Chicago Sports Mount Rushmore: All-time greatest Chicago athletes
Walter Payton, Chicago Bears (1975-1987)
Walter Payton also easily made the list, getting voted in by all seven of our voters. Payton was the single attraction to many bad Bears teams in the 70s and early 80s. He was also the centerpiece to arguably the greatest team in the history of Chicago sports, the 1985 Chicago Bears.
Payton finished his career with 16,726 rushing yards and 76 touchdowns. Sweetness is the second-leading rusher in NFL history. He was also a major receiving threat out of the backfield, piling up 492 receptions for 4,538 yards and 15 touchdowns throughout his career.
A smooth and explosive runner who showed incredible versatility, Payton was a back well ahead of his time. His well-rounded skill set would have been particularly valuable in today’s NFL.
Again, we go to Khari Thompson to help us explain why Payton is one this list:
"The 1985 Chicago Bears are arguably this city’s favorite team of all time, and the most popular player of those 80s Bears, with apologies to The Fridge, was unquestionably Payton. And for good reason. He retired as the leading rusher in NFL history and, depending on how much you like Jim Brown, may well have been the greatest back in NFL history. Plus, his never-say-die style encapsulated the heart of Bears football just as much as their dominant 46 Defense did. Apart from #23, is there a more respected number in all of Chicago sports than #34? Probably not."