Payton, Walter Jerry (1954–1999)

US American footballer. As a running back for the Chicago Bears between 1975 and 1987, he established an all-time National Football League (NFL) career record of 16,726 yards gained rushing. A fluid runner, with great acceleration, he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 10 of his 13 years in professional football and was twice the NFL's Most Valuable Player: 1977, when he achieved a career personal best season of 1,852 yards rushing, and broke the all-time NFL single game rushing record of 275 yards; and 1985, when he helped the Bears towards their first ever victory in the 1986 Super Bowl.

He joined the Bears from Jackson State University where he had set a National Collegiate Athletic Association point scoring record of 464. When he retired 1987, as well as being the all-time leader in rushing, his 110 rushing touchdowns and 4,368 attempts were also NFL career records. In a poll on the NFL's official Web site NFL.com, in which over 600,000 votes were cast, Payton was voted the NFL player of the century.