The Top 10 running backs in Chicago Bears history

2. Gale Sayers

Any list of players who saw great careers cut short by injury must include Sayers. For all intens and purposes, his career in the NFL lasted five years due to knee injuries and archaic medical technology available at the time. Those five years were so special that he madethe Hall of Fame off that stretch alone. He may have been the best offensive player in the NFL during the 1960s.

Sayers' rookie year still may be the best ever. Despite touching the ball just 232 times as a rusher, receiver, and returner, he scored 22 touchdowns. Essentially, he scored once every 10 times he touched the ball. If you can imagine it, the "Kansas Comet" used legendary speed and elusiveness to improve from there.

Sayers was an All-Pro in all of his first five seasons, leading the league in rushing twice and finishing in the top five in MVP Voting every year. Had Sayers been able to have a full 12-year career, there's a very good chance he would have not only been No. 1 on this list, but the best running back in league history.

1. Walter Payton

Many to this day will still argue that Payton is the greatest running back in NFL history, and they might not be wrong. Despite playing most of his career with wretched quarterbacks and the knowledge every team went into games exclusively trying to figure out how to stop him, the Jackson State legend put up historic numbers.

The 1977 NFL MVP, Payton was a nine-time Pro Bowler and eight-time All-Pro in 12 years. Payton, who was often the Bears chief receiving threat in his prime, ran for 1,300 yards in a season nine times and had four seasons in excess of 2,000 yards from scrimmage.

Payton, who retired as the league's all-time leading rusher, passed away at just 46 years old, leaving an immense hole in the foundation of this franchise that can never truly be filled. His life and legacy are treasured by every Bears fan, as his records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns will likely never be broken.

The 3 best running backs in Bears history by rushing touchdowns