Walter Payton Research Paper

This man was one of the greatest running backs to ever play in the NFL. His name is Walter Payton, also known as Sweetness. His stats can back up that statement of being one of the best. He has always had the talent and was a star wherever he played, starting in high school. He did not play his freshman year of high school because he wanted his brother to be the star. Then his sophomore year in high school and on to the pros, it was Walter Payton being the all-star. Walter broke many records not only in college, but also in the NFL. Beginning with an outstanding career at Jackson State University, Walter Payton went on to attain an unbelievable rookie season with the Chicago Bears that propelled him to achieve the label as one of the

This was a shock to everyone, but in the best of ways. People were very excited to have him on the team and in the community. As soon as Payton got drafted and when the season kept getting closer Walter felt under the pressure of becoming the new Gale Sayers (The great running back for the Bears before Walter Payton) and he was also nervous because he was coming from a small college in Mississippi and he did not want to upset the people of Chicago and not live up to his expectations (Walter 1). The people of Chicago were very excited to have Payton though. Jim Finks, the Bears former general manager that drafter Payton, said “He is a complete football player. He is better than Jim Brown. He is better than O.J. Simpson" (Bears 1). Everyone on the team heard very good things about Walter Payton and they were thrilled to have him on the team. Even his teammates were so excited that, “‘His teammate, Brian Baschnagel, insisted that Payton could play any position. Then he hesitated: "I guess at 5-10, 202 pounds, his size might limit him at defensive tackle. The most incredible thing I ever saw was the time he threw me a 50-yard touchdown pass. He was literally going down and he had to whip the ball that far sidearm’” (1). Another teammate, Dan Hampton said “Payton played football with the enthusiasm of a 10th grader trying to be the best tailback on the team,” (1). Mostly everyone in Chicago had the faith in Walter to become something great for this team. When the season rolled along the people were not wrong, he was great his rookie year and he had the stats to back it up. Payton had one stand out game that everyone remembered during his rookie year because he had a total of 300 yards against the New Orleans Saints (Walter 1). “By season’s end he had racked up