One of the Greatest

Being known as the best at your position is a dream itself, and being known as one of the greatest of all time, is a miracle. Some people may say Walter Payton completed that miracle. Walter Payton was born in 1954 in Columbia, Mississippi. Walter attended John J. Jefferson High school, and started playing football during his junior year. Other than football Walter participated on the track team, choir, and marching band. In 1971 Payton gained national attention as he played running back for the Jackson State University football team. In Walter’s first year as a freshman, he was selected as an All American. In Walter Payton’s four years of collegiate football he was able to rush for three thousand five hundred yards, proving he could be an elite player.

In 1975 Walter Payton could finally prove he could be a top tier player as he got drafted 4th overall to the Chicago Bears. As a rookie, Walter had a slow start in the NFL, only rushing for six hundred and seventy nine yards. The next season Walter showed his true colors, running over one thousand yards. After this season, Payton was selected to the 1977 Pro Bowl leading him to win the Pro Bowl MVP. Building up his momentum Walter Payton’s best year came in his 1977 season rushing for one thousand eight hundred and fifty two yards. Through this wild season he also achieved at the time, the most yards rushed in a game. Walter Payton never stopped trying to prove his halfback skills. He went on to rush for over one thousand yards from 1978 to 1986, despite in 1982 we he only played nine games because of a player strike. Walter proved his excellence in his 13 year career, and rushed for a total of sixteen thousand seven hundred and twenty six yards.

After Walter’s 1987 regular season he had announced his retirement. After retirement, Walter explored different careers such as real estate, owning restaurants, and construction. Later in his retirement Walter Payton’s health went declining downwards. Years later he announced he was suffering from Sclerosing Cholangitis. This liver disease eventually giving him a tumor, in the end killing the running back legend. Even after his death ,Walter’s legacy still remains as the Walter Payton award is given each year in his name to the most outstanding offensive player in division one football. Walter will forever be known as one of the greatest in collegiate and professional level football.

Work Cited:

“Players.” Walter Payton: Career Stats at NFL.com. Web. 30 May 2016.

“Walter Payton.” Biography. Web. 30 May 2016.

“Walter Payton.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 30 May 2016.