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Nicknamed "Sweetness" for the grace and style he brought to the game of football, Walter Paytonwas selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1975 draft. He was the NFL's leading rusher and most valuable player in 1977, surpassed Jim Brownas the NFL's leading rusher of all time 1984 (he ended his career with 16,726 yards), led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 1986 and also leads the league in total yards gained -- 21,803. Of the 190 games Payton played over 13 seasons as a Bear, he only missed one due to injury. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
After retiring from football in 1987, Payton built a $30 million business empire that included a construction company, a restaurant, brewery, and a professional car racing team. His Walter Payton Foundation provided Christmas presents for over 35,000 wards of the state of Illinois and co-sponsored an adoption fair that led to 50 adoptions.
Payton, born July 25, 1954 in Columbia, Mississippi, died of liver cancer on November 1, 1999. A crowd of 20,000 gathered at Soldiers Field in Chicago on November 6 for a memorial service in his honor. Of Payton, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said at the tribute, "On this Soldiers Field and dozens more, he was a football warrior and gladiator -- in the eyes of many, he was the greatest football player of all time."
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