Walter Payton

Walter Payton Man of the Year Award (http://8328-presscdn-0-65.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp ())

Nicknames say a lot about someone, especially Walter Payton who earned the nickname "Sweetness". Walter Payton earned his nickname for being an all around great person.He wasn't just a outstanding player on the football field, but was a phenomenal person off the field. Walter Payton was an American Football legend who played for the Chicago bears from 1975-1987. Famous for his speed and power running style, he was also famous for his charitable work. Him and his wife created the Walter Payton Foundation in 1988, to help the needy children in the streets of Chicago. He had 9 Pro Bowl appearances, 1 MVP award, 1 Super Bowl ring, and had 16,726 total career rushing yards, making him one of the best players in NFL history. Due to outstanding character on and off the field, the NFL Man of the Year Award was renamed to the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Walter Payton inspires people to be caring about others and to always work hard to achieve their dreams. His work ethic was legendary which got him drafted into the NFL and then to create the Walter Payton Foundation through him caring about other people. Walter Payton's willingness to care about people in need, hard-working mentality, and an inspiration makes him a hero.

Walter Payton cared about the children in need living in the streets of Chicago. He cared about children and wanted to help them out so he was involved in charity work: "He was devoted to other children's programs as well and, in 1988, founded the Walter Payton Foundation for needy children"("Walter Payton." Encyclopedia). After playing in the NFL Walter Payton devoted his life and money to helping others, mainly children. He even co-founded a theatre program at an elementary school. Payton was famous for his legacy and charity work, and is still viewed at today: "Walter Payton's charitable legacy endures today through the work of the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation. The organization is dedicated to the emotional healing of neglected, abused and underprivileged children by providing tools and opportunities to build self-esteem and encouragement." His legacy of charity even changes the way people are involved in charity nowadays. His way of helping people in need inspires people to help others even a decade after his death. Payton's caring ways led him to helping children in need and became famous for his charitable work.

Bears former running back "Sweetness" (http://pragmaticobotsunite.com/wp-content/uploads/ ())

Walter Payton was hard-working and put that work into becoming one of the best NFL players of all time on and off the field. Payton won lots of awards because of the work he put on the field: "Payton continued to excel after joining the NFL's Chicago Bears in 1975. Known for both his speed and power, he rushed for a single game-record 275 yards in 1977, finishing the year as the league MVP"("Walter Payton." Biography.com). Payton had broken a lot of records in the time he played, making him one of the best and most well known players of all time. He had done a lot of great things done off the field but on the field he shined more than ever: "He led the National Football Conference (NFC) in rushing in 1976, the same year that he made the Pro Bowl team for what would be the first of nine times. In addition to his talents as a running back, Payton was a gifted receiver and team leader, and he was elected the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1977 and again in 1985. In 1984 he became football's all-time rushing leader when he broke the record previously held by Jim Brown"("Walter Payton." St. James). To lead a conference full of other great NFL players, you can't only let talent come to you. Any who plays that level of sports has to go through a lot of training and hard work to earn the achievements Payton earned. Due to the hard work Walter Payton had put into the game, he became one of the best players of NFL history.

Bears legend, Walter Payton (http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/1982-Walte ())

Walter Payton inspires many to achieve their dreams and always help other people who are in need. Payton has never been the better brother or ever was looked over by his brother: "In his younger years, Payton was never a competitive athlete. He stood supportively in the shadow of his older brother, Eddie, and refused to steal the limelight"("Walter Payton." Encyclopedia). He never outshined his brother. He lived in his brother's shadow, but that didn't stop him from being a great person. Payton left the NFL with his own legacy and changed the way part of the NFL works: "Shortly after Payton's death, to honor his legacy as both a phenomenal player and humanitarian, the NFL Man of the Year Award was renamed the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award"("Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year"). The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year goes out to an outstanding player and humanitarian each year. Due to Payton being one of the best humanitarians of NFL history, he got the NFL Man of the Year award renamed based on his name. Walter Payton inspires people today to try to win the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, so now many players are involved in charity work now.

Walter Payton's inspiration to be caring about other people and always having a hard-working motor makes him a hero. Because of Payton's caring ways and his hard-working motor he became one of the best football players of all time both as a player and a humanitarian. He inspires people to be like him and help others, also to always work hard no matter what you are doing. He's an inspiration because of the charitable work he had put into his life and his legacy he left in the NFL. "While his statistics and on-field accomplishments rank Payton as one of the greatest athletes in the history of professional football, it was his off-field accomplishments that truly set him apart from his contemporaries. His nickname, "Sweetness," not only described his ability as an athlete but was also an accurate comment on his personality"("Walter Payton." St. James). Walter Payton inspires me to always care about people who might be in need and to always be hard-working to become someone great someday. Nicknames are earned for someone's personality, just like Walter Payton's nickname "Sweetness", which he earned from being one of the best sports player on and off the field.