From Atlanta, NFL Commissioner, Paul Tagliabue announced that the NFL has finally decided on a lasting tribute to the game's greatest runningback, and surely one of it's finest men; Walter Payton.

"The NFL will rename its highest honor bestowed upon players for their off-the-field contributions the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award," NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

The announcement comes following the death of Walter Payton on November 1st, 1999. The first recipient of the Payton award is Vikings WR, Cris Carter.

Attending the ceremony was Walter's wife Connie and daughter Brittany, brother Eddie, and mother Alyne. Walter's son Jarrett was unable to attend due to poor weather-transportation problems but was no doubt there in spirit.

"It is indeed an honor having this honor bestowed on him," Connie Payton said some time later at a news conference. "I'm sure he's up in heaven laughing at all this attention. This is an honor my kids and I will be proud of."

The Man of the Year Award started back in 1970, and Payton won the award in 1977.

Cris Carter was touched that he was the first to receive the award, and told FOX Sports that it was an honor.

"This is a tremendously humbling experience," Carter said with tears welling in his eyes. "We (Carter and the Payton family) were trying to figure out who would be the first one to cry.

"He retired in '87 when I began. To change the award for him at Super Bowl XXXIV (Payton wore No. 34), I'm really at a loss for words."

This is the best tribute the NFL could do to honor Walter, this award separates the real men, from the useless garbage that runs rampant throughout professional football and goes to show everyone that character, humility, joy, and love is still more important than any paycheck or endzone dance you can do.