Why Keith Millard (probably) deserves to be in the Vikings Ring of Honor

Former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Keith Millard is someone the team should consider as their next inductee into the Ring of Honor.

Since 1971, Alan Page and Keith Millard are the only players to be named the AP Defensive Player of the Year as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Page won his award in 1971 and Millard was given his honor in 1989.

So why is Page a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor but Millard isn’t? Well, there are multiple reasons to explain why, but it mainly has to do with Page’s tenure in the league (15 years) and his consistent performance at a high level lasting longer than Millard’s.

Still, even though his time with Minnesota only lasted six seasons, what Millard was able to accomplish during his career in purple and gold was exceptionally impressive.

Former Minnesota Vikings DT Keith Millard was a sack machine

During Millard’s first five years with the Vikings, he was able to accumulate a total of 51 sacks. That amount is the second-highest among current and former Minnesota players in their first five seasons with the team (Danielle Hunter tops the list).

Compared to other former Vikings that have already been inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor, Millard’s sack total in his first five seasons with the franchise is higher than what guys like Page, Chris Doleman, John Randle, Jim Marshall, and Carl Eller were able to accumulate in their first five years with the team.

In fact, no defensive tackle in NFL history has had more sacks in the first five seasons of their career in the league than the 51 Millard was able to rack up from 1985 to 1989.

Sure, injuries prevented his time in the league from lasting longer than it probably should have. But other former NFL players with successful short careers have been given the benefit of the doubt, and some are even in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (see Terrell Davis and Gale Sayers). So why hasn’t Millard been given the same benefit of the doubt?

This isn’t a campaign for the former Minnesota defensive tackle to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, he should at least deserve more consideration than he has to become a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor.