#4: Walter Payton rushes for 275 yards vs. Vikings (1977)
They didn’t call him “Sweetness” because it sounded cool. It was quite simply what Walter Payton was. The relentless, never-say-die style he played with on every single play endeared him to millions of football fans. Even ones who never actually got to see him play. Maybe it’s because of games like this. In 1977 Payton and the Bears were embarking on their first playoff push since 1963. A win over Minnesota at Soldier Field was critical to that. The running back, despite having the flu, responded with a then-record 275 rushing yards. A mark that stood for 23 years. That was the day Payton transformed from a good football player into Superman.
