Son of Walter Payton key weapon for Extreme opponent Slaughter

The running back in the No. 34 Chicago jersey takes a handoff and cradles the ball as he crosses the goal line for a game-changing touchdown.

Growing up, Jarrett Payton watched it happen frequently; his father did it 110 times in a remarkable NFL career that culminated with induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Now the son of Bears legend Walter Payton is making it happen in the Indoor Football League as a key offensive weapon for the Slaughter. Jarrett Payton will be on the field Saturday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum when the Bloomington Extreme hosts Chicago for the first time.

"I watched him all my life and I've tried to pattern my style after him," Jarrett Payton said Thursday in a telephone interview. "I try to be versatile, like my dad was. He was a great runner, but the other things are what made him great."

Walter Payton held the NFL's all-time rushing record for 18 years until Emmitt Smith surpassed his final total of 16,726 yards in 2002. As for the "other things," the 1977 NFL MVP was on the receiving end of 15 TD passes and on the throwing end of eight more. Known for leaping into end zones and finishing runs with hard hits on would-be tacklers, "Sweetness" missed just one game to injury in a 13-year pro career.
In his four games with the Slaughter, Jarrett Payton has amassed 221 all-purpose yards with four touchdowns -- including a last-minute, go-ahead score that gave Chicago (1-3) a one-point win over Alaska in its last game.

"It was pretty huge; I had about 200 family and friends in the crowd and they all were excited," he said of his game-winning score. "It's exciting because people here in Chicago have been wonderful. To be able to play in my back yard where I grew up is special."

Payton displayed his own versatility by completing his only pass, a touchdown strike of -- yes -- 34 yards. Payton treasures the number retired by the Bears to honor his father, who died from a rare liver disease in 1999.

The younger Payton wears the No. 34 whenever it's available. He wasn't able to wear it in his one NFL season with the Tennessee Titans -- the franchise retired it for Earl Campbell -- but he did wear it at the University of Miami, earning MVP honors in the 2004 Orange Bowl. He even chose March 4 (3-4) as his wedding day.

Payton is just one of the Slaughter's connections to the Bears, with Steve McMichael as coach and Jim McMahon as a co-owner.

"It's crazy. I sometimes feel like my father's guiding me," he said of working with Walter's teammates from the Super Bowl XX champions. "It makes it easier to come to work when you see someone who's won championships and is still willing to put in the necessary work."

Always close to his father, a 12-year-old Jarrett gave the introductory speech at Walter's Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1993. Today, he pays tribute to his father by assisting the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation, which aids underprivileged children. Along with Connie (his mother) and sister Brittney, Jarrett appears at each Super Bowl to present the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

He hopes to reach the IFL title game with the Slaughter and seeks to put Chicago on a winning streak by beating the Extreme on Saturday.

"I expect a great game. The second time you play a team is always more fun," he said. "I'm just looking for us to sustain drives and put points on the board. It's always a challenge, but that's why you play."

(dailydime.com)