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called Payton the greatest football player he had ever seen on the field and an even greater human being off of it. At one point, the Bears Hall of Famer owned the career records for rushing yards, carries, and touchdowns. Drafted fourth overall in 1977, Payton broke the 1,000 yard barrier and made the Pro Bowl in just his second season in the league. Chicago fans thought they might finally have a replacement for the legendary Gale Sayers - but even they were in for a pleasant surprise. The next year, Payton exploded for more than 1,800 yards and 16 touchdowns and earned the coveted Most Valuable Player award. Over his 13 years in the league, Payton set the league's career rushing record, earned a ring in Super Bowl XX, and created a legion of fans among even the non-Bears crowd. Equally impressive is his durability. Payton missed one game in a 13-year career.

3. Emmitt Smith (Dallas Cowboys)
A diehard Cowboy fan at heart, it was difficult to keep him off of the top, but I think his career deserves placement in the third slot. Besides being the NFL's all-time rushing leader and winning three Super Bowl rings as part of Dallas's infamous "Triplets" (with Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin), Smith notched 11 consecutive seasons with more than 1,000 yards rushing. His most legendary season was in 1993, when he led the league in rushing, won the Super Bowl, and was named NFL Most Valuable player AND Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. Smith's style was instantly recognizable but difficult to put into words - part jackhammer, part pinball, part tow truck. Despite criticism that he benefited from a superb offensive line, Smith showed his mettle by playing through terrible pain in critical games, stepped it up when the chips were down, and could not have quit if you set him on fire.

4. Barry Sanders (Detroit Lions)
Like a pinball with muscle, Barry Sanders confused, frustrated, and humiliated defenses like no other back in NFL history. Shifty and slippery, many fans of other teams would tune in to watch Sanders' eye-popping ability to break grips, spin out of tackles, cut so fast that it broke ankles, and squirt out of masses of men who piled up, certain that he was at the bottom. To show his explosiveness, Sanders - who stood just 5'8" tall - slam dunked for ESPN from a flat-footed stance. That ability to summon powerful bursts earned Sanders third place on the NFL's all-time rushing list and 109 touchdowns. Sanders rushed for more than 1,500 yards five times, including four

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