5 times WWE worked with NFL players

#4. Walter Payton had Razor Ramon's back at WWE SummerSlam 1994

When WWE brought SummerSlam to Chicago, IL in 1994, Razor Ramon had a problem.

Ramon had retained his Intercontinental Championship against Shawn Michaels in a classic ladder match at WrestleMania X. However, it wasn't long after that he lost the belt to Michaels' bodyguard, Diesel. However, attempting to regain the championship proved problematic for Razor, mostly due to interference from Michaels during his rematches.

So, for his bout at SummerSlam, the Bad Guy needed someone in his corner. But not just anyone. He needed someone with integrity. He needed someone with toughness. He needed a Chicago legend.

He needed the late NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton. And "Sweetness" was more than willing to lend a hand.

Payton was, and is, considered one of the greatest NFL running backs (if not one of the greatest players, period) of all time. In 1985, he and the Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX and, just the year prior to SummerSlam, the Bears retired his jersey number, #34. He was also elected to the NFL Hall of Fame that same year.

A tireless and selfless advocate for charity himself, the NFL's Man of the Year award - which is awarded annually to one NFL player for their own volunteer work in their community - was renamed the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award in his honor. The league itself has called the award their "most prestegious honor," and has been awarded to such names as Eli Manning, Drew Brees, and J.J. Watt.

Even his actions during SummerSlam 94's Intercontinental Championship match were classy. Payton was there to keep an eye on Michaels and lend Razor support, both of which he did fantastically. He it all without laying a hand on anybody (though he did chase Shawn around the ring a little). In fact, his biggest contribution to the match was informing the referee of an exposed turnbuckle that Michaels had removed the padding from.

Sadly, Payton passed away five years after contracting primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare liver disease. He would spend the final years of his life tirelessly working to encourage others to become organ donors - even though he, himself, was medically past the point where a liver transplant would have saved him. Clearly, Walter Payton was a class act until the end.