Why they rank here
Sweetness combined grace, durability, and toughness into the most complete running back of his generation. Payton retired as the NFL all-time leader in rushing yards with 16,726 and rushing touchdowns with 110, and his 21,264 all-purpose yards reflected his value as a receiver and blocker as well as a runner. He was famed for finishing runs by lowering his shoulder into tacklers rather than avoiding them, and for near-perfect availability across thirteen seasons with the Chicago Bears. He won the 1977 MVP and a Super Bowl in the Bears dominant 1985 season. The NFL Man of the Year award now bears his name, honoring the character and community work that made him one of the sport most beloved figures as well as one of its greatest.
Career profile
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