The greatness of Walter Payton was fully exhibited during one special run in the autumn of 1977. Playing against Kansas City at Chicago’s Soldier Field, the Bears were down 17-0 in the third quarter with the ball in Chiefs territory. On a sweep, Payton took a handoff and headed outside to the right, but was cut off. He spun back toward the middle, broke a tackle, and then another, before encountering a mass of players at the 20. Payton shrugged off another tackle, surged for a few more yards, and was hit head-on by a defender, whom Payton lowered his helmet into and bounced off, finding space and sprinting toward the end zone before getting tackled at the 4. Payton would subsequently score a touchdown, one of three for him during a second half in which the Bears came back to win, 28-27. While only an 18-yard run, this play showcased the power, resilience, and physical grace that helped Payton produce the best season in his Hall of Fame career: he rushed for 1,852 yards and 14 touchdowns.