Latest news with #MinnesotaVikings'
Toronto Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Vikings' Purple People Eater Jim Marshall, the 'all-time iron man,' dies at 87
Published Jun 03, 2025 • 3 minute read Minnesota Vikings' Jim Marshall is shown, Dec. 30, 1978, after practice for their NFC playoff football game against the Los Angeles Rams. Photo by Jim Mone, FIle / AP Photo EAGAN, Minn. — Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall, one of the four members of the famed Purple People Eaters front that formed the backbone of four Super Bowl teams, died Tuesday after a long hospitalization for an undisclosed illness. He was 87. 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 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. '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.' 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. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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. 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. '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. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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. 'Maybe we've taken it for granted that Jim Marshall plays hurt,' Grant said after Marshall announced his retirement. 'But durability is the most important ability you have. You can't achieve greatness without durability, and that is personified in Jim Marshall. He has been hurt. But he doesn't break. He bends. He heals. He has a high pain threshold. Jim not only plays hurt, he plays as well when he's hurt as when he isn't. That's what's important.' After Favre broke Marshall's record of 270 consecutive regular-season games started in 2009, the Vikings invited Marshall to their practice facility to speak to the players. He was asked then in an interview session with reporters what he thought about a quarterback overtaking his prized mark. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'He's the guy we were trying to hurt,' Marshall said with a laugh. 'Every defensive lineman that he plays against is trying to hurt him. That's a tough way to earn a living.' Marshall's determination and longevity took its physical toll, like many of his peers from an era when player safety and injury prevention were minimal. In an interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2017, Marshall recounted his long list of post-career surgeries on his knees, ankles, hips, shoulders, back, neck, heart, eyes and ears. 'I didn't quite accomplish all the things I wanted to, but I sure tried,' Marshall said. 'I sacrificed. I gave it my best shot.' Columnists Other Sports Ontario Toronto & GTA Canada
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Jordan Mason's early ADP is too low
Yahoo Fantasy analysts Matt Harmon and Andy Behrens explain why the Minnesota Vikings' new running back's draft position should rise closer to the season. Hear the full conversation on the 'Yahoo Fantasy Forecast' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript Consensus ranking right now is 37, which is actually higher uh than when I wrote the article when he was running back 40. Advertisement Um, that's a, it's a big gap between him and Aaron Jones at running back 22. And look, I think like Jones should be ranked higher, but I wonder if that gap needs to be tighter, Andy, because like Jordan Mason last year, weeks 1 to 7, was second in the NFL and rushing yards behind only Derrick Henry. And I think when you look at why they went out to get Jordan Mason. Uh, the Minnesota Vikings did because this has been a very zone heavy run game. It's been kind of a one note rushing game, uh, under Kevin O'Connell's tenure there. And it started off pretty well with Aaron Jones last year, but then of course it faded with injuries. Advertisement And you look what they did in the offseason, they added a bunch of beef. Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Donovan Jackson, fixed the interior that. Offensive line and Jordan Mason last year at 5.95 yards per carry on gap scheme runs. I kind of think Jordan Mason might be key to the what seems like the desired evolution of the run game here in Minnesota. So, again, he's somebody that depending on like training camp usage and stuff like that, I could certainly see coming up from his current consensus rank. Yeah, this is one where I think you've just kind of exposed a problem in the ranks, uh, and, and he's, he's, he's a near lock to come up, um, because people are going to remember that Jordan Mason for like a month and a half was, was the absolute right answer in fantasy, and you were, you know, until he, until the point that his injury hit, um, like he, he was a weak winner for you and and he was somebody who was going to be able to ride a great situation. Advertisement And pretty significant talent to to an absolutely huge season, like he was gonna cruise to, I don't know, 1300 rushing yards, something like that. He looked awesome. Um, and there were, there were more touchdowns ahead for him as well. So like he looked great in in there should absolutely not be whatever the whatever the gap is in the ranks between Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason is right now. It it shouldn't be like that. Like Aaron Jones is a very valuable player and he's one of the best like. It's like a, like a legit route running, kind of, kind of running back too. I think he's a really gifted receiver and we're gonna, we're gonna see that role for him throughout the year. Advertisement But man, Jordan Mason is a really good compliment and there's no way that Jordan Mason is, is simply viewed as a straight backup, right, or somebody that they're only going to give 68 touches to. Jordan Mason's really good. He proved it. Um, and he should probably be, I don't know, for 40% of the snaps and a whole bunch of touches, um, so yeah, I, I think this one gets corrected as the, as the draft season moves along.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Justin Jefferson Can't Wait to Represent his Country at the Olympics
