By John Turney
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| Credit: Merv Corning |
Early in his career Walter Payton would occasionally line up as a split end and run a go, a slant or other routes isolated as the "X" receiver—the split end.
Here are just a few examples—
Walter on a "go"
On a slant
Motioning to the split end position
Certainly, he didn't do this a ton but it is more proof that Payton was as versatile a back as there ever has been. In the 1990s and 2000s we had Marshall Faulk who was a great runner, a great receiver out of the backfield, and could also run wide receiver routes as well as pass block with the best running backs ever.
The offenses Payton played in didn't lend itself to a lot of 4-wide or 5-wide like Faulk's so he didn't get as many opportunities to catch passes from out wide or even in slot positions but he could do it when asked.
Payton was a back for all ages. Would be huge star today, was a huge star in his own era. He had all the skills. All of them.
Watching Walter finish a run or block was a great joy to watch. Considering he only missed ONE game his whole career, he would shake his head in disbelief the way players are in and out of the lineups these days.
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