Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, breaks through the Miami Dolphins line during action in game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 1975 in Miami, Florida. Doug Swift (59) and Vern Herder (83) close in on Payton.

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton (34) scrambles over Detroit Lions back Lem Barney to score in third period Sunday, Dec. 8, 1975 in Chicago. Bears back Roland Harper (35) watches. Other Lions are Jim Laslavic (52) and Herb Orvis (80). Bears won 25-21.

Walter Payton struggles for hard won yardage in a scoreless first quarter. Larry Ball, former Dolphin, brings Payton to a halt mid-field in Tampa Stadium, Fla., Aug. 28, 1976.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) runs upfield during an NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco on Sept. 19, 1976. Payton rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns as the Bears defeated the 49ers 19-12.

Washington Redskins safety Owens (23) clings to the jersey of Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton (34) as Payton rushes for nine yards and a third quarter down during game, Sunday, Oct. 3, 1976 in Chicago. The Bears won 33-7.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) runs upfield during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Coliseum on October 17, 1976. The Rams defeated the Bears 20-12.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) watches from the sidelines during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Oct. 30, 1977. Payton rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in a 26-0 win at Lambeau Field.

Chicago Bears' Walter Payton (34) eludes Minnesota Vikings' Jeff Wright (23) as he picks up ten yards and a first down before being brought down during the first quarter of game, Nov. 21, 1977 in Chicago. Payton gained 275 yards in 40 carries to wipe out O.J. Simpson's single-game NFL rushing record of 273 yards. Chicago won 10-7.

Chicago Bears Walter Payton (34) breaks around right and as Detroit Lions James Hunter (28) gives chase in the Thanksgiving Day NFL contest in the Pontiac Silverdome, Thursday, Nov. 24, 1977. Chicago won the game, 31-14.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) rests on the sideline during an NFL game in Chicago, 1977. Exact date unknown.

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton (34).

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton (34) is seen in action in this undated photo.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) watches from the sidelines during an NFL game in Chicago, date unknown.

Chicago Bears back Walter Payton (34) outguesses San Francisco free safety Vern Roberson (49) to grab a Bob Avellini pass on the one-yard line in fourth quarter action, Sunday, Sept. 11, 1978 at San Francisco. Chicago later scored on Roland Harper's plunge over the line to defeat 49ers 16 to 131.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) leaps into the air in front of Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Wally Chambers (60) during an NFL game in Tampa on December 2, 1979. The Bears defeated the Buccaneers 14-0.

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton takes Bears quarterback Vince Evans first quarter pass for an eight-yard gain before San Diego Chargers Allan Ellis (48) closes for the tackle, Sunday, Oct. 25, 1981 in Chicago.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) is met midair by Green Bay Packers linebacker Kurt Allerman (60) during an NFL game in Green Bay, Wisc., on Nov. 15, 1981. The Packers defeated Bears 21-17.

In this Nov. 11, 1984, file photo, Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton leaps over Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jim Collins (50) during first half football action in Anaheim, Calif. Long before quarterbacks took center stage, the NFL was a running backs league. From Red Grange to Jim Brown to O.J. Simpson to Walter Payton to Emmitt Smith, the workhorse back has been a symbol of toughness and perseverance.

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton (34) eludes Washington Redskins safety Curtis Jordan (22) to throw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Pat Dunsmore in the second quarter of a NFC playoff game, Sunday, Dec. 31, 1984 at RFK Stadium in Washington. The Bears won 23-19.

Fighting off a block from Chicago Bears Mark Bortz (62), San Francisco 49ers safety Carlton Williamson (22) moves in to drop Bears running back Walter Payton, (34) for a three-yard loss during third quarter action in NFC playoff game, Sunday, Jan. 7, 1985 in San Francisco, Calif.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) runs right between Green Bay Packers linebacker Brian Noble (91) and defensive back Mossy Cade (24) during a 16-10 Bears victory on November 3, 1985, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears at Candlestick Park Sunday, November 13, 1985. Bears beat the 49ers 26-10. San Francisco 49ers Defensive Back Ronnie Lott (42) tackles Chicago Bears Running Back Walter Payton (34) as he makes Bears touchdown.

26 Jan 1986: Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears in action during the Bears 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, LA.

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton dives for an incomplete pass during Super Bowl XX, a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots on January 26, 1986, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton (34) runs upfield as teammate Calvin Thomas (33) tries to block New England Patriots linebacker Larry McGrew (50) during Super bowl XX Jan. 26, 1986, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots 46–10.

Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton prepares to take some snapshots during American Bowl '86 on Sunday, August 3, 1986 in London. Payton borrowed a press photographer's camera for a week.

Chicago Bears star Walter Payton wears the trademark uniform of another star, Michael Jackson, during rehearsal for an appearance on television's "Saturday Night Live" at NBC's Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center in New York, Jan. 24, 1987. Payton poses during a tongue-in-cheek workout session as part of the show.

Athlete Walter Payton, of the Chicago Bears, runs around Seattle Seahawks' Patrick Hunter after hauling in a Mike Tomczak pass in the second quarter of the game in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 21, 1987. The Seahawks beat the Bears 34 - 21.

Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) of the Chicago Bears during the Bears 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Raiders on December 27, 1987 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. This was the final regular season game of Pa

Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (34) of the Chicago Bears carries the football during the Bears 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Raiders on December 27, 1987 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. This was the final regular game

Former Chicago Bear Walter Payton waves to the crowd after his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 31, 1993, at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Walter Payton after his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 31, 1993.