DI'S WALTER PAYTON/NFL MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD 1999

Di's Walter Payton Tribute

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NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

Walter Payton FOREVER

Cris Carter 2000 Winner

NFL HONORS PAYTON
By: Jeffrey Timms (DBS Editor)
Date: 01/28/2000
It became official today what Bears fans have been asking for since the death of Walter Payton. Today, the NFL, and commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced that the NFL Man of the Year Award will be changed to the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
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.

WALTER PAYTON PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
PRESENTED BY THE SPORTS NETWORK

The Sports Network established the Walter Payton Player of the Year Award in 1987, and it has been presented annually to the top college football player on the Division I-AA level. The winner is chosen by a nationwide panel of college sports information directors. Along with the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award and the Buck Buchanan Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Walter Payton Award is the first such award honoring an individual on the Division I-AA level.
Payton, who played his college ball for the I-AA Jackson State Tigers, is the leading scorer in NCAA history with 464 points. He scored 65 touchdowns for the Tigers, while rushing for 3,563 yards. Payton also kicked five field goals and 54 PATs.
However, Payton's collegiate accomplishments pale in comparison to the numbers he posted in his professional career. He is the NFL's all-time leading rusher with 15,726 yards, and the Chicago Bears all-time leading scorer with 750 points. He also is the holder of eight NFL records and 27 Bear records. Payton became the youngest player to be voted NFL MVP at the age of 23 for the 1977 season.

As active as he was on the field, Payton is equally active in charity work off the field. He was honorary chairman for the 1983 Heart Association Jump Rope for Health, and for the Illinois Mental Health Association from 1978 through 1980. Payton is also involved with the Boy Scouts, March of Dimes, Brian Piccolo Research Fund, United Way and the Peace Corps. The Sports Network's establishment of the Walter Payton Player of the Year Award, in addition to the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, the Buck Buchanan Defensive Player of the Year Award and the I-AA Top 25 poll, has helped bring long overdue attention to college football on the Division I-AA level.

See Also

WALTER PAYTON

RECORDS

CAREER

Walter Payton Award

Finalists
History
Bio

© 2000, NFL Enterprises, L.P. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League. The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated.

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The award is named after legendary Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, who died in 1999 of liver cancer.

Bettis was chosen for the award over finalists from the other 30 NFL teams. The winner is selected by a blue-ribbon panel that includes NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Sports Illustrated writer Peter King, football legends Frank Gifford, Jack Kemp and John Mackey, 2000 award co-winners Derrick Brooks and Jim Flanigan, and Payton's widow, Connie.

Winners of the award include 13 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and also some of the greatest names in NFL history.

Here's the full list:

2001 -- Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh Steelers
2000 -- Jim Flanigan, Chicago Bears and Derrick Brooks, T.Bay
1999 -- Cris Carter, Minnesota Vikings
1998 -- Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins
1997 -- Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys
1996 -- Darrell Green, Washington Redskins
1995 -- Boomer Esiason, New York Jets
1994 -- Junior Seau, San Diego Chargers
1993 -- Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs
1992 -- John Elway, Denver Broncos
1991 -- Anthony Munoz, Cincinnati Bengals
1990 -- Mike Singletary, Chicago Bears
1989 -- Warren Moon, Houston Oilers
1988 -- Steve Largent, Seattle Seahawks
1987 -- Dave Duerson, Chicago Bears
1986 -- Reggie Williams, Cincinnati Bengals
1985 -- Dwight Stephenson, Miami Dolphins
1984 -- Marty Lyons, New York Jets
1983 -- Rolf Benirschke, San Diego Chargers
1982 -- Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins
1981 -- Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers
1980 -- Harold Carmichael, Philadelphia Eagles
1979 -- Joe Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers
1978 -- Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys
1977 -- WALTER PAYTON, Chicago Bears
1976 -- Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 -- Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals
1974 -- George Blanda, Oakland Raiders
1973 -- Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs
1972 -- Willie Lanier, Kansas City Chiefs
1971 -- John Hadl, San Diego Chargers
1970 -- Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts