Could 2023 Finally Be the Year Vikings Legend Jim Marshall Gets Into the Hall of Fame?
It remains a travesty that Jim Marshall, one of the greatest players to ever wear a Minnesota Vikings uniform, isn't a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Perhaps 2023 is the year that finally changes. At least we can hope.
Marshall is among 25 Senior semifinalists for induction in the Class of 2023, a group that was announced on Thursday. It's a star-studded list that includes big names like Ken Anderson, Sterling Sharpe, Otis Taylor, and Everson Walls. Each of the 25 players last played in the NFL no later than the 1996 season.
The Hall of Fame's 12-person Seniors Committee will now vote to send 12 of the 25 players through to the finalists round, which will be announced on July 27th. From there, they will meet in mid-August to select up to three Seniors for final consideration to go into the Hall, where they'd need 80 percent of the vote to get in.
In years past, there was a limit of one Senior inductee per class. But earlier this year, the Hall approved expansion that allows up to three Senior inductees in the classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025. That could be good news for Marshall.
An argument can be made that no player epitomizes Minnesota Vikings football more than Marshall. After one season with the Browns, Marshall spent the next 19 seasons (1961-1979) with the Vikings. He was the ultimate iron man, setting records (at the time) for consecutive games played (282) and consecutive starts (270). To do that as a defensive lineman is truly remarkable and might be one of the more under-appreciated feats in NFL history.
Marshall still holds both records among defensive players. His consecutive games streak ranks third all-time, behind punter Jeff Feagles and quarterback Brett Favre. His starts streak ranks second, behind only Favre. To put Marshall's 270 consecutive starts into context, no other defensive player in the league's history has more than 215.
Marshall's 130.5 career sacks in 20 seasons are tied for 22nd-most in NFL history. 16 of the top 25 players on the all-time sacks leaderboard are in the Hall of Fame, and that number will become 18 when Julius Peppers and Terrell Suggs undoubtedly get in when they're eligible. Jared Allen and DeMarcus Ware, two other members of that top 25, might also end up getting in. Marshall's 128 sacks with the Vikings trails only former teammate Carl Eller, who had 130.5.
Simply put, Marshall deserves to be a Hall of Famer. Even though he was a Pro Bowler only twice (1968 and 1969), an All-Pro three times (1964, '68, and '69), and had just four seasons with 10-plus sacks, his importance and productivity goes beyond sack numbers. Marshall was a key member of the Purple People Eaters defensive line with Eller, Alan Page, and Gary Larsen, playing in four Super Bowls with the Vikings. His 30 career fumble recoveries trails only Rod Woodson among defensive players all-time. And Marshall's durability, toughness, and leadership shouldn't be overlooked.
Plus, it's important to remember that Marshall racked up his sacks in an era with 14-game seasons and fewer passing attempts. From 1962 to 1971, he recorded 92.5 sacks in 140 games (9.25 per season). That's equivalent to averaging 10.6 sacks per season for ten years in an era of 16-game seasons, and his numbers would've been much higher if he played in a more pass-heavy era of football.
Marshall is perhaps best-known nationally for his infamous wrong-way run in 1964, but Vikings fans of a certain age know how dominant he was and how important he was to some of the best teams in franchise history.
The Vikings retired Marshall's No. 70 in 1999, and he's a member of their Ring of Honor. He was a Hall of Fame finalist in 2004, but didn't get in.
It's long past time for Jim Marshall to be in the Hall of Fame. Hopefully he makes the cut as a Senior inductee in 2023, 2024, or 2025.
As a side note: there are two other Senior semifinalists who played for the Vikings. Running back Roger Craig, best known for his time with the 49ers, finished his career with the Vikings in 1992 and '93. Offensive lineman Chris Hinton, who spent most of his career with the Colts and Falcons, played his final two seasons with the Vikings in 1994 and '95.
Good luck to Craig and Hinton as well as Marshall in the next round of voting.
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