New Chicago D-lineman Grady Jarrett has a magical connection with a Bears legend

Walter Payton is one of the three greatest athletes in Chicago sports history, hard stop.

The man we called Sweetness amassed 16,726 rushing yards, placing him second all-time in NFL history (since we’re in the era of the backfield timeshare, it’s doubtful he’ll ever be surpassed); he was an ideal ambassador for the game; and his artistic presence on the field was, y’know, sweet.

The Hall of Famer’s generational numbers, palpable charisma, sublime on-field performances, and general coolness haven’t escaped the attention of Grady Jarrett.

Men of the Year

This from NFL.com:

“The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award recognizes an NFL player for his excellence on and off the field. The award was renamed in 1999 after the late Hall of Fame running back, Walter Payton. Each team nominates one player who has had a significant positive impact on his community, with one winner selected from the 32 nominees.”

It would stand to reason that if you can get a multiple Payton Award nominee in the building, you damn well get the multiple Payton Award nominee in the building—especially in Chicago—and that’s exactly what the Bears have done with newly-acquired defensive lineman Jarrett.

The former Atlanta stalwart—who Chicago signed on day one of the legal tampering period—is a two-time Payton Award nominee, a pair of accolades he considers among his greatest professional achievements, as he explained at his first Bears press conference:

“To be able to walk in a building that’s associated with Walter Payton, I’ve been a two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee, met his family a couple of times. So the pride that I have in the place I didn’t know it really lived in me until I walked into the building. I’m just so fired up.”

If Walter Payton were still with us, he’d be fired up, too.