The Greatest Bears Of Them All...............

Printable View

07-14-2011, 02:22 PM
soulman

The Greatest Bears Of Them All...............

There has been no finer player to wear the uniform of the Chicago Bears or in the annals of the NFL than Walter Payton. A fantastic competitor and a true gentleman in every sense of the word. God only made one like him and then broke the mold.

http://www.chicagobears.com/images/2.../tradition.gif
ChicagoBears.com > Tradition > 34 - Walter Payton

#i_c_area1_none p {margin-bottom: 10px;}http://assets.chicagobears.com/image...hof-payton.jpg
http://www.chicagobears.com/userfile...inement(2).gif Walter Payton, the Chicago Bears' first-round choice and the fourth player selected in the 1975 National Football League Draft, developed into a superstar of unusual dimensions during his 13-season NFL tenure from 1975 to 1987, all of which he spent with the Bears.

The 5-10, 200-pound running back who rushed for 3,563 yards in four seasons at Jackson State went on to dominate the rushing section of the NFL record book during and long after his career ended.

The records he held at the time of his retirement included 16,726 yards rushing, 10 seasons with 1,000 or more yards rushing, 275 yards rushing in one game against Minnesota (1977), 77 games with more than 100 yards rushing, and 110 rushing touchdowns. Payton had 4,368 combined net attempts and accounted for 21,803 combined net yards. He also scored an impressive 750 points on 125 touchdowns.
Payton won the NFC rushing title five straight years from 1976 to 1980. He also led the NFC with 96 points in 1977 and won the NFL kickoff return championship in his rookie 1975 campaign. He was named both All-Pro and All-NFC seven times and played in nine Pro Bowl games. Payton was selected as the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1977 and 1985, the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1977 and 1985 and the NFC Most Valuable Player in 1977.

An amazing runner, Walter rushed for more than 1,000 yards 10 of his 13 seasons. His best season came in 1977, when he ran for 1,852 yards, third best in history at that time. Payton's 492 career pass receptions for 4,538 yards and 15 touchdowns contributed to his exceptional combined net yard totals.

Extremely durable, Payton missed one game in his rookie campaign and then played in 186 consecutive games.

(Bio from Pro Football Hall of Fame
07-14-2011, 02:26 PM
soulman

No one will ever convince me that Walter Payton wasn't the greatest football player to ever play the game. I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to see him play. There will never be another like him.
07-14-2011, 02:43 PM
BearStuff

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulman

Extremely durable, Payton missed one game in his rookie campaign and then played in 186 consecutive games.

(Bio from Pro Football Hall of Fame

Pardee held him out of that game. Payton was pissed and easily could have played.

Just read "Never Die Easy" again over vacation. Great read, great man, great player, GREAT BEAR.
07-14-2011, 04:31 PM
Blue Horse-shoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulman

No one will ever convince me that Walter Payton wasn't the greatest football player to ever play the game. I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to see him play. There will never be another like him.

They should show his highlight reel to the team b4 games. 5'10 ? and only 200lbs ? and he's doing THIS ?! If that doesn't inspire , then u aren't capable of being inspired. I was 10 when Wally came to the Bears and he was the reason I became a lifelong football fanatic, and the reason football became my alltime # 1 sport.
07-15-2011, 05:53 AM
go4bears

No disrespect to Sweetness. But the greatest Bear of all time HAS to be Papa Bear. Founder, player, and coach. He did so much not only for the Bears but for the NFL.
07-15-2011, 06:53 AM
Dagan81

Quote:

Originally Posted by go4bears

No disrespect to Sweetness. But the greatest Bear of all time HAS to be Papa Bear. Founder, player, and coach. He did so much not only for the Bears but for the NFL.

I think we place Papa Bear in a category all by himself, go4bears. There is Papa Bear, and then there are the rest of the Chicago Bears who followed him. There is the seed, then there is the tree and its branches. Payton is perhaps the biggest branch on the tree with what he meant to the Bears.
07-15-2011, 11:32 AM
4th and 26

I can't say Walter is the greatest bear because there are so many studs that played for this team. Some people would say Sayers is the best running back of all time but his career was cut short. Some would argue that Butkus is the greatest because he hurt players mentally and physically. Imagine what would happen if Butkus were to take on Payton head on, I think the world would implode. I think Dent is one of the greatest bears players along with Hampton and Singletary. Each guy was very talented at their position and the best at one time. Then bring up the HOF players who at one time were in the elite class of players.