  In an era of cocky athletes who flaunt their million-dollar contracts and ridicule traditional values, Chicago Bear running back Walter Payton evokes memories of the good old days. Modest, always quick with a complimentary word about teammates, and self-driven. That's Walter Payton, called Sweetness by his teammates, who happens to be the best running back to come into the League since O.J. Simpson.
Toward the end of the 1977 season, when the Bears were fighting for a playoff berth, Payton exploded against the division-leading Minnesota Vikings, rushing for a record 275 yards on 40 carries. He broke—by two yards—the standard created by Simpson just a year earlier. After the game, the 5'10", 205-lb Payton remarked, "All I can say is that this is a day when everything went right and we got a big victory. The victory means more to me than the record because we tightened the playoff race". Walter scored the Bears' touchdown in the 10-7 victory, but during most of the post-game interviewing, he praised guard Rivey Sorey and fullback Robin Earl, who had spent most of the afternoon blocking for him. Sweetness burst into national prominence while in college at Jackson (Miss.) State, where he established NCAA records by rushing for 3,563 yards and scoring 464 points on 66 TDs, 53 extra points and 5 field goals. He was also the team's punter, averaging 39 yards a kick.
The Bears made Payton a first-round draft choice in 1975, and Walter had a good but not spectacular rookie season, gaining 679 yards on 196 carries. Then in 1976 he came into his own, sharing the League lead with 13 TDs rushing, and topping all NFC runners with 1,390 yards gained on the ground.
Then came 1977. Sweetness started it off with a 160-yard performance against the Detroit Lions, hit his high with 275 yards against Minnesota and finished the season as the best in the League with 1,895 yards. He was named NFC player of the year for his efforts.
WALTER PAYTON Born July 25,1954, in Columbia, Miss.
AWARDS AND RECORDS
NFC leading rusher: 1976, 1977
NFL leading rusher: 1977
All-Pro: 1976, 1977
Photo: When sweetness isn't in the game, he watches intently |
