Jarrett Payton facts for kids
Payton with the Toronto Argonauts in 2009
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| No. 33, 42 | |||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||
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| Born: | December 26, 1980 Arlington Heights, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Saint Viator (Arlington Heights, Illinois) | ||||||
| College: | Miami (FL) | ||||||
| Undrafted: | 2004 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Jarrett Walter Payton (born December 26, 1980) is an American former professional football player. He played as a running back. Jarrett is the son of the legendary football player Walter Payton. He played for teams like the Tennessee Titans in the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Today, Jarrett hosts his own internet radio show called The Jarrett Payton Show.
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Early Life and High School Sports
Jarrett Payton grew up in Illinois. He played both soccer and football at St. Viator High School. In his first two years of high school, he chose to play soccer. He was so good that he earned "All-State player" honors.
As a senior, Jarrett was an amazing football player. He played many positions, including quarterback, tailback, and wide receiver. He gained a total of 2,842 yards. This included 1,088 yards from passing and 1,345 yards from rushing. Experts rated him as one of the top high school players in the nation.
College Football Career
Jarrett Payton played college football at the University of Miami. As a freshman, he played in several games. He rushed for 262 yards and caught six passes. He also returned two kickoffs.
In his second year, he took a "redshirt" year. This means he didn't play in games but still practiced with the team. This allowed him to gain more experience. Later, he moved to playing fullback. He scored two touchdowns in eight games.
In 2002, he played a lot as a tailback. He also returned kickoffs, averaging 20.7 yards per return. In his final year at Miami, Jarrett had a fantastic season. He ran for 985 yards and scored seven touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 136 yards. He was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2004 Orange Bowl.
Professional Football Career
Playing in the NFL and NFL Europe
After college, Jarrett Payton joined the Tennessee Titans in the NFL. In 2005, he played for the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe. He was a key player when the Admirals won the World Bowl XIII championship that year. He was also named to the All-NFL Europe League team.
When he returned to the Titans, he was their third running back. During the 2005 season, he rushed for 105 yards and scored 2 touchdowns. The Titans released him before the 2006 season.
Playing in the CFL
On February 22, 2007, Jarrett signed with the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL. He scored his first CFL touchdown on August 2, 2007. This was against the Toronto Argonauts.
Just a week later, on August 9, 2007, he had his first 100-yard rushing game. He ran for 160 yards and one touchdown against the Calgary Stampeders. Jarrett finished the season with 852 rushing yards. He also scored eight rushing touchdowns, which was fourth-best in the CFL. The Alouettes released him in July 2008.
Payton then signed with the Toronto Argonauts on June 7, 2009. He later asked to be released by the Argonauts in September 2009. He gained 47 all-purpose yards during his time with them. In 2010, he finished his professional playing career with the Chicago Slaughter. This team played in the Indoor Football League. He decided to focus on working with the Walter & Connie Payton Foundation. This foundation helps children in need.
Personal Life and Family
Jarrett Payton is the son of Walter Payton, a legendary running back for the Chicago Bears. Jarrett grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois and South Barrington, Illinois. He has one sister named Brittney. When Jarrett was 12 years old, he gave the speech for his father's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
When he played football, Jarrett often wore jersey number 33. This was because his father's number, 34, was retired in honor of Earl Campbell when Jarrett played for the Titans. Besides football, Jarrett also enjoys recording music.
Jarrett married Trisha George on March 4, 2009, in Florida. They chose this date because "3/4" matches his father's famous jersey number, 34. They had their wedding reception at Soldier Field in Chicago three days later. Jarrett and Trisha have two children, a son named Jaden and a daughter named Madison.
In 2011, Jarrett started the Jarrett Payton Foundation. This foundation works to help young people in the Chicago area. It has two main programs. One is a youth football camp called The Jarrett Payton Leadership Academy. The other is an anti-bullying program called PROJECT: NO BULL.
On May 8, 2015, Jarrett Payton became a sports reporter for WGN-TV. He also hosts a show on Chicagoland Television.
