Could Walter Payton compete in today's league?
Every living person in Chicago knows who Walter Payton was. He dominated with the Bears and led us to our last successful super bowl outing. Now in 2022, you wonder if he could have kept up with how much the game has changed since then. With the league emphasizing pass so heavily today he would face less stacked boxes, alongside his ability to run, catch, block, and even throw on occasion, I think he would be one of the most versatile players in the league today.
I mean, after all, he still holds the franchise record for most receptions. Walter would probably still be a 1000+ yard rusher in today's league. Chicago in the 80s was very much a smashmouth football organization and I'm not so sure modern-built defenses could handle the intensity he brought to the field today.
Not to mention his insane workouts and health regimen he kept, call me biased, I mean I still have the Chicago Chronicle from the day he died as one of my most prized possessions and as a kid growing up in the Chicago area sweetness was an early childhood idol. Of course, comparing him to today's players is kind of like the simulation fight in the last Rocky film, pure conjecture. Still, it makes you wonder.
Check out some of his best plays of him showing his toughness:
Article written by Joseph King
