Few names are more tied to the game of football than Payton. For 13 seasons, Walter Payton was a dashing, flamboyant, and charismatic personality who dominated opponents on the field. In a city known for grit and hard work, he commanded the attention and hearts of Chicagoans, earning the name “Sweetness.” The legacy Walter Payton established in Chicago laid the foundation for his son, Jarrett Payton, to build upon.
Following a short-lived NFL career, Jarrett Payton began his journey to craft his own legacy in the “Windy City.” His greatest legacy would come from what he built off the field. He began hosting his own radio program on the internet before shifting to afternoon drive on an FM sports talk outlet called 87.7 The Game. But Payton landed his biggest break in 2015 when WGN Television hired him as a sports reporter and host.
For more than a decade, Payton built his own brand by bringing the stories of Chicago sports into the homes of millions.
“WGN will always be my home. That’s my family. When you do something for so long, sometimes you get into a rhythm. That’s not a bad thing,” said Payton, who announced his departure from WGN in July. “It was definitely easier when I was younger and my kids were younger to do what I was doing. But the main goal for me was to find ways to be around my family more those last two years I was there.”
As competitive as Payton is, he’s a family man first. With two young children beginning to grow into adolescence, he said he searched for ways to remain in the media while spending more time with his family.
“Everyone in that profession talks about how much they miss with their families. It puts a strain on all your relationships, even with your own kids. I didn’t see them at all. I told myself I can’t keep doing this because I’m missing out on way too much,” explained Payton.
The Journey To The Score
While television wasn’t his first passion, the profession grew on Payton. He built connections with players, personnel, and executives and became a respected voice for Chicago sports fans. But with the balance he wanted between work and family, Payton began searching for a new challenge, a new season in his life that could drive his competitive spirit to another level.
Then came the opportunity.
After 104.3 The Score parted ways with longtime morning show host Mike Mulligan and midday host Marshall Harris, Payton took notice. As a longtime contributor to the station and devoted listener, he says the opportunity came at the perfect time in his life.
“I’ve always been in constant contact because I’ve been a longtime contributor with The Score. I can’t even tell you the timetable because it all happened so quickly. When the opportunity arose, it fit perfectly in my life. You have to take advantage of those opportunities when they come into your life,” explains Payton.
Once he was presented with the opportunity, Payton says it took less than two weeks for his family to make the decision together.
“It was just trying to figure out if this was really going to happen. Does it fit well with what we’re going to do as a family? It was a decision that all four of us made together,” said Payton. “My kids were the catalyst for me making a change. They just wanted me home more. Sometimes when you get caught up with work, your brain isn’t always thinking about that. Now, it makes sense.”
Now, Payton’s work schedule allows more time with his family. For the first time in a decade, he can have dinner at home every night and attend more practices and family functions. Despite the way his prior sports radio experience ended with 87.7 The Game, Payton didn’t feel any sense of unfinished business.
Instead, he credits the experience of working alongside former Chicago sports radio hosts Harry Teinowitz and Spike Manton with laying the foundation for his approach to radio today.
The New Guy
As he entered his first day co-hosting mornings with David Haugh on The Score, Payton felt the pressure that comes with a new beginning. Following news of Mulligan’s departure, a fixture in the daypart for almost two decades, reaction was loud and widespread across social media.
“Mike Mulligan is a legend when it comes to sports in general in Chicago. I know how much he’s loved because I listened. It’s always tough when someone loses their job. It’s even tougher when you’re a part of that combination,” said Payton. “That was one of the things that kept me up at night. I have no control over that. All I can control is me. The hardest part was my respect level for him is through the roof, and it’s always tough in those situations.”
Change is hard, and Payton knows that firsthand. He also understands the emotions and difficulties that come with being separated from your passion. Payton was cut before the 2006 NFL season after a second opportunity with the Tennessee Titans. One day, he hopes to connect with Mulligan and have a conversation with him about his legacy in the Chicago market.
Entering the first week of the new program, Payton understood the difficulties of being the fresh face in a proven and successful formula. What helped prepare him for that challenge were the conversations he had with the team at the station, especially his new co-host, David Haugh.
“We talked a lot. His door is always open, and he told me that. So, we talked through it. Everything that we talked about, it’s starting to happen now,” said Payton. “We knew we had to fight through that first week, then we’ll start hitting our groove. It’s all happened.”
Payton says the validation began to sink in during his first tailgate at a Chicago Bears game in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings. As he walked around the parking lots at Soldier Field, he heard feedback from Bears fans about the new program with Haugh.
“I was the new guy. I got thrust into this opportunity, and they’ve been together for a long time. For me, it was about finding out how I fit in. The only way I know how to do that is be myself. That’s what I’ve done, and I feel like we’ve bonded and are having fun,” notes Payton. “I really want to cement myself and my legacy in sports media here in Chicago. All the people that came before me, I am so grateful for them laying the foundation for what I’m doing now.”
Building His Own Legacy
Understanding the new show may not be for everyone, Payton doesn’t wallow in negative feedback. As someone who has lived in the public eye for as long as he has, he’s accustomed to not pleasing everyone. However, what he hopes to bring is a true reflection of himself and his own thoughts.
In the opinion business, Payton says he hasn’t compromised at all, regardless of the weight his last name carries in the Chicago market.
“My thing is I’m going to be true to who I am. I’m always going to be honest about how I feel,” said Payton. “When I’m speaking, I hope I’m speaking for the fans. Hopefully when you do say something, you have a loud enough microphone that you’re being heard. If I’m being heard, the fans are being heard as well.”
For Jarrett Payton, this chapter isn’t about trying to live up to someone else’s legacy. It’s about continuing to create one of his own.
The Payton name will always carry enormous weight in Chicago, but Jarrett has spent his career carving out an identity that extends well beyond his father’s accomplishments on the football field. Now, with a new opportunity alongside Haugh at The Score, he has found a place that brings together his experience, personality and passion for Chicago sports while keeping him home for the moments that matter most.
“I never get into everything to go for twenty to thirty years. But where we’re at right now, I’m looking forward to building something with David [Haugh] for the long haul. I look forward to seeing what we can create,” said Payton. “I’m having the time of my life right now.”
There is still plenty for Payton to accomplish. He knows the expectations that come with the name, the scrutiny that comes with entering a new role, and the history of those who occupied the microphone before him. Rather than shy away from any of it, he’s embracing the opportunity.
For more than a decade, Payton brought Chicago sports into the homes of fans through television. Now, he’s back behind the microphone, looking to build something that belongs entirely to him.
The next chapter of the Payton legacy in Chicago is underway. This time, Jarrett Payton is writing it himself.
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