Vikings legend Jim Marshall has died. He was 87.
A fourth-round pick of the Browns in 1960, Marshall was traded to the expansion Vikings in 1961. He played there through 1979, until he was days from turning 42.
He started 270 straight games in Minnesota, a record for a defensive player and a record run for any player with one team. Only quarterback Brett Favre (297) started more games in a row.
Along the way, he was a member of four Vikings Super Bowl teams. And he was part of the Purple People Eaters defensive front, along with Gary Larsen, Hall of Famer Alan Page, and Hall of Famer Carl Eller.
The Vikings retired Marshall’s No. 70 and placed him in the team’s Ring of Honor.
Marshall’s most memorable on-field moment came in 1964. In a game against the 49ers, Marshall recovered a fumble by San Francisco running back Billy Kilmer and ran the wrong way, 66 yards to his own end zone. When he tossed the ball out of bounds in celebration, the end result was a safety.
That play came after Marshall had forced a fumble that was returned by Eller for a 45-yard touchdown, giving Minnesota a 10-point lead, 27-17. The Vikings held on to win the game, 27-22.
Marshall has not been inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2023, he was one of 31 under consideration by the Seniors Committee. He was not included in the final list of 12.
We extend our condolences to Marshall’s family, friends, and teammates.
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