
Vikings' Purple People Eater Jim Marshall, the 'all-time iron man,' dies at 87
Article content
The Vikings announced Marshall's death on behalf of his wife, Susan. The native of Kentucky, who played at Ohio State and was drafted in 1960 by the Cleveland Browns, played 19 of his 20 seasons in the NFL with Minnesota. The two-time Pro Bowl pick set a league record for position players with 282 consecutive regular-season games played, a mark held by Marshall until quarterback Brett Favre broke it, coincidentally, with the Vikings in 2010.
Article content
Article content
'No player in Vikings history lived the ideals of toughness, camaraderie and passion more than the all-time iron man,' Vikings owners Mark Wilf and Zygi Wilf said in a statement distributed by the team. '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. His impact on the Vikings was felt long after he left the field. Jim will always be remembered as a tremendous player and person. Our hearts are with his wife, Susan, and all of Jim's loved ones.'
Article content
Though sacks weren't officially tracked by the NFL until 1982, Pro Football Reference recently completed a retroactive compilation of the primary pass-rushing statistic and credited Marshall with 130 1/2 sacks, which is tied for 22nd all-time. Two other Purple People Eaters rank ahead of him: Alan Page (148 1/2) is eighth, and Carl Eller (133 1/2) is tied for 18th.
Article content
The Iron Man of Pro Football.
💜 Jim pic.twitter.com/slnIpwXyQq
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) June 3, 2025
Article content
Marshall remains the NFL career record-holder, now tied with Jason Taylor, for opponent fumbles recovered with 29. One of those infamously came on Oct. 25, 1964, at San Francisco when, after the Vikings forced 49ers running back Billy Kilmer to cough up the ball, Marshall scooped it up and scampered 66 yards into the end zone _ the wrong way.
Article content
After he tossed the ball in the air and turned toward the touchdown celebration with his teammates he was expecting, Marshall stopped in his tracks and put his hands on his hips in disbelief upon realizing he'd cost his team a safety. The Vikings went on to win 27-22.
Article content
'It took a lot of guts for me to go back on that field, because I took football very seriously and I had made the biggest mistake that you could probably make,' Marshall once said in an interview with NFL Films for a segment on the NFL's worst plays.
Article content
Marshall took the gaffe in stride, a graciousness made easier by his stature on the team and within the league. Long a favourite of hard-nosed head coach Bud Grant, Marshall played through the 1979 season, his final game coming two weeks before his 42nd birthday.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Flames, smoke cause significant damage to Inglewood home; two animals die in fire
Two pets died, but four people escaped a house fire in Inglewood on Tuesday afternoon. Two pets died, but four people escaped a house fire in Inglewood on Tuesday afternoon. Smoke was billowing from the home when firefighters arrived at New Place S.E. around 2:30 p.m. Four people escaped the home, but two cats and a snake were missing. Only one cat was later found alive. Investigators say the fire started in the basement and that damage to the home is significant. The cause is not yet known. It's also not yet known whether there were working smoke alarms in the house.


National Post
4 hours ago
- National Post
Royals starter Rich Hill ties record by pitching for 14th MLB team
CHICAGO — Rich Hill became the oldest active player in baseball when he started against the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday night after the Kansas City Royals selected the 45-year-old from triple-A Omaha. Article content In corresponding moves, the Royals optioned right-hander Andrew Hoffman to Omaha and designated outfielder Tyler Gentry for assignment. Article content Article content Hill's start at Wrigley Field marked the debut of his 21st season in the majors and his first with Kansas City. The Royals are his 14th major-league team, matching Edwin Jackson's record. Article content Hill became the oldest player to start a major-league game since May 27, 2012, when lefty Jamie Moyer tossed his final game with Colorado at age 49. Article content Royals manager Matt Quatraro said there was no pitch-count limitation on Hill, noting the left-hander was 'built up' and had been in the 90-pitch range at Omaha. Article content 'Well, it speaks to his drive, right?' Quatraro said. 'He's played this game forever and clearly he's not doing it for the money or being a big leaguer. He's doing it because he loves it and because he can still be good at it.' Article content Article content At 45 years and 133 days, Hill became the oldest player in Royals history, passing Hall-of-Fame right-hander Gaylord Perry, who appeared in two games with Kansas City in 1983 after he turned 45. Article content The 6-foot-5 Hill began his career with the Cubs, making his big-league debut with a one-inning relief appearance against the Florida Marlins on June 15, 2005. He gave up two runs and three hits. Article content Hill had been at Omaha after signing a minor-league free-agent deal with the Royals in May. He was 4-4 with a 5.36 ERA in nine starts at Omaha. Article content He made 11 postseason starts during his four years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including two World Series starts in 2017 and another in 2018. He went 11-5 during the latter regular season. Article content


Toronto Sun
6 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Browns place Watson on PUP list with QB expected to miss NFL season
Published Jul 22, 2025 • 1 minute read FILE - Cleveland Browns' Deshaun Watson responds to questions during a news conference after the team's NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Cleveland, Sept. 8, 2024. Photo by Sue Ogrocki / AP BEREA, Ohio — Deshaun Watson was placed on the physically unable to perform list by the Cleveland Browns as veterans reported to training camp on Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Watson could potentially miss the entire 2025 season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in January. That occurred just three months after he initially injured it against Cincinnati. Watson is 9-10 since being acquired by Cleveland in 2023 with 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 80.7 passer rating. Owner Jimmy Haslam acknowledged during the league meetings in March the Browns 'took a big swing and miss' with the trade. Watson has been rehabbing at the team complex and was in meetings during the offseason program with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Read More Cleveland acquired Pickett in a trade from Philadelphia in March and signed Flacco in April. It drafted Gabriel in the third round and then moved up in the fifth round to take Sanders. The four-way quarterback competition resumes with Wednesday's first practice of training camp. The Browns also placed defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. on the PUP list and wide receiver David Bell on the non-football injury list. Hall suffered a knee-injury in last season's final game at Baltimore. Cleveland also waived wide receiver Jaelen Gill. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Canada Columnists Olympics Celebrity Entertainment