Today, all 32 NFL team owners voted at the Spring League meetings to allow NFL players to take part in flag football during the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In a press release from the NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell said, 'It's an incredible honor for any athlete to represent their country in the Olympics, which is the pinnacle of global sport…I know first-hand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage. We are thrilled that they will now have that chance.' Advertisement Minnesota Vikings' wide receiver and LSU star Justin Jefferson made his feelings known on the flag football announcement by saying, 'To be honest, I'm at a loss for words. To think about the chance of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal is a dream, just reverting back to being a kid and watching the track and field meets, watching basketball win the gold medal…That's something that as a kid I always wanted to be part of, but football wasn't global. So now that we're expanding the game and we're going more global, it's pretty cool.' Each country's National Olympic Committees will choose their Olympic rosters based on recommendations from their National Federations. The flag football event at the Olympics will feature six men's teams and six women's teams, each made up of 10 players, competing in a five-on-five format for gold, silver and bronze medals. Related: Some Fans are Disgusted by Livvy Dunne's Latest Viral Video Related: Livvy Dunne Reveals Milestone Purchase While on Vacation Related: Livvy Dunne Shares Revealing Swimsuit Photos Related: Former LSU Star Malik Nabers Takes Clear Stance on Jerry Rice
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Which Vikings UDFAs will make the team? 20 thoughts on the 20 signings
Six post-draft signings have made the Minnesota Vikings' roster in the last three years: Ryan Wright, Ivan Pace Jr., Gabriel Murphy, Taki Taimani, Bo Richter and Dwight McGlothern. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, head coach Kevin O'Connell and even defensive coordinator Brian Flores have proven they are willing to take talent from anywhere. Agents know this. College coaches do, too. It's partially why the Vikings can secure as much talent as they do each year after the draft. As of Wednesday evening, the Vikings had announced 20 undrafted free-agent additions. Which of them has the best chance of making the team? Who are they? Here are thoughts on each of the players, ranked in order from most likely to make the team to least: One highlight explains this pickup. Arizona State punted to Texas in the first quarter of the Peach Bowl, college football's game of the year. Bolden backtracked, caught the ball, then housed the return. He is what the Minnesota Vikings have not had since Marcus Sherels: a returner who strikes fear in the opposition. He'll likely be competing with Rondale Moore for the job, but either should be a massive upgrade from what the Vikings had in Brandon Powell. SILAS BOLDEN 75-YARD PUNT RETURN TO THE HOUSE‼️ — ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2025 One AFC executive said of Batty: 'Flores is going to love that guy.' Batty is rugged and relentless. Is he the most explosive? No. Does he have measurables that are going to blow you away? No. But, at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds, is he capable of causing some commotion up front? Absolutely. One of the more under-the-radar camp competitions is going to play out at edge rusher. Advertisement The battle to replace Johnny Mundt will begin soon. In one corner, sixth-round pick Gavin Bartholomew. In the other, Yurosek, who transferred from Stanford to Georgia and didn't produce the way the Bulldogs hoped. These are similarly sized and comparably skilled prospects. Who will be more impressive throughout the spring and summer? Chambliss and Batty are both 'edge rushers,' but their body types are totally different. Chambliss is lighter and less able to slide inside. Like Batty, Chambliss is a tough son of a gun who will vie for a spot with his intriguing special teams skill set. Neither he nor Batty is the type of player you ever have to worry about in terms of professionalism. Former draft picks Walter Rouse and Michael Jurgens will have to impress this summer. Why? Because intriguing depth like Brown will be nipping at their heels. Brown was once a five-star recruit, the No. 1 high school tackle in the country. He attended Wisconsin, was booted from the team, landed at Kansas and played well. He's massive and athletic. Other NFL teams wanted him. He may be a project, but he's the kind of ball of clay you don't often stumble upon. Logan Brown is ANOTHER massive OL prospect with impressive film from Kansas. His film and career path remind me a lot of Trey Smith, but I think he has a better chance to stick at OT thanks to elite agility testing. — NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) April 22, 2025 In some ways, Huber is the polar opposite of Brown. He was a no-star recruit. His explosiveness metrics and measurables are not off the charts. Like with Batty and Chambliss, this is a bet on makeup and willpower, and it's one many other teams were willing to make. Huber will most likely be a guard. He was projected by The Athletic's Dane Brugler to be a fifth- or sixth-round pick, so Jurgens and Rouse will have their hands full. Advertisement Will Alabama kicker Will Reichard be able to get along with an Auburn counterpart? Only time will tell. Chapman, though, a native of Adelaide, Australia, punted for five college seasons. Ninety-four of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line. He should receive every opportunity to beat out Wright for this