A Football Life: Walter Payton

I loved watching this show last night. It's great to see any show honoring Payton. I'm 51 years old so I remember just like it was yesterday watching Payton play football as a teenager. He played on some very crappy Bears teams for years when he was the only player on offense they had. Despite that the guy still pounded out tough yards week after week. Every defense that played him knew he'd get the ball and he still pounded out yards.

I'll always remember well the game when he set a NFL single game rushing record of 275 yards against the Vikings that still had a very tough defensive unit in 1977. Carl Eller, Alan Page, Jim Marshall, Matt Blair, Jeff Siemon and Paul Krause were playing on the Vikings D. Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman and Amad Rashad we’re on the O so it was no small feat. I saw the entire game on TV.

Before the game they said he was sick with the flu, throwing up and had a temp over a 101 and it was questionable whether he would even play. The Bears won the game 10 to 7 on the lone TD scored by Payton. It was the most amazing performance by a RB maybe ever against one of greatest D's let alone teams of that era.

Payton had it all, speed, power and moves that faked guys completely out of their shoes. He blocked well and became a good receiver. He was the ultimate warrior and he labored on one of the worst teams ever until 1984. He earned every yard on his stat sheet.

I've said this many times in my life and I still stand by it, Payton was not just the best overall Running Back in the history of the game, he was the greatest football player to every put on a uniform. The show they did a while back on the NFL Network rating the greatest players ever where they picked Jerry Rice #1 was BS. Rice was the greatest WR no one would disagree but Payton was the greatest player ever. I know many claim Jim Brown was the greatest RB ever but he did play on one of the greatest overall teams of his era with the help of one of the best OL’s, QB and Head Coach of the era also. Peyton didn’t have that luxury.

Thanks for the memories Sweetness I'll never forget what an amazing player, inspirational person and role model you were for me as a kid. Thank you and God speed.