Hall of Fame Choose a Hall Of Fame Member: Adams, Edward H. Agee, Tommy Alexander, Willie J. Alexander, Jr., Matthew Allen, James Allen, Lamar "Buddy" Ambrose, Ashley Barkham, Jerome Barlow, Reggie Barnes, Emanuel F. Barnes, Leonard C. Barney, Lem Barron, Charles King Beaty, Zelmo Bell, Marshall L. Blake, Jerome Blevins, Harold Blount, Mel Bossier, Hillary Matthew Boston III, Peter Boyd, Dennis "Oil Can" Boyette, Garland D. Brackins, Charlie "Choo-Choo" Braddy, Robert Braden, Warren Bradley, Alonzo Brazile, Robert Brock, Lou Brooks, Dr. James Brown, William Brown, Willie Brown, Vincent Buchanan, Junious "Buck" Buckley, Horace Burrough, Kenneth Cador, Roger Cage-Bibbs, Patricia Carmichael, Harold Casem, Marino H. Caster, Richard Causey-Nelson, Alesha Clark, Dave Clemmons, Hubert O. Collins, Lawrence Conerly, Jessie L. Cooley, Archie Lee Cooper-Dyke, Cynthia Covington, Paul Crump, Samuel Crump, Horace Cummings, Carol V. Currie, Mary Curry, Sr., Roy Daniels, Clem Davenport, Willie Davenport, Adell Davis, Willie Davis, Dr. Lawrence A. Davis, Eddie Davis, Sr., Lawerence A. Dennis III , Albert Dickerson, Parnell Driver, Donald Duncan, Clyde E. Dungee, II, Grant Alan Dunn, C.J. Durley, Alexander Dyer, Judy M. Edney, Norris A. Ellis, Tellis B. Ellis, Kenneth A. Ellis, Wilbert Ellison, Willie Evans, George Patrick Evans, Edward Bertran Feacher, Ricky Fisher, Dr. Dwalah Fisher, Dwight Ford, Audrey Ford, Alphonso "AL" Foster, William "Bill" Francis, Wallace Frank, James Frazier, Severne Frazier, Leslie Freeman-Jackson, Freda Funchess, Tommie Gaddis, Robert “Hitman” Gamble, James Garr, Sr., Ralph A. Gary, William "Bill" Gayles, Felton Gibbs, Sr., Tommy Anthony Giles, Jimmie Gillard, Clifton Glossom, William "Rock" Goldman , Earl Gorden, W.C. Granger, Charlie Granger, Sr., Kevin Green, Tommy L. Greenwood, L.C. Gregory, Shawn Gross, Sr. , Nathaniel Hardy, James Garrick Hardy, Jr., Lonza Hardy-Smith, Bertha Harrington, Perry Harris, Jessie L. Harris, James "Shack" Harvey, Eugene "Doc" Harvey, John Haynes, Marques Henry, Marion Henry, C.D. Hines, Jim Hobdy, Fred Holmes, Ernest “Arrowhead” Holt, Issiac Hooker, Teresa Hopkins, Robert "Bob" Hoskins, Patricia Houston, Kenny Howell, Autrey Lane Hughes, Robert L. Hunter, Lindsey Hunter, James Hurst, Maurice Roy Huston, Regina Wells Ivory, George Jacket, Barbara J. Jackson, Alice Jackson, Harold Jackson, Rich S. Jackson, Lewis Jackson , Shameka Jackson , Patricia James, Sidney James, Aaron Jefferson, Sam Jeuitt, Robert “Rob Jay” Johnson, Avery Johnson, Clifton Johnson, Vannette Johnson, Gary "Big Hands" Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Byron Joiner, Charlie Jones, Ralph W.E. Jones, John H. Jones, Ulysses S. Jones, James "Jimmy" Jones, David "Deacon" Jones, Marion Jones, Rickey Kelley-Washington, Essie Kelly, Harry Knight, Billy E. Ladd, Ernie "The Big Cat" Lee, Robert "Bob" Lee, Melvin P. Leflore, LyVonne Lewis, Frank Lewis, Frank Lockhart, G.H. Long, Fred Love, Robert "Bob" Lovell, Bertram Maddox, Curtis Mann, Marcus L. Mason, Jesse McClelland Sr., Charles McGhee, Ben