Legacy

Walter Payton began playing football in high school at Columbia High School in Columbia, MS. Often called the most prolific running back in football history, Walter Payton was a two-time Collegiate First Team All-American in 1973 and 1974 at Jackson State University. In college Payton ran for 3,563 yards and 66 touchdowns and set the NCAA scoring record with 464 points. In one game, Payton scored 46 points (seven touchdowns and two two-point conversions), as he set a Southwest Athletic Conference record for most points in a game. In 1973, Payton led the nation in scoring with 160 points. The 5' 10", 202-pound, running back was a four-year starter and letterman and set nine school records at Jackson State. Payton finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1974.

Walter was a first-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 1975, played 13 seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl nine times. By the time he finished his professional career, Payton was the NFL's all-time leading rusher with 16,726 yards. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and his No. 34 jersey was retired by the Chicago Bears.

NFL RECORDS

• Yards, Career -- 16,726.*
• Attempts, Career -- 3,838.
• Yards Gained, Game -- 275, vs. Minnesota, Nov. 20, 1977.*
• Seasons With 1,000 Or More Yards -- 10, 1976-81, 1983-86.*
• Consecutive Seasons Leading League, Attempts -- 4, 1976-79.*
• Most Games, 100 Or More Yards, Career -- 77.

* Records that have since been broken.

• Yards, Career -- 21,803.
• Attempts, Career -- 4,368.

NFL RANKINGS

• Most Seasons Leading League, Attempts -- 4, 1976-79, Tied Second.
• Consecutive Games, 100 Or More Yards -- 9, 1985, Third.
• Most Rushing Touchdowns, Career -- 110, Third.
• Most Games, 200 Or More Yards, Season -- 2, 1977, Tied Third.
• Most Total Touchdowns, Career -- 125, Fifth.

OTHER MILESTONES

• 2,000 combined net yards, Season -- 4, 1977, 1983-85.
• Years led the NFL in rushing -- 1, 1977.
• Years led the NFC in rushing -- 5, 1976-80.
• Broke Jim Brown's NFL all-time career rushing mark of 12,312 yards -- at Chicago, Oct. 7, 1984.
• Broke Jim Brown's NFL all-time career mark of 58 100-yard rushing games -- at Chicago, Oct. 7, 1984.
• Broke Franco Harris' NFL all-time career mark of 2,949 rushing attempts -- at Minnesota, Nov. 25, 1984.
• Broke Franco Harris' NFL all-time career mark of eight 1,000-yard rushing seasons -- Nov. 17, 1985, at Dallas.
• First 100-yard game -- Nov. 16, 1975, at San Francisco, 23 carries, 105 yards.
• First 200-yard game -- Oct. 30, 1977, at Green Bay, 23 carries, 205 yards.
• First 1,000-yard season -- 1976, 311 attempts, 1,390 yards.
• Pro Bowl Selection -- (9 times) 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986.
• AP Most Valuable Player -- 1977.
• AP All-Pro Team -- (5 times) 1976, 1977, 1984, 1985, 1986.
• AP Offensive Player of the Year -- 1977.
• PFWA Most Valuable Player -- 1977.
• PFWA All-League Selection -- (4 times) 1976, 1977, 1978, 1984.
• First-Round Draft Selection (4th overall) -- 1975.