The Chicago Bears will play their longtime rival, the Green Bay Packers, on Sunday. The hype is in full swing throughout the Windy City and, of course, on 104.3 The Score.
Co-host Jarrett Payton, the son of the late Walter Payton, shared family memories of what his father did before a big game against the Packers, per 104.3 The Score. Essentially, his father wouldn't speak at the dinner table because he was hyper-focused on the task at hand.
“We'd be sitting there at dinner, and everybody's quiet because he was so locked in,” Payton said.
The Bears and Packers are one of the fiercest rivalries in sports, with no love lost on either side.
Throughout his career, Walter Payton dominated the Packers. He posted a 17-7 record from 1975 to 1987. Additionally, Payton recorded 2,484 rushing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 54 receptions.
Payton was a beloved member of the Bears family, and his stellar play off the field and gentle demeanor on the field earned him the nickname “Sweetness.” At one point, he led the NFL in all-time rushing.
In 1993, Payton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Jarrett, then 13, introduced him. In November 1999, Payton passed away at the age of 45 due to liver cancer.
Jarrett played football at the University of Miami (FL) from 1999 to 2003 before playing for the Tennessee Titans in 2004. In 2015, Jarrett became a reporter for WGN-TV and joined 104.3 The Score alongside David Haugh in August 2026, replacing Mike “Mully” Mulligan.
The Bears and Packers kick off on Sunday at Lambeau Field at 12:00 pm CST/1:00 pm EST.