The “Captain” has left the building. The Minnesota Vikings’ legendary defensive end, Jim Marshall, died on Tuesday after a “lengthy hospitalization.” He was 87 years old. Marshall was a key part of the Vikings’ iconic “Purple People Eaters” defensive line that drove the team to four Super Bowl appearances between 1970 and 1977. In a statement the team said “The entire Minnesota Vikings organization is mourning the loss of Jim Marshall. No player in Vikings history lived the ideals of toughness, camaraderie, and passion more than the all-time iron man.” Marshall joined the Vikings in their inaugural season in 1961 and played 270 straight regular-season games over 19 seasons. That record held until 2009, when it was broken by quarterback Brett Favre during his first season with the Vikings. “Jim Marshall set the tone for how this franchise goes today,” Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton said. “We had the Purple People Eaters. They were the foundation of who we are. The leader of the band was Jim Marshall.” In a 1964 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Marshall famously recovered a fumble and took it 66 yards the wrong way for a safety. A celebration of his life is being planned, according to the Vikings website.
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