"All of us in the NFL family are saddened by the loss of Walter Payton. He was without a doubt one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Walter exemplified class and all of us in sports should honor him by striving to perpetuate his standard of excellence. Walter was an inspiration in everything he did. The tremendous grace and dignity he displayed in his final months reminded us again why "Sweetness" was the perfect nickname for Walter Payton." -- NFL Commissioner, Paul Tagliabue * * * It's sad to me, because he had a lot greater impact on my life than I had on his. He was the best football player I've ever seen, and probably one of the best people I've ever met. -- former Bears coach, Mike Ditka * * * "After Brian Piccolo died, my husband Ed and I promised ourselves we wouldn't be so personally involved with any of the players. And we were able to follow that resolve until Walter Payton came into our lives." -- Virginia McCaskey, daughter of George Halas and wife of team Chairman Emertius, Ed McCaskey * * * "We were saddened to learn of the passing of Walter Payton. Walter was without a doubt one of the greatest athletes to ever live. The courage and personal strength he demonstrated on the field was exceeded only by the courage and strength he demonstrated off the field as he dealt with his illness." -- John Bankert, Executive Director Pro Football Hall of Fame * * * Walter was the kind of guy you wanted to be around because if you were down, he wouldn't let you stay down. It was his duty to bring humor and light to any situation. As a person, he was one of the guys who was a bright spot wherever darkness appeared. -- former teammate, Mike Singletary * * * "Walter Payton was an inspiration to me by the way he carried himself on the field and off the field." -- Dallas running back Emmitt Smith * * * "Walter was a Chicago icon long before I arrived there. He was a great man off the field, and his on the field accomplishments speak for themselves." -- Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan * * * "As far as I'm concerned, I thought he was the greatest. With the teams he played on, and what he did, missing only one to two games his whole career. And, on top of that, he was just a great guy." -- Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris * * * "When I came into the league I looked up to him, not only as a player, but how he handled himself as a person. He will be missed by everyone who was fortunate to have known him." -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino * * * "He was a great guy, a great human being, a very giving person. It's a real tragedy. We've lost a great man and one of the all-time great football players in the National Football League." -- Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Mora * * * "Walter had fought a long hard fight for several months. Just as in his athletic career, he was courageous every step." -- Butch Davis, coach of the Miami Hurricanes. Payton's son, Jarrett, is a running back at Miami * * * "He meant so much to the city of Chicago. 'Sweetness' - there may not have been a better nickname for a player." -- San Diego Chargers quarterback Jim Harbaugh, a rookie with the Bears in 1987 * * * "Walter is a great man. He was heavily involved in charitable activities, came into Chicago from a small town, small school, not as well known and really always made a great contribution to the community." -- Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green * * * "He broke all the rules -- that you've got to be big and powerful to be a power running back. He left as strong on his last run as he did when he first came into the league." -- Minnesota running back Leroy Hoard

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