McGowan, Willie "Rat" McNair, Steve "Air" McNair, Fred McPherson, U.S. Merritt, John Milburn, Rodney Miller, Jr., Cleophus Moody, Sr., Horace “Big M” Moore, Leroy Moore, Jeffery Moreland, Robert Mumford, Arnett W. "Ace" Murray, Edward "Bo" Myles, Richard "M-16" Nance, Roscoe Neal, Charlie Netter, Mildrette Newhouse, Frederick V. Nichols, Walter Nicholson, Collie Nicks, William J. "Billy" Norwood, Willie Oliver, James Onyali, Mary Osborne, James "Jim" Osborne, Dr. John Grandville Paige, Rod Payton, Eddie Payton, Walter Peoples, Jr., John A. Pete, Alicia Lynn Phillips, Willie Pitts, Frank Ponton, Dr. David Porter, Doug Prophet, Charles "Chuck" Provost, Herbert J. Purnell, Franklin Ray, Willie Reed, Willis Reed, Alvin Reed, Walter Rice, Jerry Richardson, Willie Richardson, Pete Riggins, Sr., Earnest E. Robertson, Jr., Isiah Robinson, Eddie G. Robinson, Ashley Robinson, Jr., Eddie Rogers, Steve Maurice Ruth, Charles Sanders, Eugene Sanders, Herman Sapenter-Speight, Debra Seals , Ray Short, Purvis Simmons, Eugene E. Slater, Jackie Smith, Hampton Smith, Larry Smith, Robert Edgar Spears, Charles "Buddy" Spinks, Johnny R. "Jack" Stallworth, John Stebbins, Richard V. Stockard, Sr., Russell L. Stribling, Lafayette Strothers, Eric Swain, Bennie Tatum-Adams, Jocelyn Taylor, Robert Taylor, Jr., Otis Taylor, Jr., Milton Thomas, Dennis Thomas, Johnny L. Tillman, Lewis Totten, Willie “Satellite” Van Richardson, Gloster Walker, Lonnie Walker, Shirley Walls, Everson Walton II, Norman W. Ware, William Washington, Walter Washington, Theodore B. Washington, Levi I. Washington, Jr., Dave Watkins, Lawrence “Larry” Watkins, Jr., Larry Watson, Reuben Weathersby, Davis Weeks, Rickie Wesley, Dante White, Sammie White, Jesse Whitney, Sr., Davey L. Williams, James Williams, Aeneas Williams, Sidney Williams, Carl Williams, Doug Williams, Robert J. Williams , Ella Wilson, Harrison Woods, Michael Wright, Stanley Wright, Larry Wright, Hoover J. Young, Roynell Young, Willie Younger, Paul " Tank" Eddie Payton Class Induction 2007 Sport(s) Football Jackson State Early Life & College Eddie Payton was born August 3, 1951, in Columbia, Mississippi. He attended Jackson State University, where he played football as a running back and return specialist. At Jackson State, he graduated in 1973 with a B.S. in mathematics, health & physical education, and recreation. During his college football career, he earned three-time All-SWAC honors, was a SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, and was selected All-America by Ebony and NAIA. Professional Football Career Eddie signed with the NFL as an undrafted player in 1973 and played five seasons from 1977–1982 for teams including the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings. He was primarily a kickoff and punt returner. In 1980, he led the NFL with 53 kickoff returns totaling 1,184 yards. Notably, while with Detroit, he had a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown (5th longest in franchise history) and an 87-yard punt return (3rd longest in franchise history).