Payton retrospective: Walter by the numbers
The NFL's all-time rushing leader and and ex-Bears great Walter Payton died on Monday, Nov. 1 in his home at the age of 45. Payton had suffered from primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare liver disease that could only be cured by a transplant. Payton gained an NFL-record 16,726 yards in 13 seasons (1975-87) and won a world championship with the Bears in Super Bowl XX.
PAYTON'S REGULAR SEASON RUSHING STATS |
YEAR |
GAMES |
ATTEMPTS |
YARDS |
AVERAGE |
TDS |
1975 |
13 |
196 |
679 |
3.5 |
7 |
1976 |
14 |
311 |
1390 |
4.5 |
13 |
1977 |
14 |
339 |
1852 |
5.5 |
14 |
1978 |
16 |
333 |
1395 |
4.2 |
11 |
1979 |
16 |
369 |
1610 |
4.4 |
14 |
1980 |
16 |
317 |
1460 |
4.6 |
6 |
1981 |
16 |
339 |
1222 |
3.6 |
6 |
1982 |
9 |
148 |
596 |
4.0 |
1 |
1983 |
16 |
314 |
1421 |
4.5 |
6 |
1984 |
16 |
381 |
1684 |
4.4 |
11 |
1985 |
16 |
324 |
1551 |
4.8 |
9 |
1986 |
16 |
321 |
1333 |
4.2 |
8 |
1987 |
12 |
146 |
533 |
3.7 |
4 |
TOTALS |
190 |
3838 |
16726 |
4.4 |
110 |
PAYTON'S REGULAR SEASON RECEIVING STATS |
YEAR |
GAMES |
CATCHES |
YARDS |
AVERAGE |
TDS |
1975 |
13 |
33 |
213 |
6.5 |
0 |
1976 |
14 |
15 |
149 |
9.9 |
0 |
1977 |
14 |
27 |
269 |
10.0 |
2 |
1978 |
16 |
50 |
480 |
9.5 |
0 |
1979 |
16 |
31 |
313 |
10.1 |
2 |
1980 |
16 |
46 |
367 |
8.0 |
1 |
1981 |
16 |
41 |
379 |
9.2 |
2 |
1982 |
9 |
32 |
311 |
9.7 |
0 |
1983 |
16 |
53 |
607 |
11.5 |
2 |
1984 |
16 |
45 |
368 |
8.2 |
0 |
1985 |
16 |
49 |
483 |
9.9 |
2 |
1986 |
16 |
37 |
382 |
10.3 |
3 |
1987 |
12 |
33 |
217 |
6.6 |
1 |
TOTALS |
190 |
492 |
4538 |
9.2 |
15 |
PAYTON'S PLAYOFF STATS |
YEAR |
GAMES |
CARRIES |
YARDS |
TDS |
CATCHES |
YARDS |
TDS |
1977 |
1 |
19 |
60 |
0 |
3 |
33 |
0 |
1979 |
1 |
16 |
67 |
2 |
3 |
52 |
0 |
1984 |
2 |
46 |
196 |
0 |
4 |
23 |
2 |
1985 |
3 |
67 |
186 |
0 |
8 |
52 |
0 |
1986 |
1 |
14 |
38 |
0 |
1 |
-2 |
0 |
1987 |
1 |
18 |
85 |
0 |
3 |
20 |
0 |
TOTALS |
9 |
180 |
632 |
2 |
22 |
178 |
0 |
NFL'S ALL-TIME LEADING RUSHERS |
PLAYER | YEARS | ATTEMPTS | YARDS | AVERAGE |
WALTER PAYTON |
13 |
3,838 |
16,726 |
4.4 |
Barry Sanders |
10 |
3,062 |
15,259 |
5.0 |
Eric Dickerson |
11 |
2,996 |
13,259 |
4.4 |
Tony Dorsett |
12 |
2,936 |
12,739 |
4.3 |
Jim Brown |
9 |
2,359 |
12,312 |
5.2 |
Marcus Allen |
14 |
3,022 |
12,243 |
4.1 |
Franco Harris |
13 |
2,949 |
12,120 |
4.1 |
John Riggins |
14 |
2,916 |
11,352 |
3.9 |
O.J. Simpson |
11 |
2,404 |
11,236 |
4.7 |
NFL CAREER TOTAL YARDAGE LEADERS |
Player | Years | Rush Yards | Rec. Yards | Ret.Yards | Total Yards |
WALTER PAYTON | 13 | 16,726 | 4,538 | 539 | 21,803 |
Barry Sanders | 10 | 15,269 | 2,921 | 118 | 18,308 |
Jerry Rice | 14 | 614 | 17,612 | 6 | 18,232 |
ALL-TIME CAREER 100-YARD RUSHING GAMES |
Player | Years | Games |
WALTER PAYTON | 13 | 77 |
Barry Sanders | 10 | 76 |
Eric Dickerson | 11 | 64 |
ALL-TIME CONSECUTIVE 100-YARD RUSHING GAMES |
Player | Year(s) | Games |
Barry Sanders | 1997 | 14 |
Marcus Allen | 1985-86 | 11 |
WALTER PAYTON | 1985 | 9 |
ALL-TIME CAREER 1,000-YARD RUSHING SEASONS |
Player | Years | Seasons |
WALTER PAYTON | 1976-81, 1983-86 | 10 |
Barry Sanders | 1989-98 | 10 |
Many players | | 8 |
ALL-TIME CAREER 1,500-YARD RUSHING SEASONS |
Player | Years | Seasons |
Barry Sanders | 1991, 1994-97 | 5 |
WALTER PAYTON | 1977, 1979, 1984-85 | 4 |
Eric Dickerson | 1983-84, 1986, 1988 | 4 |
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