job. He is not nearly the athlete J.J. McCarthy is. Nor does his arm have the same kind of juice. But he does have the above-the-neck abilities to keep the ship afloat. Brosmer sees the field. He anticipates over the middle. He has the awareness to know how to operate in a talented quarterback room. Few quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class are as NFL-ready as he is in that sense. Keep an eye on the cornerbacks. It's a group of young and hungry players with all different types of backgrounds. You have former first-rounders (Jeff Okudah), later-round picks trying to prove their worth (Isaiah Rodgers and Mekhi Blackmon) and undrafted options like Vaughn and McGlothern. The Vikings didn't want to lose out on Vaughn. He's 6-foot-2 with long arms and speed. Flores and company will be watching him closely. Pace, Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson will make the Vikings' 53-man roster. The challenge will be for the last spot or two. The Vikings have Brian Asamoah II, who has carved out an important special teams role. They drafted Penn State's Kobe King in the sixth round. And here's Keys, a battering ram built for blasting ball carriers on special teams. How many players can the Vikings keep at this position? We're about to find out. His father, Jamar, played for the New Orleans Saints. So Nesbit will have a feel for the path he's about to walk. He's going to have to impress to beat out Bartholomew and Yurosek, and his blocking abilities might give him a chance. Advertisement He first attended Division II Limestone University before transferring to Jacksonville State. But Stewart is legit, running for 1,678 yards and 25 touchdowns last season in Rich Rodriguez's offense. Stewart's calling card is his vision, and longtime NFL running back Frank Gore once said a back's odds hinge on their eyes and their feet. Tre Stewart for his third Touchdown of the night‼️🔥@treseanstewart8 📺ESPN 2#HardEdge | #EarnSuccess — Jax State Football (@JaxStateFB) October 10, 2024 He's a sneaky prospect. Powell had eight interceptions over the last two years at Miami and Washington. His speed won't light up stopwatches, and his 30 1/8-inch arms won't bring smiles to the faces of scouts. But there is something about his knack for reading plays from depth and finding the ball that's worth watching. Someone besides Bolden may have to field punts and kicks during the summer, especially if Moore is not ready. Price can. He held the returner job at Texas Tech, then transferred to Indiana and contributed to the Hoosiers' revival last season. He played six seasons of college football, so there's no shortage of experience. Correll will assist in the snapping portion of the summer. He is a center and more of a pass protector than a run blocker. He shouldn't give Jurgens much trouble. His size will spur questions. Fleming weighed only 167 pounds last season. He can track passes down the field, and his 4.44 40-yard dash is nothing to sniff at. He has returned punts as well, but he has a tough road to making the team. Athletically, Garber will have zero problems. He is off the charts in terms of speed and leaping ability. But can he cover consistently? How well can he process where to be in real time? It wouldn't be a shock to see him stand out over the next few weeks. In 2023, Lewis starred for Georgia State, catching 70 passes for 877 yards and seven touchdowns. His production didn't translate to the SEC, but if receivers coach Keenan McCardell sees something in him, anything is possible. Advertisement He began his college career at Duke, which should accelerate his relationship with special teams coordinator Matt Daniels. Familiarity with Keys, his Auburn teammate, will help both of them adapt to the professional environment. Unlike Keys, Mausi is more suited to play in coverage. Williams has a fascinating college football arc. He attended Ohio State in 2018, transferred to Vanderbilt in 2020, didn't play in 2022 or '23, then finished at Middle Tennessee State last year. He measured in at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, which is gigantic. How that size translates to the field is a question that will be answered soon. (Photo of Max Brosmer: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
One stat to know from each Vikings draft picks college career
One stat to know from each Vikings draft picks college career The Minnesota Vikings' 2025 NFL Draft class is very much a mixed bag, depending on who you ask. Their round one pick lacks the excitement their picks in 2024 did, in part because they didn't have a quarterback or edge rusher in the mix. Instead, the headliner of the class is an offensive guard. A position that, while important, does not sell the most tickets. What sells tickets, though, is getting to know and understand this draft class. We wanted to share some of the interesting facts we've gathered about the selections made by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff. The 2025 draft class is going to be one that we look back on and decide how it impacted the Vikings franchise, so let's get to know it, shall we? Jackson did more than play football at Ohio State; he also interned with the Ohio State Department of Athletics' fan experience and promotions area in the summer of 2023 as part of the Bucks Go Pro program. During his football career at Maryland, Felton became the first Terp ever to have three receiving touchdowns in the first half of a game and only the sixth, and first since Torrey Smith in 2010, to have three in a game. Ingram-Dawkins earned his degree in Housing Management and Policy while playing football at the University of Georgia. Kobe's brother, Kalen, was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL Draft, so there is now a brotherly rivalry within the NFC North. Bartholomew was his high school team's starting quarterback, defensive end, and punter in his Senior year.
