Walter Payton ranks in the all-time elite tier for running backs — a career that places Payton in the top 1% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Payton a career score of 90, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Walter Payton
Height5'10"
Weight200 lb
BornJul 25, 1954
Age72
College
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at once—no tab hopping. Switch to Combined to fold the selected families into unified totals—yards from scrimmage, total TDs, touches.
3 grids split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Rushing | Receiving | Passing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D | Cmp | Att | Cmp% | Yds | TD | Int | TD% | Int% | Y/A | AdjY/A | TD:INT | Rate | Sk | |||||
| 1975 | 21 | CHI | 13 | — | 196 | 679 | 7 | 3.5 | 3.6 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 213 | 0 | — | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976 | 22 | CHI | 14 | — | 311 | 1,390 | 13 | 4.5 | 4.2 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 149 | 0 | — | 9.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977 | 23 | CHI | 14 | — | 339 | 1,852 | 14 | 5.5 | 4.1 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 269 | 2 | — | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978 | 24 | CHI | 16 | — | 333 | 1,395 | 11 | 4.2 | 3.3 | — | — | — | — | 50 | 480 | 0 | — | 9.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979 | 25 | CHI | 16 | — | 369 | 1,610 | 14 | 4.4 | 3.8 | — | — | — | — | 31 | 313 | 2 | — | 10.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 54 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | 26 | CHI | 16 | — | 317 | 1,460 | 6 | 4.6 | 1.9 | — | — | — | — | 46 | 367 | 1 | — | 8.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981 | 27 | CHI | 16 | — | 339 | 1,222 | 6 | 3.6 | 1.8 | — | — | — | — | 41 | 379 | 2 | — | 9.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982 | 28 | CHI | 9 | — | 148 | 596 | 1 | 4.0 | 0.7 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 311 | 0 | — | 9.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983 | 29 | CHI | 16 | — | 314 | 1,421 | 6 | 4.5 | 1.9 | — | — | — | — | 53 | 607 | 2 | — | 11.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 95 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984 | 30 | CHI | 16 | — | 381 | 1,684 | 11 | 4.4 | 2.9 | — | — | — | — | 45 | 368 | 0 | — | 8.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 47 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | 31 | CHI | 16 | — | 324 | 1,551 | 9 | 4.8 | 2.8 | — | — | — | — | 49 | 483 | 2 | — | 9.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 96 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986 | 32 | CHI | 16 | — | 321 | 1,333 | 8 | 4.2 | 2.5 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 382 | 3 | — | 10.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987 | 33 | CHI | 12 | — | 146 | 533 | 4 | 3.7 | 2.7 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 217 | 1 | — | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | — | 190 | — | 3,838 | 16,726 | 110 | 4.4 | 2.9 | — | — | — | 0 | 492 | 4,538 | 15 | — | 9.2 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 331 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | |
Career Value · VORP
369 career value over replacement — #54 all-time of 4,649. 28.4/season above a replacement-level RB.
Draft OutcomeSteal ↑
Pick #4 (Rd 1) · CHI · 1975 · +28.6 vs expected KV-H
90actual
61.4 expected · Δ+28.6
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