Death Summary: Payton died months after announcing that he had been diagnosed by a rare liver disease - primary sclerosing cholangitis.

He had been on a list to receive a liver transplant, but by the time he would have been able to be eligible for one, his disease had already advanced too far for the transplant to really help. He died at the age of 45.

Who was Walter Payton: Walter Jerry Payton is considered one of American Football's greatest running backs of all time. He played his entire NFL career with the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1987 managing to win a superbowl with the legendary 1985 team.

Payton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 1993.

He had a son named Jarrett Payton who also went on to play football, playing at teams like the Tennesse Titans and the Amstetdam Admirals. Jarrett wore his father's number #34 in college while playing for the University of Miami.

Categories: Sports.