Three former Vikings rank among all-time greatest defensive tackles
By Adam Carlson
Former Minnesota Vikings Alan Page, Keith Millard, and John Randle were included in a list on NFL.com of the best defensive tackles ever to play in the NFL.
On a list of the 30 best defensive tackles ever to play in the National Football League, it is quite impressive for ten percent of those players to have been from one franchise. However, that is the case for the Minnesota Vikings.
Recently, Gill Brandt of NFL.com has been compiling several lists of the best players ever to play at specific positions. This time, it was the defensive tackles, with three members of the Vikings making the cut.
The three players from Minnesota included in the countdown were Alan Page, Keith Millard, and John Randle.
Millard is #24 on the list and the first Viking. After being a first round draft pick of the team in 1984, he briefly moved on to the Seattle Seahawks in 1992 until finding a new home that same year with the Green Bay Packers before finishing his career one year later with the Philadelphia Eagles. Later, he went on to coach in the Spring League and the XFL as well as the NFL. Here are his accomplishments listed by Brandt:
- Voted to two Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times
- 1989 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
- Holds NFL record for most sacks by DT in single season (18)
- Three double-digit sack seasons
- Recorded 58 career sacks
The next member of the franchise on the countdown is at #11, where Alan Page was ranked. Page was drafted in the first round of the 1967 draft and played with Minnesota through the 1978 season when he moved to the Bears until retirement in 1981. Brandt listed his accomplishments as well:
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- Played in four Super Bowls, one-time NFL champion
- 1971 NFL MVP
- Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times
- NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
- Played in 238 consecutive games
- Had six seasons of double-digit sacks, including 18 in 1976; unofficially finished with 173 career sacks
- Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Finally, the last individual from Minnesota on the countdown in John Randle. Unlike the others on the list, Randle was not drafted and joined the team as a free agent in 1990. He played with the franchise through 2000, when he finished his career with 3 seasons in Seattle. Here were Brandt’s list of accomplishments for Randle:
- Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times
- 1997 NFL sacks leader
- NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
- Played in 219 career NFL games, recording 137.5 sacks and 556 tackles
- Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
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Congratulations to former Minnesota Vikings Keith Millard, Alan Page, and John Randle on making the list of the best defensive tackles ever to play professional football. Also, huge thanks go to Gil Brandt for recognizing their talent.