walter payton

According to a revised book, Chicago Bears player Walter Payton abused painkillers in retirement and became suicidal.

Jeff Pearlman says the Hall of Fame running back used a cocktail of Tylenol and Vicodin in retirement, kept tanks of nitrous oxide in his garage and even obtained Ritalin from a friend whose son was prescribed pills. Pearlman writes that Payton drew the suspicion of pharmacists and a warning from the police after visiting many drugstores to get dentist's prescription for morphine filled.

Payton's longtime agent, Bud Holmes, is quoted as saying "Walter was pounding his body with medication."

The book will available in market for sale Oct. 4. An excerpt appears in this week's Sports described.

Holmes and Payton's executive assistant, Ginny Quirk, recall receiving suicidal calls at all hours during the mid-1990s, and Pearlman reports Payton was living apart from his wife Connie and having extramarital affairs after retirement. That created suspicious situation at his 1993 Hall of Fame induction, with Connie and his mistress attending.

Quirk gave statement it was her job to keep them apart.

"The joining Pro Football Hall of Fame is supposed to be the biggest moment in his life," Quirk says. "And in truth, it was probably the worst.. Four full days, and Lita and Connie were like two ships passing in the night. If Connie was decided to come late, I'd make sure Lita came early. If Connie was there early, Lita might be there late. I can't describe the horror of that trip."

Payton played 13 years for Bears and retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher after the 1987 season. He died from a rare liver disease and bile duct cancer in 1999.

In a statement, the Bears said Payton's is lives in their hearts.

"When we comes in field each Sunday, we represent the great players like Walter who helped build the rich tradition of our organization," the organization said. "Nothing is going to change our feelings for a man we have the lot of respect for and miss having around Halas Hall to this day."