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Jackson State's Walter Payton to receive Lifetime Achievement Award

j.t. keith, mississippi clarion ledger
·2 min read
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Walter Payton personified success on the field and off the field. There is no greater tribute to him than to be recognized for his contributions more than two decades after his death.

Payton, who played for Jackson State from 1971 to 1975 and went on to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher with 16,726 yards before he retired in 1987, will be honored by the Southwestern Athletic Conference Alumni Association during its annual Legends Awards and Roast on May 20 at the Embassy Suites Ridgeland.

The event honors former student-athletes as well as former or current coaches, athletics administrators and staff members who have had positive impacts on the conference. Payton, who died of a rare liver disease in 1999 at age 46, will receive the Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be accepted by a member of his family.

While at Jackson State, Payton set records for rushing yards (3,600), average yards per carry (6.1), career rushing touchdowns (65), rushing touchdowns in a season (24), touchdowns scored in a game (7) and most points scored in a career (464). He was selected first-team All-SWAC three times and SWAC Offensive MVP in 1974.

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In 1975, Payton was drafted in the first round (4th player picked) by the Chicago Bears and the first running back selected.

Among Payton’s NFL highlights during his 13-year career with the Bears include Super Bowl champion, NFL MVP (1977), NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1977), five-All Pro selections, 110 rushing touchdowns and making the most consecutive NFL starts by a running back (170).

Payton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, and was selected to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994 and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. In 1999, the NFL renamed its Man of the Year Award the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in recognizing an NFL player for his excellence on and off the field.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Walter Payton is being honored by the SWAC Alumni Association