5 Vikings that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration

Vikings that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration: 1. DE Jim Marshall

First things first. Where is Jared Allen on this list of Vikings’ players who deserve more consideration when it comes to a bust in Canton? He’s been a Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalist each of the past three years but he spent almost as many years with the Chiefs (4) as he did with the Vikings (6) and also played for the Bears and Panthers.

Meanwhile, there is an equally deserving candidate who played a team-record 270 regular-season games (all starts) with the franchise. There’s a lot to be said for reliability and longevity, and few players in the trenches were as steady as defensive end Jim Marshall. Originally a fourth-round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns in 1960, he would play in 12 games during his rookie season. He spent the final 19 years of his impressive NFL career in the Twin Cities, where he played and started in 270 regular-season contests.

It all adds up to 282 regular-season games while being credited with 130.5 sacks (128.0 with the Vikings). Marshall is also co-owner of the NFL record for opponents’ fumble recoveries (29), tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. He also appeared in 19 postseason games with the organization, including all four of the franchise’s Super Bowl appearances.

Marshall was named to only two Pro Bowls during his 20-year career, so that may factor into his omission from the Hall. Of course, Bengals’ cornerback Ken Riley earned one All-Pro nod and was never a Pro Bowler and was enshrined in Canton in 2023. Stay tuned.