10 greatest Minnesota Vikings of all time

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 2: Defensive tackle Alan Page #88 and defensive end Carl Eller #81 of the Minnesota Vikings watch from the sideline during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium on December 2, 1973 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals defeated the Vikings 27-0. (Photo by Clifton Boutelle/Getty Images) /

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The Minnesota Vikings special teams, led by Hall of Fame member Alan Page (88), attempts to block an extra point against the San Diego Chargers during a 30-14 loss to the Chargers on December 5, 1971 at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Charles Aqua Viva/Getty Images) /

1. Alan Page, DT

Not only was he a great football player but he is one of the most interesting and accomplished members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And a young Alan Page may have known he would wind up enshrined in that building in Canton, Ohio, for he was once worked on the Hall’s construction crew.

The former Notre Dame Golden Domer was the 15th-overall pick by the Vikings in 1967. In his second season, he was named to the first of eight consecutive Pro Bowls. In ’69, he was named All-Pro for the first of what would be six times. And in 1971, he became the first defensive player to earn NFL Most Valuable Player honors. His career would end with a three-plus year stint with the Chicago Bears. Playing football was a job Page did very well.

“There really isn’t much to think about on a football field,” said the Hall of Famer to Mark Hyman of the Baltimore Sun more than two decades ago. “Playing the game requires physical ability and a tremendous emotional commitment.

Intellectually, it doesn’t require much. There are a finite number of things that can take place on a football field. After 10 years, you probably have done most of them. Football became repetitious and boring.”

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In 2015, Page retired after more than 20 years as a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court (via Patrick Condon of the Star Tribune). It’s quite the compelling story and an amazing life.

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