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grueling workouts gave Payton an advantage in the fourth quarters of tight games.

Like Smith and Sanders, Payton was relatively small for a running back, but he had the greatest heart of anyone who has ever played the position. He punished men fifty pound heavier than him. He delivered forearm shivers to defenders before discarding them with a stiff arm. His athletic dexterity was better than any other running back, proven by the many times he hurdled an oncoming tackle to gain more yards.

He was a great receiver, but used in that role as a third or fourth option. It wasn't until Mike Ditka took the head coaching job with the Bears that Payton became more involved in the passing attack.

He was a better pass blocker than Smith. Instead of the fullback staying in protection, it was Payton who was responsible for taking out blitzing linebackers. He enjoyed blocking a defensive end as much as running him over on a fourth down and one.

The records he held at the time of his retirement included 16,726 total yards, 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. All of those records fell over the past fifteen years, but Payton's statistical legacy will permanently be etched in to the hearts of football fans through America.

Payton's motto was "Never Die Easy". He refused to deliberately run out-of-bounds, choosing instead to deliver punishment to an imminent tackler before being taken out of a play. The amazing thing about Payton was his durability. He played in 186 consecutive games after missing one game during his rookie season.

Walter Payton was committed to sportsmanship. He refused to celebrate after a touchdown, deciding instead to gently hand the ball to the nearest official. He disdained the rise in touchdown celebrations among those who followed in his footsteps and he made that clear in interview shortly before his untimely death from cancer in 1999.

Jim Brown

Jim Brown gets lost in the discussion of the greatest NFL running backs in NFL history. His career ended over forty-five years ago, rendering him obsolete in many of the Internet age arguments over who was the best ever. It's a shame because Brown continues to set the standard that every other running back strives to attain.

Brown set virtually every running back record before he retired. His 12,312 rushing yards and 15,459 combined net yards were considered at the time to be unassailable.

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