One more year. He didn’t want to announce a farewell tour, but Walter Payton’s one-year contract for $1 million provided a strong hint. Ditka tried to play Anderson and Payton in the same backfield.
Anderson was supposed to be the fullback, even though Payton was the better blocker. Anderson became the go-to guy, outgaining Payton in eight of 12 games. Anderson’s season ended two games early because of a knee injury, so it was back to Payton for the finish. He ended up with only 533 yards in 146 carries, his fewest ever, including the nine-game 1982 strike year.
Besides the 12 games, there were three played by a “replacement” team during another player strike that marred Payton’s final season. When Ditka referred to his replacements as “the real Bears,” it marked the beginning of the coach’s demise in Chicago.
Payton’s career ended with another playoff loss to Washington at Soldier Field, where he gained 85 yards in 18 carries. The Bears’ postseason record in Payton’s tenure was 4-5.
Like his teammates, Payton believed only one Super Bowl victory was an underachievement, but he refused to blame it on quarterback injuries.
“If we had the same attitude, it wouldn’t have mattered who the darn quarterback would have been,” he said. “People say we didn’t win because we didn’t have a quarterback? No, that’s not it. That’s an excuse.”
Team President Michael McCaskey retired Payton’s No. 34 at his final regular-season game at Soldier Field on Dec. 20, the same day Anderson got hurt.
“The hardest part about leaving will be the camaraderie that we have among running backs,” Payton said. “People look at me and Neal and say we’re competing for the same job. I know he wants to play, but we maintain that friendship.”
Fencik retired the same year. He had arrived in Payton’s second season and for 12 years never witnessed anybody else except Payton line up at running back.
“I hate to say we took him for granted,” Fencik said. “But in some ways, how could you not when you saw the guy show up every single week?”
Said McMahon: “Just being part of that was a lot of fun. Handing the ball to Walter and seeing what he did was pretty special.”
———-
January 10, 1988.
Payton’s most productive rushing game of the season is his last — 85 yards in a 21-17 playoff loss to Washington.
1987
ATTEMPTS YARDS AVERAGE TD
146 533 3.7 4
