The rookie card of one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, this 1976 Topps #148 introduces Walter "Sweetness" Payton as a young star with the Chicago Bears. Payton is pictured in a close-up portrait in his navy mesh jersey, with a warm, confident smile, framed by the set's yellow border and a green football-shaped "Bears" team emblem at lower left. The reverse notes that Walter "capped an outstanding rookie season in 1975 by leading the Bears in rushing and touchdowns & winning the NFL kickoff return crown with 444 yards on 14 tries for a 31.7 average," and recalls that he set the NCAA scoring record with 464 points at Jackson State.

That rookie campaign launched one of the most celebrated careers in league history. Payton retired in 1987 as the NFL's all-time leading rusher with 16,726 yards, earned nine Pro Bowl selections and the 1977 NFL MVP, and helped lead the 1985 Bears to a dominant victory in Super Bowl XX. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, and the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award honors his legacy of excellence and community service.

This example has been graded EX-MT 6 by PSA (cert. #160333634). The card offers bright color, a clean, attractive portrait and wear consistent with the assigned grade. As one of the most important football rookie cards of the 1970s, it is a must-have for Bears fans and vintage football collectors.