 3.7 17 33 217 6.6 16 750 0 0 Career 190 3,838 * 16,726 * 4.4 76 110 * 492 4,538 9.2 75 15 21,264 * 331 8 Postseason 9 180 632 3.5 20 22 178 8.1 31 0 810 19 NFL records Consecutive regular season starts by a running back : 170, from 000000001975 - 12 - 07 - 0000 December 7, 1975 to 000000001987 - 09 - 20 - 0000 September 20, 1987 Payton missed only one game in his career for a coach 's decision, despite being eligible. Most consecutive seasons leading the league in rushing attempts : 4 ( 1976 -- 1979 ) Tied with Steve Van Buren Games with 100 or more yards from scrimmage gained, career : 108 Games with 150 or more all - purpose yards gained, career : 46 Tied by Barry Sanders Notes Jump up ^ 65 rushing touchdowns is not an official NCAA record, as individual scoring records are not officially recognized. Jump up ^ As of 2015, second only to William Arnold 's 346, see Media Guide, p. 57 Jump up ^ See list for 1920 -- 1987 ( min. 1000 career rush attempts ) at pro-football-reference.com Jump up ^ See running backs with 4 + passing TDs at pro-football-reference.com ( max. 200 pass attempts ) References Jump up ^ `` Walter Payton -- More Than a Sports Legend ''. Payton34.com. Walter Payton Foundation. Archived from the original on March 1, 2000. Retrieved July 25, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Lichtenstein, Walter ( October 15, 2000 ). `` Never Die Easy : The Autobiography of Walter Payton ''. The New York Times. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ Wharton, David ; Springer, Steve ( November 2, 1999 ). `` Football Great Walter Payton Dies at 45 ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 22, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Walter Payton ''. The Chicago Bears. Retrieved February 18, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` AT A GLANCE -- Payton, Walter ''. Oxford African American Studies Center. Retrieved February 4, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Litsky, Frank ( November 2, 1999 ). `` Walter Payton, Extraordinary Running Back for Chicago Bears, Dies at 45 ''. The New York Times. Retrieved February 18, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Walter Payton ''. Encyclopedia.com. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Walter Payton Biography ''. Payton34.org. Walter Payton Cancer Fund. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Payton34.com, Walter Payton Biography, Retrieved on May 16, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Taylor, Roy ( 2002 ). `` Walter Payton, Bears RB, 1975 -- 1987 ''. Chicago Bears History. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Walter Payton always at home in bronze sculpture ''. Chicago Tribune. September 11, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Pearlman, Jeff ( 2011 ). Sweetness : The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton. Penguin Books Ltd. p. 110. ISBN 978 - 1592407378. ^ Jump up to : Walter Payton ; Don Yaeger ( 2001 ). Never Die Easy. Random House. ISBN 0 - 375 - 75821 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Jackson State Football 2015 Informational Guide '' ( PDF ). Jackson State University. 2015. p. 51. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ Rielly, Edward J. ( 2009 ). Football : An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. U of Nebraska Press. p. 266. ISBN 0803226306. Jump up ^ `` Walter Payton ''. African American World. PBS. 2002. Archived from the original on February 8, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Payton, Rice among 11 set for Black Hall ''. ESPN. January 18, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2010. Jump up ^ `` 2010 Inductees ''. Black College Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 17, 2017. Jump up ^ `` SWAC round - up ''. Natchez News Leader. Natchez, Miss. October 1, 1972. p. 3b. Retrieved January 16, 2013. Jump up ^ Taylor, Roy ( 2005 ). `` 1970 's Chicago Bears : Peaks & Valleys ''. Chicago Bears History. Retrieved February 19, 2017. ^ Jump up to : A Football Life, `` Walter Payton. '' Premiered on NFL Network, October 13, 2011 Jump up ^ `` Walter Payton ''. Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 4, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Payton Runs All Over The Place ''. Sports Illustrated. November 28, 1977. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2010. Jump up ^ Powell, Camille ( June 14, 2005 ). `` R. Ryan Takes Baltimore Defense Back to ' 86 With the 46 ''. Washington Post. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ Pearlman, Jeff ( November 16, 2010 ). `` The Bottom 100 : The Worst Players In NFL History ( Part 2 ) ''. Deadspin. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ Taylor, Roy ( 2014 ). `` 1985 Chicago Bears -- World Champions Again ''. Chicago Bears History. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Brown, Payton delivered the pain ''. Pro Football Weekly. 2007. Jump up ^ Wilbon, Michael ( November 2, 1999 ). `` Sweetness, Till the Bitter End ''. Washington Post. Retrieved February 18, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Silverman, Steve ( August 1, 1993 ). `` Main ingredient in ' Sweetness ' was heart ''. Pro Football Weekly. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Running Back `` Sweetness '' Walter Payton ``. Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 4, 2012. Jump up ^ Payton, Connie ; Payton, Jarrett ; Payton, Brittany ( 2005 ). Payton. Rugged Land. ISBN 978 - 1590710562. Jump up ^ Towle, Mike ( 2005 ). Walter Payton : Football 's Sweetest Superstar. Cumberland House Publishing. ISBN 978 - 1581824766. Jump up ^ `` Jarrett Payton ''. NFL. Retrieved November 2, 2009. Jump up ^ Newbart, Dave ; Potash, Mark ( May 9, 2012 ). `` Walter Payton book paints disturbing picture of Bears legend ''. Post-Tribune. Chicago. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Book : Bears ' Payton used drugs, talked suicide ''. ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018 - 05 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Walter Payton 's Widow Talks About His Dark Secrets ''. ABC 7 Eyewitness News. September 29, 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ Atkin, Ross ( February 3, 2012 ). `` Sweetness : The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton Book Review ''. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved October 9, 2014. Jump up ^ Lubinger, Bill ( December 27, 2011 ). `` Walter Payton 's life more bittersweet than pure ' Sweetness ' ''. The Plain Dealer. Retrieved October 9, 2014. Jump up ^ Wetzel, Dan ( October 3, 2011 ). `` ' Sweetness ' excerpt does Payton an injustice ''. Yahoo ! Sports. Retrieved October 9, 2014. Jump up ^ `` The Honor Roll of Laureates ''. The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ Attner, Paul ( August 2, 1993 ). `` Q&A : Hall of Fame eve ''. Sporting News. Archived from the original on January 7, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ Simers, T.J. ( April 13, 1995 ). `` NFL Owners OK Rams ' Move to St. Louis ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 22, 2013. Jump up ^ `` SPORTS PEOPLE : AUTO RACING ; Payton Escapes Serious Injury in Crash ''. New York Times. August 21, 1993. Retrieved December 4, 2012. Jump up ^ Robin Shepard ( 2003 ). The Best Breweries and Brewpubs of Illinois : Searching for the Perfect Pint. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 3. ISBN 978 - 0 - 299 - 18894 - 8. Jump up ^ `` America 's Brewing Company ''. Walter Payton 's Roundhouse. 2006. Archived from the original on August 28, 2009. Retrieved December 20, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Saturday Night Live -- Walter Payton & Joe Montana / Debbie Harry ''. IMDb. Retrieved February 18, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Payton dead at 45 ''. Archived from the original on December 29, 2006. Jump up ^ `` NFL 's all - time leading rusher dies at 45 ''. ESPN. November 6, 1999. Jump up ^ `` Walter `` Sweetness '' Payton ``. Find A Grave. November 8, 1999. Retrieved August 4, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Chicagoans Bid Payton Fond Farewell At Soldier Field ''. The New York Times. November 7, 1999. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ Imrem, Mike ( 1999 ). `` Walter Payton : Faith... family... fellowship ''. Daily Herald. Archived from the original on December 22, 2004. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Levin Joins Senate Colleagues, NFL Players to Promote Organ and Tissue Donation '' ( Press release ). Carl Levin, United States Senator. October 5, 2000. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Jennings death puts lung cancer in the public eye ''. ABC. 2005. Jump up ^ `` Jesse White Unveils New Organ Donor License Plate '' ( Press release ). Illinois Secretary of State. August 9, 2000. Archived from the original on November 22, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Research ''. Payton34.org. Walter Payton Cancer Fund. Archived from the original on January 26, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ Schwartz, Kris. `` Emmitt gives new meaning to Sweetness ''. ESPN Classic. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Emmitt Smith. ESPN, 2007. Jump up ^ Neel, Eric ( December 14, 2006 ). `` IS LT the best ever ? ''. ESPN Page 2. Retrieved February 18, 2017. Jump up ^ `` RB Ahman Green ''. Packers.com. 2008. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ Mitchell, Fred ( June 21, 2009 ). `` Jarrett Payton on his dad, Walter : ' He would be so proud ' ''. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 4, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Secretary of State White Joins City Clerk Laski to Increase Organ Donor Participation Illinois '' ( Press release ). Chicago : Illinois Secretary of State. August 25, 2004. Archived from the original on November 22, 2008. Secretary of State White Joins City Clerk Laski to Increase Organ Donor Participation Illinois Archived March 7, 2005, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Walter Payton Liver Center opens at UIC ''. ABC7Chicago.com. September 5, 2007. Jump up ^ Mayer, Larry ( November 2, 2009 ). `` Emotional video tribute highlights Payton ceremony ''. chicagobears.com. Retrieved November 2, 2009. ^ Jump up to : Lee, Brenden ; Gellerman, Jake ; Marini, Matt, eds. ( 2016 ). Official 2016 National Football League Record & Fact Book ( PDF ). New York : National Football League. pp. 548, 619, s -- 7. Jump up ^ `` Non-Quarterback Passing ''. Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 4, 2012. Jump up ^ Reiss, Mike ( September 16, 2007 ). `` ETC ''. The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 13, 2012. Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson has thrown seven career touchdown passes, leaving him one shy of tying Walter Payton 's NFL record for non-quarterbacks. -- via HighBeam Research ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Dudley, John ( November 2, 2005 ). `` The throwback running back ''. coldhardfootballfacts.com. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Non-Quarterback Passing ''. Pro Football Reference. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Walter Payton Game Logs ''. NFL. Retrieved February 19, 2017. External links Payton34.com, the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation 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 Walter Payton on IMDb Works by or about Walter Payton in libraries ( WorldCat catalog ) `` Walter Payton collected news and commentary ''. The New York Times. Career statistics and player information from NFL.com Pro-Football - Reference Further reading Telander, Rick ( November 1, 2012 ). `` 13 years later, Walter Payton 's legend lives on ''. Chicago Sun - Times. Retrieved November 1, 2012. 