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 Tuesday, November 2
Payton draws praise, deep respect
 
ESPN.com news services

 Various reactions in regards to NFL great Walter Payton, who died Monday:

"I think Walter's legacy will be that of a man with a God-given ability that got the most out of it at every possible chance. He did it with pride, he did it with dignity, he did it with respect for the game." -- brother Eddie Payton, the golf coach at Jackson State.

Walter Payton
Walter Payton throws out the first pitch at a Cubs game April 12, one of his rare public appearances after disclosing his illness.

"Walter exemplified class, and all of us in sports should honor him by striving to perpetuate his standard of excellence. The tremendous grace and dignity he displayed in his final months reminded us again why 'Sweetness' was the perfect nickname for Walter Payton." -- NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

"He was the best football player I've ever seen, and probably one of the best people I've ever met." -- Mike Ditka, former Bears coach and current New Orleans coach.

"As a football player, he was really the first running back that I ever met who I truly respected. He gave me a new respect for running backs. He was the first running back I saw who I thought was a really great defensive player. ... As a person, he was just one of those who was definitely a bright spot wherever darkness appeared." -- Former Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary.

"(He) was the greatest friend anybody could ever have, somebody who loved life, loved people -- and there will never be another one like him." -- Former Bears offensive lineman Dan Jiggetts.

"I think of the blocks he made. Walter was always willing to sacrifice on the field for the sake of the team. Ten guys would pile on top of him and he would be the first guy to get up."-- Former Bears tight end Emery Moorehead.

CLINTONS' STATEMENT
A statement by President and Mrs. Clinton on the death of Walter Payton:

We were saddened to hear of the death of Walter Payton. In the long highlight reel of this life cut short, Walter Payton will always be a man in motion: breaking tackles, breaking records, clearing every obstacle in his path. From the first day he donned the uniform of the Chicago Bears, in 1975, until his retirement 13 years later, Walter Payton missed only one game -- and that was because the coach ordered him to rest his ankle.

He followed a long line of great Bears running backs and became the greatest of them all. The record books confirm that. But individual triumphs would never mean as much to Walter Payton as a victory he could share with his teammates and with the fans who endured, season after season, the icy winds of Soldier Field.

Walter Payton would not stop running until his Bears were as great as the Bears of old, until they had again won the Super Bowl -- which they did, in dramatic fashion, in 1985.

Walter Payton faced his illness with the same grit and determination that he showed every week on the football field. The people of Chicago -- and all Americans who love the game of football -- will miss him profoundly.

We would like to offer our condolences to Walter's wife, Connie, and to their two children, Jarrett and Brittney. Our hearts are with them today.

"Walter Payton was an inspiration to me by the way he carried himself on the field and off the field." -- Dallas running back Emmitt Smith, the NFL career rushing touchdown leader.

"Walter was a Chicago icon long before I arrived there. He was a great man off the field, and his on the field accomplishments speak for themselves." -- Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan.

"As far as I'm concerned, I thought he was the greatest. With the teams he played on, and what he did, missing only one to two games his whole career. And, on top of that, he was just a great guy." -- Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris.

"I never stood and watched backs play, but I actually stood on the sideline and watched him run every single play. I wanted to be great like him. He had become an icon for everyone who played the position. I loved to watch him play." -- Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson.

"When I came into the league I looked up to him, not only as a player, but how he handled himself as a person. He will be missed by everyone who was fortunate to have known him." -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.

"He'll be remembered as one of the greatest running backs ever to play in the NFL. He brought toughness, athleticism, and was always in tremendous physical condition. He seemingly got stronger as games wore on. He was a champion, he played hard, and was without question one of the classiest people off the field that I've ever known." -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy.

"He was a great guy, a great human being, a very giving person. It's a real tragedy. We've lost a great man and one of the all-time great football players in the National Football League." -- Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Mora.

"In all my years broadcasting football games, my favorite player to watch was Walter Payton and my favorite year was 1985 with the Bears. They captured the hearts of not only the city of Chicago, but the entire country. Walter epitomized what a man and a football player should be, and when you think of the tradition of football and toughness, Walter belongs right at the very top with guys like George Halas and Vince Lombardi." -- Fox Sports analyst and former coach John Madden.

"Walter had fought a long, hard fight for several months. Just as in his athletic career, he was courageous every step." -- Butch Davis, coach of the Miami Hurricanes. Payton's son, Jarrett, is a running back at Miami.

"He meant so much to the city of Chicago. 'Sweetness' -- there may not have been a better nickname for a player." -- San Diego Chargers quarterback Jim Harbaugh, a rookie with the Bears in 1987.

"Walter is a great man. He was heavily involved in charitable activities, came into Chicago from a small town, small school, not as well known and really always made a great contribution to the community." -- Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green.

"He broke all the rules -- that you've got to be big and powerful to be a power running back. He left as strong on his last run as he did when he first came into the league." -- Minnesota running back Leroy Hoard.

 


ALSO SEE
Walter Payton dies at age 45

Walter Payton video tribute

Garber: Simply Sweetness

Ditka mourns Payton's loss, remembers his life

Users: Remembering Walter Payton

ESPN remembers Sweetness

Walter Payton career statistics

Walter Payton career highlights



AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Another Bears great reflects on Payton's 13 NFL seasons.
avi: 916 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Mike Singletary remembers Payton as a special friend.
avi: 1800 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Mike Ditka says Payton was the greatest.
avi: 906 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Jim McMahon says Payton did everything at full speed.
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Eric Dickerson speaks with ESPN's Bob Ley about Payton's greatness.
RealVideo:  | 28.8

audio
 Earl Campbell admired Payton as a great player and person.
wav: 145 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6

 Payton caught the eye of offensive and defensive players.
wav: 311 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6

 Walter Payton was liked by all.
wav: 111 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6