NFL

Walter Payton

Chicago Bears running back and Pro Football Hall of Fame member

6 sourced records. Each exercise has a top recorded mark and its evidence. Check the date, age, effort and method before you compare.

Walter Payton bench press

Walter Payton's recorded bench press is 390 lb. Performance date: 1985-08-13. Age at the time: 31. The effort is unknown. The source at latimes.com gives this mark. Source type: news report. Confidence is medium.

Compare your bench press with Walter Payton

Chicago Bears, 1985 training camp

Source quote and limits

“bench-pressing 390 pounds”

Payton Would Like to Add Super Bowl to List of His Credits

The AP report states this load and current bodyweight together. The date is the publication date. Lift date, repetitions and max status are not stated.

1985
- Bench press390 lb
  Effort unknownChicago Bears, 1985 training camp
  News report, latimes.com1985-08-13 · age 31medium confidence
  Quote and details
  “bench-pressing 390 pounds”
  Payton Would Like to Add Super Bowl to List of His CreditsBodyweight 202 lb

Walter Payton deadlift

Walter Payton's recorded deadlift is 625 lb. Performance date: 1975. Age at the time: 20–21. The effort is unknown. The source at news.wttw.com gives this mark. Source type: book. Confidence is low.

Compare your deadlift with Walter Payton

Chicago Bears, early in his career (biography narrative)

Source quote and limits

“dead-lifted 625 pounds”

Jeff Pearlman on "Sweetness"

The excerpt from Jeff Pearlman’s 2011 biography places the completed deadlift in the 1975 rookie-camp account. The book gives no repetition count, max claim or bodyweight for this lift. The biography states the lift without a witness or occasion; it is not tied to the 1975 camp tests.

1975
- Deadlift625 lb
  Effort unknownChicago Bears, early in his career (biography narrative)
  Book, news.wttw.com1975 · age 20–21low confidence
  Quote and details
  “dead-lifted 625 pounds”
  Jeff Pearlman on "Sweetness"

Walter Payton dips

Walter Payton's recorded dips is 65 reps. Performance date: 1975. Age at the time: 20–21. This was an official test. The source at news.wttw.com gives this mark. Source type: book. Confidence is medium.

Compare your dips with Walter Payton

Chicago Bears rookie training camp · Chicago Bears rookie, 1975 training camp

Source quote and limits

“gets to sixty-five”

Jeff Pearlman on "Sweetness"

The excerpt from Jeff Pearlman’s 2011 biography places this account at the 1975 Bears rookie camp. Steve Marcantonio recalls the required team physical test. Payton reached 65 consecutive bodyweight dips. No higher count is reported.

1975
- Dips65 reps
  Official testChicago Bears rookie, 1975 training camp
  Book, news.wttw.com1975 · age 20–21medium confidence
  Quote and details
  “gets to sixty-five”
  Jeff Pearlman on "Sweetness"Chicago Bears rookie training camp

Walter Payton Leg press (machine not stated)

Walter Payton's recorded Leg press (machine not stated) is 700 lb. Latest year of a range: 1987. The recorded effort was a max or PR. The source at encyclopedia.com gives this mark. Source type: book. Confidence is low.

Chicago Bears running back

Source quote and limits

“Walter Payton could bench-press 390 pounds, leg-press more than 700 pounds”

Walter Jerry Payton | Encyclopedia.com

Floor: the source says 'more than 700 pounds'. No date, reps or machine; stored at the end of his NFL career (1975-1987). Found through a Gemini Deep Research report (batch of 2026-10-30).

1987
- Leg press (machine not stated)700 lb
  Max or PRChicago Bears running back
  Book, encyclopedia.com1987low confidence
  Quote and details
  “Walter Payton could bench-press 390 pounds, leg-press more than 700 pounds”
  Walter Jerry Payton | Encyclopedia.com

Walter Payton Seated machine military press

Walter Payton's recorded Seated machine military press is 310 lb × 3. Performance date: 1975. Age at the time: 20–21. This was an official test. The source at news.wttw.com gives this mark. Source type: book. Confidence is medium.

Chicago Bears rookie training camp · Chicago Bears rookie, 1975 training camp

Source quote and limits

“three hundred and ten pounds”

Jeff Pearlman on "Sweetness"

Mark Nordquist recalls the 1975 Bears military-press test. The pin on the weight stack was set at 310 pounds. Payton sat on the stool and completed three repetitions. Nordquist states Payton’s bodyweight as 205 pounds. This is the stated machine-stack load; the machine leverage is unknown.

1975
- Seated machine military press310 lb × 3
  Official testChicago Bears rookie, 1975 training camp
  Book, news.wttw.com1975 · age 20–21medium confidence
  Quote and details
  “three hundred and ten pounds”
  Jeff Pearlman on "Sweetness"Chicago Bears rookie training campBodyweight 205 lb

Walter Payton Long jump

Walter Payton's recorded Long jump is 275.2 in. Latest year of a range: 1971. This was a competition result. The source at encyclopedia.com gives this mark. Source type: book. Confidence is medium.

Mississippi high school track, senior season · Columbia High School senior

Source quote and limits

“stretched his long jump record to 22-feet-11-and-1/4-inches”

Walter Jerry Payton | Encyclopedia.com

22 ft 11.25 in. Senior year 1970-71; meet not named, so the date is the end of the school year. Wikipedia gives the same mark ('three-quarters of an inch short of 23 feet'). Found through a Gemini Deep Research report (batch of 2026-10-30).

Long jump history. Methods and conditions can differ between records.
Date	Competition / season and method	Value	Unit	Source
1971	Mississippi high school track, senior seasonLong jump	275.2	in	encyclopedia.commedium confidence Evidence Book; Competition; latest year of a range 1971. Walter Jerry Payton \| Encyclopedia.com Columbia High School senior “stretched his long jump record to 22-feet-11-and-1/4-inches” 22 ft 11.25 in. Senior year 1970-71; meet not named, so the date is the end of the school year. Wikipedia gives the same mark ('three-quarters of an inch short of 23 feet'). Found through a Gemini Deep Research report (batch of 2026-10-30).

Compare your bench press Submit evidence for Walter Payton

Photo: Jeno's, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped.