Walter Payton

Cross-checked Payton's Hall of Fame biography, league records, Chicago championship history, and verified archive statistics. The selections balance his single-game rushing record and career record with the 1985 title and two performances that show why his receiving and passing made him football's complete back.

1. #1. Playing through the flu, Payton carried 40 times for an NFL-record 275 yards and the game's only touchdown in a 10–7 Chicago victory. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Walter Payton
2. #2. Payton drew the defense's attention throughout Super Bowl XX and finally completed his journey from rebuilding cornerstone to champion with the 1985 Bears. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Walter Payton
3. #3. Payton passed Jim Brown to become the NFL's career rushing leader, turning a Chicago home game into the central counting-stat milestone of his career. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Walter Payton
4. #4. Four days after his rushing record, Payton produced 244 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on Thanksgiving, including 107 yards as a receiver. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Walter Payton
5. #5. Payton ran for 161 yards and a touchdown while throwing two touchdown passes, the clearest single-game proof of his all-purpose football intelligence. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Walter Payton

Reviewed through 2026-08-11