Did Chicago Bears great Walter Payton have a serious brain injury – one that was never really diagnosed and acknowledged? Did some of the moves he made as a running back on the field contribute to a dark side that led him to have suicidal tendencies, depression and an addiction to painkillers?

Through our law practice, we know all too well the causes and effects of brain injuries. It comes as no surprise to us that there are questions swirling around the release of sportswriter Jeff Pearlman’s new book, Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton. Why didn’t Pearlman address whether Payton, who died in 1999 from liver cancer, suffered from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy)?

Some have called for Payton’s body to be exhumed and his brain studied to determine if he had a brain injury. That probably won’t happen, and it may not be necessary. Think about it; the guy had 3,838 carries during his career. That’s more than enough hits to have a long-term effect.

The Walter we knew, loved and admired had a sweet side. He was a charmer, a prankster and by all accounts, a good dad. He also had a dark side that is only now beginning to surface. He fathered a child out of wedlock and could throw an occasional temper tantrum, dispelling the myth that he had no flaws.

After he retired at age 33, his life began spinning out of control. He wondered aloud if life was worth living, but Walter would never have sought therapy. No way. It probably never occurred to him.

When all is said and done, what emerges from the book is a brilliant football player with an Achilles heel. He was human and, like all of us, had human failings. What we learn about him is disappointing, but on some level, we understand. We feel compassion for a man who had so much, who gave so much, but who was haunted by demons until the very end.