The Great Walter Payton - History

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They called him sweetness. He was a hard runner, but he also moved with style and grace. Although he was not a very big man, he did run with a bunch of power as well as great speed. He was both fast and strong when he ran with the football. His ability to dive into the end zone was his signature move and is the thing that brought him fame. He played several years with the Chicago Bears. Walter played for year with the Chicago Bears during a period that they were not a good football team.

Walter Payton was born on July 25, 1954, in Columbia, Mississippi. Payton was one of three children born to Edward Charles Payton and Alyne Payton in Columbia, Mississippi. He was not only a great football player, but his off field deeds and actions are what made him a role model for millions. He first began to attract attention as a halfback at Jackson State University. He made the starting lineup in 1971, which was his freshman year. Payton was selected for the All-American team. He was also named Black College Player of the Year in 1973 and 1974. In his four years at Jackson State, he rushed for more than 3,500 yards and scored more ...
... than 450 points. He was an extremely versatile and talented player and that was quickly recognized by his teammates, coaches and fans.

Walter was voted to the NFL Pro Bowl nine times during his NFL career. He once held the League's record for most career rushing yards, touchdowns, carries, and many other categories. Things did not start off too good for Payton. He did not get off to a really good start in his football career. Payton's first game was not particularly successful; he was held to zero net rushing yards on eight attempts. Career stats: 16,726 yards, 110 TDs rushing; 492 receptions for 4,538 yards; 21,803 combined net yards, 125 touchdowns.

One good thing about Sweetness was his desire to help and inspire other people, many of them less fortunate them him. He really enjoyed working with deaf people. He died in 1999 at the age of 45 from a rare liver disease called primary schlerosing cholangitis (PSC). This condition led to cancer of the bile ducts in his liver. You will not get much of a dispute from people if you call him the greatest football player ever.

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