CHICAGO -- Ten years to the day that he died, Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton was honored by the Chicago Bears with a ceremony at halftime of Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns.
The Soldier Field crowd roared during a video tribute that showed highlights of Payton's career and included praise from former coach Mike Ditka and owner Virginia McCaskey, along with ex-teammates such as Otis Wilson and Richard Dent.
Besides dodging and leaping over defenders, Payton also was known for his work ethic and his tendency to pull pranks. The video showed that, too. There was Payton running up a hill in suburban Barrington and setting off a firecracker at training camp, as he was known to do.
When the tribute was over, Payton's wife, Connie, asked the crowd, "Wasn't that awesome?" Flanked by son Jarrett and daughter Brittney, Connie ended her brief speech by saying, "We love you. And one more thing: Go Bears!"
The NFL's all-time leading rusher when he retired, Payton was first diagnosed with a rare liver disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis and then cancer before he died on Nov. 1, 1999.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