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 Walter Payton -- awards, championships, and honors 1975 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 Chicago 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 McClellin Long Fuller White Floyd Trubisky Smith Walter Payton NFL 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 : P. Manning 2006 : Brees & Tomlinson 2007 : Taylor 2008 : Warner 2009 : Waters 2010 : Williams 2011 : Birk 2012 : Witten 2013 : Tillman 2014 : Davis 2015 : Boldin 2016 : Fitzgerald & E. Manning 2017 : Watt Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award winners 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 2011 : Brees 2012 : Peterson 2013 : Manning 2014 : Murray 2015 : Newton 2016 : Ryan 2017 : Gurley Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award winners 1957 : J. Brown 1958 : J. Brown 1959 : Unitas 1960 : Van Brocklin 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 2011 : Rodgers 2012 : Peterson 2013 : Manning 2014 : Rodgers 2015 : Newton 2016 : Ryan 2017 : Brady Bert Bell Award winners 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 2011 : Rodgers 2012 : Peterson 2013 : Manning 2014 : Watt 2015 : Newton 2016 : Ryan 2017 : Wentz Chicago 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 79 Kurt Becker 80 Tim Wrightman 81 James Maness 82 Ken Margerum 83 Willie Gault 84 Brian Baschnagel 85 Dennis McKinnon 86 Brad Anderson 87 Emery Moorehead 88 Pat Dunsmore 89 Mitch Krenk 95 Richard Dent ( MVP ) 96 Keith Ortego 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 NFL annual rushing yards leaders 1932 : Battles 1933 : Musick 1934 : Feathers 1935 : Russell 1936 : Leemans 1937 : Battles 1938 : B. White 1939 : Osmanski 1940 : B. White 1941 : Manders 1942 : Dudley 1943 : Paschal 1944 : Paschal 1945 : Van Buren 1946 : Dudley 1947 : Van Buren 1948 : Van Buren 1949 : Van Buren 1950 : Motley 1951 : Price 1952 : Towler 1953 : Perry 1954 : Perry 1955 : Ameche 1956 : Casares 1957 : J. Brown 1958 : J. Brown 1959 : J. Brown 1960 : J. Brown 1961 : J. Brown 1962 : Taylor 1963 : J. Brown 1964 : J. Brown 1965 : J. Brown 1966 : Sayers 1967 : Kelly 1968 : Kelly 1969 : Sayers 1970 : L. Brown 1971 : Little 1972 : Simpson 1973 : Simpson 1974 : Armstrong 1975 : Simpson 1976 : Simpson 1977 : Payton 1978 : Campbell 1979 : Campbell 1980 : Campbell 1981 : Rogers 1982 : McNeil 1983 : Dickerson 1984 : Dickerson 1985 : Allen 1986 : Dickerson 1987 : C. White 1988 : Dickerson 1989 : Okoye 1990 : Sanders 1991 : Smith 1992 : Smith 1993 : Smith 1994 : Sanders 1995 : Smith 1996 : Sanders 1997 : Sanders 1998 : Davis 1999 : James 2000 : James 2001 : Holmes 2002 : Williams 2003 : Lewis 2004 : Martin 2005 : Alexander 2006 : Tomlinson 2007 : Tomlinson 2008 : Peterson 2009 : Johnson 2010 : Foster 2011 : Jones - Drew 2012 : Peterson 2013 : McCoy 2014 : Murray 2015 : Peterson 2016 : Elliott 2017 : Hunt NFL annual rushing touchdowns leaders 1932 : Nagurski 1933 : Presnell 1934 : Clark & Feathers 1935 : Caddel 1936 : Clark 1937 : Battles, Clark & Hinkle 1938 : Farkas 1939 : Drake 1940 : Drake 1941 : Gallarneau 1942 : Famiglietti 1943 : Paschal 1944 : Paschal 1945 : Van Buren 1946 : Fritsch 1947 : Van Buren 1948 : Van Buren 1949 : Van Buren 1950 : Lujack 1951 : Goode 1952 : Towler 1953 : Perry 1954 : Towler 1955 : Ameche 1956 : Casares 1957 : Brown 1958 : Brown 1959 : Brown 1960 : Hornung 1961 : Taylor 1962 : Taylor 1963 : Brown 1964 : Moore 1965 : Brown 1966 : Kelly 1967 : Kelly 1968 : Kelly 1969 : Matte 1970 : Lane 1971 : Thomas 1972 : M. Morris 1973 : Little & Simpson 1974 : Sullivan 1975 : Banaszak & Simpson 1976 : Harris 1977 : Payton 1978 : D. Sims 1979 : Campbell 1980 : Campbell & B. Sims 1981 : Muncie 1982 : M. Allen 1983 : Riggins 1984 : Dickerson & Riggins 1985 : J. Morris 1986 : Rogers 1987 : Hector & White 1988 : Bell 1989 : Bell 1990 : Fenner & Gary 1991 : Sanders 1992 : Smith 1993 : M. Allen 1994 : Smith 1995 : Smith 1996 : T. Allen 1997 : Abdul - Jabbar & T. Davis 1998 : T. Davis 1999 : S. Davis 2000 : Faulk 2001 : Alexander 2002 : Holmes 2003 : Holmes 2004 : Tomlinson 2005 : Alexander 2006 : Tomlinson 2007 : Tomlinson 2008 : Williams 2009 : Peterson 2010 : Foster 2011 : McCoy 2012 : Foster 2013 : Charles & Lynch 2014 : Lynch & Murray 2015 : Freeman, Hill, Peterson & Williams 2016 : Blount 2017 : Gurley NFL players with 10,000 rushing yards Emmitt Smith Walter Payton Barry Sanders Curtis Martin Frank Gore LaDainian Tomlinson Jerome Bettis Eric Dickerson Tony Dorsett Jim Brown Marshall Faulk Adrian Peterson Edgerrin James Marcus Allen Franco Harris Thurman Thomas Fred Taylor Steven Jackson John Riggins Corey Dillon O.J. Simpson Warrick Dunn Ricky Watters Jamal Lewis Thomas Jones Tiki Barber Eddie George Ottis Anderson LeSean McCoy Ricky Williams Marshawn Lynch Italics denotes active player 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 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 National 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 Chicago Bears Founded in 1919 Formerly the Decatur Staleys ( 1919 -- 20 ) and the Chicago Staleys ( 1921 ) Based in Chicago, Illinois Headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois Franchise History Coaches Seasons Current season Records Records and statistics Franchise records All - time record versus NFL Team awards and honors Players Head coaches Pro Football Hall of Famers First - round draft picks Starting quarterbacks Stadiums Staley Field Wrigley Field Soldier Field Memorial Stadium Soldier Field II Lore Staley Swindle 1932 Playoff Game First NFL Championship Game `` The Sneakers Game '' 73 -- 0 15 -- 1 46 defense Super Bowl XX Fog Bowl 75th Anniversary League Team NFL All - Time Team Cardiac Kids 2006 game vs. Arizona Cardinals Monsters of the Midway T formation George S. Halas Trophy Brian Piccolo Award Culture Brian 's Song 1971 2001 `` Bear Down, Chicago Bears '' `` The Super Bowl Shuffle '' Bill Swerski 's Superfans Chuck Swirsky Staley Da Bear Logos and uniforms Halas Hall A.E. Staley Jack Brickhouse Papa Bear Da Coach Roosevelt / Wabash 85386 Payton Chicago Honey Bears Jim Cornelison Rivalries Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings Retired numbers 5 7 28 34 40 41 42 51 56 61 66 77 89 Key personnel Chairman : George McCaskey President / CEO : Ted Phillips General Manager : Ryan Pace Head Coach : Matt Nagy Division championships ( 18 ) 1933 1934 1937 1940 1941 1942 1943 1946 1984 1985 1986 1988 1990 2001 2005 2006 Conference championships ( 4 ) 1956 1963 1985 2006 League championships ( 9 ) 1921 1932 1933 1940 1941 1943 1946 1963 1985 ( XX ) Media Broadcasters Radio : WBBM ( AM ) WCFS - FM ( FM simulcast of WBBM ) Personnel : Jeff Joniak ( play - by - play ) Tom Thayer ( analyst ) Zach Zaidman ( sideline reporter and radio coach 's show host ) Television : WFLD ( pre-season and most regular season games through Fox, official pre-game and post-game ) NBC Sports Chicago ( in - season team programming ) Personnel : Lou Canellis ( gameday television host, pre-season sideline reporter ) Sam Rosen ( pre-season play - by - play ) Jim Miller ( pre-season analyst ) Current league affiliations League : National Football League Conference : National Football Conference Division : North Division Seasons ( 98 ) 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1990 1991 2001 2017 2018 Championship seasons in bold Book : Chicago Bears : Category : Chicago Bears WikiProject Chicago Bears Chicago 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 89 Mike Ditka Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1993 Dan Fouts Larry Little Chuck Noll Walter Payton Bill Walsh Members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarterbacks Pre-modern era Baugh Clark Conzelman Driscoll Friedman Herber Luckman A. Parker Modern era Aikman Blanda Bradshaw L. Dawson Elway Favre Fouts Graham Griese Jurgensen J. Kelly Layne Marino Montana Moon Namath Stabler Starr Staubach Tarkenton Tittle Unitas Van Brocklin Warner Waterfield Young Running backs Pre-modern era Battles Canadeo Dudley Grange Guyon Hinkle Lambeau Leemans McAfee McNally Nagurski Nevers Pollard Strong Thorpe Van Buren Modern era M. Allen Bettis J. Brown Campbell Csonka T. Davis Dickerson Dorsett Faulk Gifford Harris Hornung J.H. Johnson L. Kelly F. Little Martin Matson McElhenny Moore Motley Payton Perry Riggins B. Sanders Sayers Simpson E. Smith Jim Taylor T. Thomas Tomlinson Trippi Walker Wide receivers / ends Pre-modern era Badgro Chamberlin Flaherty Halas Hewitt Hutson Millner Modern era Alworth Berry Biletnikoff T. Brown Carter Fears Harrison Hayes Hirsch Irvin Joiner Largent Lavelli Lofton Maynard McDonald Mitchell Monk Moss Owens Pihos Reed Rice Stallworth Swann C. Taylor Warfield Tight ends Casper Ditka Mackey Newsome C. Sanders Sharpe J. Smith Winslow Offensive linemen L. Allen B. Brown R. Brown Creekmur D. Dawson DeLamielleure Dierdorf Gatski Gregg Grimm Hannah Hickerson S. Jones W. Jones Kramer Langer L. Little Mack Matthews McCormack McDaniel Mix Munchak Muñoz Ogden Otto Pace J. Parker Ringo Roaf Shaw Shell Shields Slater St. Clair Stanfel Stephenson Tingelhoff Upshaw Webster Wright Yary Zimmerman Pre-modern era two - way players Edwards Fortmann Healey Hein Henry Hubbard Kiesling Kinard Lyman Michalske Musso Owen Stydahar Trafton Turner Wojciechowicz Defensive linemen Atkins Bethea Buchanan Culp W. Davis Dean Dent Doleman Donovan Eller Ford J. Greene Haley Hampton Humphrey D. Jones Jordan Kennedy Lilly Long Marchetti Nomellini Olsen Page Randle Robustelli Sapp Selmon B. Smith Stautner Strahan Ja. Taylor Weinmeister Ra. White Re. White Willis Youngblood Linebackers Bednarik Bo. Bell Brazile Brooks Buoniconti Butkus Carson Connor George K. Greene Ham Hanburger Hendricks Huff Jackson Lambert Lanier Lewis Nitschke Richter Robinson Schmidt Seau Singletary L. Taylor D. Thomas Tippett Urlacher Wilcox Defensive backs Adderley Barney Blount W. Brown Butler Christiansen Dawkins Easley Green Haynes Houston J. Johnson Krause Lane Lary LeBeau Lott Renfro D. Sanders E. Thomas Tunnell Wehrli Williams L. Wilson Wood Woodson Placekickers and punters Andersen Groza Guy Stenerud Coaches G. Allen P. Brown Chamberlin Conzelman Dungy Ewbank Flaherty Gibbs Gillman Grant Halas Lambeau Landry Levy Lombardi Madden Neale Noll Owen Parcells Shula Stram Walsh Contributors Beathard Be. Bell Bidwill Carr A. Davis DeBartolo Finks Halas Hunt J. Jones Lambeau T. Mara W. Mara Marshall Polian Ray Reeves A. Rooney D. Rooney Rozelle Sabol Schramm R. Wilson Wolf ISNI : 0000 0000 2458 7628 LCCN : n78018923 SNAC : w6fr30ch VIAF : 28327604 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Walter_Payton&oldid=845822223 '' Categories : Walter Payton 1954 births 1999 deaths African - American players of American football American football running backs 20th - century American racing drivers Deaths from cancer in Illinois College Football Hall of Fame inductees Chicago Bears players Deaths from cholangiocarcinoma Jackson State Tigers football players National Conference Pro Bowl players National Football League players with retired numbers People from South Barrington, Illinois People from Columbia, Mississippi Players of American football from Mississippi Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Racing drivers from Mississippi Trans - Am Series drivers Super Bowl champions African - American racing drivers Dale Coyne Racing Motorsport team owners People from West Point, Mississippi Hidden categories : Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2015 All articles containing potentially dated statements All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from February 2017 Webarchive template wayback links Subscription required using via Pages containing links to subscription - only content Use mdy dates from February 2017 NFL player missing current team parameter Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2017 Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2016 Good articles Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu Deutsch Español Français Italiano Latviešu Malagasy 日本 語 Norsk ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Polski Português Русский Simple English Winaray 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 14 June 2018, at 11 : 23 ( UTC ). 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Question: when was walter payton inducted into hall of fame
Answer: 1993