The first definitive biography of Chicago Bears superstar Walter Payton, who never let fame ruin his love for the game.

At 5 feet 10 inches tall, running back Walter Payton was not the largest player in the NFL, but he developed a larger-than-life reputation for his strength, speed, and grit. Nicknamed "Sweetness" during his college football days, he became the NFL's all-time leader in rushing and all-purpose yards, capturing the hearts of fans in his adopted Chicago and playing a key role in the Bears' exhilarating 1985 Super Bowl victory.

The first definitive biography of Payton, Sweetness at last brings fans a detailed, scrupulously researched, all-encompassing account of the legend's rise to greatness. From Payton's childhood in segregated Mississippi, where he ended a racial war by becoming the star of his integrated high school's football team, to his college years and his 12-year NFL career, Sweetness brims with stories of all-American heroism. Acclaimed sportswriter Jeff Pearlman also covers Payton's life off the field, including a sparkling marriage and fatherhood, in addition to his unquenchable love of music and dancing (Payton even won a Soul Train contest). Set against the backdrop of the tragic illness that cut his life short at just 45 years of age, this is a stirring tribute to a singular icon and the lasting legacy he made.

Author of the New York Times bestsellers The Bad Guys Won! and Boys Will Be Boys, Jeff Pearlman is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. He lives in New Rochelle, New York.