Two legendary running backs added another Hall of Fame to their resumes on Tuesday.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) announced that Walter Payton and Thurman Thomas will be inducted into its National Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022 later this year. Both men are already members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.
Below are descriptions of both men on the NFHS website:
Walter Payton
Before the late Walter Payton became one of the greatest running backs in National Football League history for the Chicago Bears, he was a multi-sport – and activity – star at Jefferson and then Columbia High School in Columbia, Mississippi. Regarded as one of the top athletes in Mississippi history, Payton also was drawn to music at a young age. He was an accomplished piano player, gifted dancer and played drums four years in his high school’s band. In fact, Payton did not play football until his junior year; however, he quickly made up for lost time, running for 65 yards and a touchdown on his first carry. After moving from the all-black Jefferson High School to Columbia High School in the middle of his junior season, Payton scored on touchdown runs of 87 and 62 yards in his first game at Columbia. Payton led the conference in scoring and rushing and a senior, was named the conference’s best back and was selected to the all-state team. Payton averaged 18 points per game in basketball, played baseball and won the long jump in the state track and field meet. Payton was a two-time All-American at Jackson State University and led the nation in scoring in 1973. In 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears (1975-87), Payton rewrote the NFL record books with 16,726 yards rushing and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. He died in 1999 at the age of 45.
from NFHS
19 Dec 1970, Sat Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) Newspapers.comThurman Thomas
Before he gained nationwide fame at Oklahoma State University and with the Buffalo Bills, Thurman Thomas was one of the top running backs in the history of Texas high school football at Willowridge High School in Houston. In three varsity seasons, Thomas rushed for 3,918 yards and 48 touchdowns and helped Willowridge amass a 39-3 record, which included two appearances in the Texas University Interscholastic League Conference 4A state football championship game. After losing in the title game in Thomas’ sophomore season, Willowridge returned to the championship game in 1982 on the strength of Thomas’ 1,556 rushing yards and defeated Corsicana High School for the state title in only the school’s third year of existence. Despite missing three games in his senior season due to injury, Thomas still bettered his junior total with 1,573 yards rushing and helped Willowridge to a 12-1 record before losing in the state quarterfinals. Thomas also played defensive back, returned kicks, played on special teams and rarely came off the field. He also ran track and field and played basketball and was named Athlete of the Decade for the 1980s by the Houston Chronicle. Thomas is the all-time leading rusher in Oklahoma State University history with 4,847 yards and with the Buffalo Bills (12,074 yards) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
from NFHS
19 Dec 1982, Sun The Marshall News Messenger (Marshall, Texas) Newspapers.comBoth men will be inducted on July 1 at the 39th induction ceremony of the National High School Hall of Fame that will be held at the NFHS Summer Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
