Top Moments in the Chicago Bears 100 Years: Walter Payton Breaks the Rushing Record

The Chicago Bears are celebrating their 100th year as a team, this year and, as you should expect, there are several great moments in their long history that should be talked about.

The team has been involved in many of the most memorable moments in NFL history. You have the 73-0 game against the Washington Redskins. There is the entire Super Bowl win in 1986 is a big moment in Bears’ history. How about Gayle Sayers six touchdown game?

All these moments and more epitomize some of the greatest moments in the history of the team.

There is one play that stands out in the minds of many of the older Bears’ fans. It has a little something to do with the player that is hands down, the best in their long history.

Walter Payton.

If you recall, Payton, Chicago’s star running back was with the Bears from 1975 to 1987. He was their first-round pick in the 1975 draft. Although his career didn’t get off to a fast start, he was able to play solid consistent football-only missing one game while playing.

If you had asked Payton what his greatest moment was in his career, he might say it was the Super Bowl. But for many fans, his breaking Jim Brown’s rushing record on beautiful October day against the New Orleans Saints was the highlight of his career.

The day was October, 7th 1984 and the Bears were hosting the Saints at Soldier Field. Many figured that this game would be the one where Payton would break Jim Brown’s record of 12,312 rushing yards. And, as Payton did so many times, he did not disappoint.

It started off looking like Payton may not break the record as the Saints kept him bottled up well during the first half. In the second half, Chicago came out ready to give their beloved star the record.

Needing just three yards, the Bears called the play that would be etched in history, Toss 28 weak. Quarterback Jim McMahon tossed the ball out to Payton and with the help of his blockers, gained six yards on the play.

That gave him the record.

Soldier Field went wild with adoration for Payton. His teammates hugged him and he waved back at the crowd which had just witnessed history.

The record would remain intact until Emmitt Smith broke it in 2002 just a few years after Payton passed away.

Payton kept on racking up the yards until his retirement in 1987. Once he was done with his NFL career, he had a total of 16,726 yards on the ground. He also had the single-game rushing record, 275 yards, which has since been broken.

Those are just a few of the many records that Payton set.

This is also just one moment of many in the long and storied history of the Chicago Bears.