Inside The Vikings

Former Vikings teammates among many to pay tribute to Jim Marshall

Marshall, one of the greatest players to ever wear a Vikings uniform, passed away at 87 on Tuesday.
Will Ragatz|
Jan 11, 1970; New Orleans, USA; FILE PHOTO; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall (70) on the sideline against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl IV at Tulane Stadium. The Chiefs defeated the Vikings 24-7.
Jan 11, 1970; New Orleans, USA; FILE PHOTO; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall (70) on the sideline against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl IV at Tulane Stadium. The Chiefs defeated the Vikings 24-7. | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Vikings

Tributes have poured in for Jim Marshall since the legendary former Vikings defensive end passed away at 87 years old on Tuesday.

"He was the greatest leader in football that I've ever played with," Fran Tarkenton said in a video. "In all the years of the Vikings, from 1961 to now, there's never been a player leader like Jim Marshall. He's the face of the Vikings. He's the soul of the Vikings."

Marshall spent one season with the Cleveland Browns in 1960 before being traded to the expansion Vikings the following year. He went on to play 19 seasons in Minnesota. The ultimate iron man, Marshall finished his career with 270 consecutive games started, a record that stood for over 30 years until it was broken by Brett Favre.

"Jim Marshall is not dead. He is alive in my heart and in my soul and he will always be my friend," said Carl Eller, Marshall's teammate on the iconic Purple People Eaters defensive line. "He was inspirational to our team. Every week he was ready to go. That's what everybody looked for and waited for."

Marshall was a 14-year Vikings captain. Last year, the franchise unveiled the Jim Marshall Vikings Captains Legacy wall at their facility, with the names of every captain in team history.

"In a franchise flush with Hall of Famers and all-time greats, Jim Marshall stands out as the greatest captain in the history of the Minnesota Vikings," current head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "Jim's legacy will forever serve as a role model for our players, as his commitment to the organization and his teammates was second to none."

Marshall's estimated 130.5 career sacks (which weren't an official stat until 1982) are tied for 22nd-most in NFL history, and his 30 fumble recoveries were a league record at the time of his retirement. With 128 sacks in a Vikings uniform, he trails only Eller (130.5). Despite being just a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro, it's a shame Marshall was never inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame alongside teammates like Eller, Alan Page, and Tarkenton (among others). He was more than deserving of that honor, which could theoretically still come posthumously.

"The credentials are there," said NFL Network reporter and Minneapolis native Steve Wyche. "This is one of the best defensive linemen of all time."

The most famous play of Marshall's career was one where he picked up a fumble and ran 64 yards the wrong way for a safety. But he was so much more than that one gaffe. He was an incredible leader and competitor. He was one of the toughest players to ever play, never missing a game despite playing a physically-demanding position in a violent era of football. He was also an excellent person off of the field.

"The entire Minnesota Vikings organization is mourning the loss of Jim Marshall," the Wilf family ownership group said in a statement. "No player in Vikings history lived the ideals of toughness, camaraderie and passion more than the all-time iron man. A cornerstone of the franchise from the beginning, Captain Jim's unmatched durability and quiet leadership earned the respect of teammates and opponents throughout his 20-year career. Jim led by example, and there was no finer example for others to follow."

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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