MEAC/SWAC Challenge introduces Walter Payton Achievement Award in honor of NFL legend; son Jarrett Payton to make presentation at Aug. 29 Kick-Off Banquet

By Mark W. Wright

Payton retired after the 1987 season, having rushed for 16,726 yards.

Payton was inducted into NFL Hall of Fame in 1993.

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge, which features teams from two prominent HBCU (Historically Black College/University) leagues – the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference – will pit Hampton University from the MEAC against Jackson State University of the SWAC. The game will be played Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, Aug. 31, at 2 p.m. ET, telecast live on ESPN2 from the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Payton, who was 45 when he died in 1999 of the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis, put Jackson State on the map when he played for coach Bob Hill in the mid-’70s. A nine-time NFL Pro Bowl selection, Payton (aka “Sweetness”) made his mark with the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1987, high-stepping and stiff-arming defenders to the tune of 16,726 rushing yards. While he ran like none before him for 13 memorable seasons, the award encapsulates his greatness off the field.

“It’s a great honor — a living memorial dedicated to a man who spent his whole life as a true role model on and off the field,” said Eddie Payton, Walter’s older brother who has been the golf coach at Jackson State since 1986. “Earning this award would be the highest accolade a student-athlete can achieve. It says on the field he gets it done; off the field, he’s got character.”

Walter Payton’s son, Jarrett Payton, who last played for the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes, will present the annual award to the honorees, who were selected by a committee consisting of academic advisers and coaches. The award recipients are Jackson State linebacker Marcus Smith and Hampton wide receiver Kevin Teel, both seniors. They will receive the award Friday, Aug. 29, in Orlando at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff Banquet. Doug Williams, former Washington Redskins quarterback and Super Bowl MVP, will be the evening’s keynote speaker.

Jarrett Payton stands next to a photo of his father in his dorm room in 2000.

“This award is special,” said the 27-year-old Jarrett, who was drafted in 2005 by the Tennessee Titans. “When you think about awards being named after someone, you had to have done something significant. My dad finished his degree in three years, which shows that he was a student first and athlete second. He really showed that if you work hard it doesn’t matter where you’re from.”

Teel, an aviation electronics systems major, enters his senior year with a 3.61 GPA. He said he is honored to receive this award, but adds that he has earned it — paying his dues as a little-used special teams player his freshman year and eventually becoming a solid contributor as a wide receiver and All-Conference kick-returner.

Hampton WR Kevin Teel

“Walter Payton was one of the greatest of all time,” said the 21-year-old Teel, who has aspirations of an NFL career. “This is as big an honor as I could ever imagine.”

Adds first-year Hampton coach Jerry Holmes: “Kevin truly fits the mold of a leader. He is on our leadership committee, consisting of captains. In a word, Kevin is solid.”

Jackson State coach Rick Comegy found out how important Marcus Smith was to the team when the linebacker sustained a knee injury last year and missed the entire season. “We were looking for him to be our top defensive player,” the coach said of the criminal justice major. “But he never stayed away. He stayed close to the team, and kept our enthusiasm up. He’s a true bright spot for us — just a classy young man, a leader who guys follow.”

JSU LB Marcus Smith

Eddie Payton said this award carries on the legacy of his brother, whose “Never Die Easy” attitude (also the title of his posthumously published autobiography) exemplified his graceful yet punishing running style. “It’s a day-to-day thing to try to do the things (Walter) wanted to do,” Eddie said. “We try to keep those dreams alive — providing scholarships to kids, letting young people know that the roadmap to success is there, and can be achieved.”

Payton added that the Walter Payton Celebrity Golf Classic, in its eighth year in Tunica, Miss., has thus far put 19 deserving students through college.

The Walter Payton Achievement Award isn’t the first to be named after the NFL Hall of Famer. The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is given annually by the NFL, honoring a player’s volunteer and charity work as well as excellence on the field. The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player in Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA). The common denominator among these awards speaks to Payton’s character.

“He’s happier about his accomplishments off the field than his play on the field,” said Jarrett, who in 2006 co-published Payton, a book about the Payton family, with mother Connie and sister Brittney. “He was always about giving back to kids, and telling them that it’s all about having an opportunity to achieve.”