Defensive linemen are absolutely essential for the Minnesota Vikings and every other NFL team. Opponents will run roughshod over a defense without good pass rushers and run-stoppers. If that’s the case, not even a respectable offense can overcome its porous defense.
In its history, the Vikings have had some outstanding players at the defensive tackle and end positions. Some were immediate stars, and some were overlooked athletes who became great. Four former Minnesota defensive linemen are currently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The criteria used to select this top-10 list are years of service as a Viking, impact with the franchise and the NFL, career stats, and honors and awards, just to name a few. Here are the top-10 defensive linemen (including tackles and ends) in Vikings history.
10 best defensive linemen in the history of the Minnesota Vikings
10. Gary Larsen - DT
In 1964, the Los Angeles Rams selected Gary Larsen from tiny Concordia-Moorhead College in Moorhead, Minnesota. As a rookie, he was a backup to the great Merlin Olsen, who was one-quarter of the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line. After the 1964 season, Larsen was traded to the Vikings.
Larsen, Alan Page, Jim Marshall, and Carl Eller would form their own quartet, nicknamed the “Purple People Eaters.” In 1968, when Minnesota reached its first-ever playoff game, Larsen was credited, unofficially, with 10 sacks.
When he retired after the 1974 season, Larsen had 38.5 sacks (37 as a Viking) and started 114 out of 135 games with Minnesota. Larsen was selected to two Pro Bowls and was later added to the Vikings’ 25th Anniversary Team and is one of the 50 Greatest Vikings.
9. Henry Thomas - DT
Henry Thomas was a third-round pick by Minnesota in the 1987 NFL Draft from LSU. His arrival couldn’t have been more perfect. As a rookie, he played on the same defensive line as Chris Doleman and Keith Millard.
The 1987 Vikings advanced to the NFC Championship where they lost to Washington, 17-10. That same year, Thomas started 11 times and had 2.5 sacks and an interception.
Henry played seven more years with Minnesota and rarely missed a game due to injuries. Following the 1994 season, Henry played in Detroit for two years and New England for four, then retired after the 2000 season.
During his time with the Vikes, Thomas had 654 tackles, 56 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, one safety, and two interceptions.
He was a two-time Pro Bowler and led the NFL in forced fumbles with four in 1988. Thomas has since been added to the 50 Greatest Vikings list.
8. Kevin Williams - DT
With the ninth overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Minnesota selected Oklahoma State defensive tackle Kevin Williams. As a rookie, Williams started every game and posted 10.5 sacks, good for second-best in franchise history in a single season for a rookie.
He followed his awesome 2003 season with 11.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl in 2004. In 2005, the Vikings signed free-agent defensive tackle Pat Williams, and together, Kevin and Pat formed the “Williams Wall”.
During his Minnesota career (which lasted through 2013), Williams had 465 combined tackles, 60 sacks, and 13 fumble recoveries, including two returned for scores, eight forced fumbles, 68 passes defended, and five picks, including two for touchdowns.
He was a six-time Pro Bowler, five-time first-team All-Pro, a member of the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team, and added to the Vikings’ Ring of Honor and the 50 Greatest Vikings list.
7. Jared Allen - DE
By the time Jared Allen joined the Vikings in 2008, he was already an established sack artist with the Kansas City Chiefs. During his first year with Minny, Allen won over Vikings fans with 14.5 sacks, a number he repeated in 2009.
Allen also became known for big moments and huge games. For example, there was the 4.5 sack game against Green Bay in 2009 and chasing quarterback Dan Orlovsky of the Lions out of the back of the end zone in 2008. In 2011, the defensive end just missed the NFL single-season sack record (but DID set a franchise record) with 22 sacks.
Allen left Minnesota in 2014 and ended his career in 2015. During his time as a Viking, Allen had 329 combined tackles, 85.5 sacks, nine fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown, 16 forced fumbles, 25 passes defended, and four interceptions, including a pick-six.
He was also the NFL’s sack leader in 2011, went to four Pro Bowls, and was a three-time All-Pro. Allen has been placed in the Vikings’ Ring of Honor and named one of the 50 Greatest Vikings.
6. Keith Millard - DT/NT
Keith Millard was selected 13th overall by the Vikings in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft. Instead of suiting up right away with Minnesota, Millard played with the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL for a season before joining the Vikes in 1985.
During his first year with the organization, Millard played nose tackle in six starts and wowed fans with 11 sacks. He was then switched to defensive tackle in 1986 and continued pounding quarterbacks with 10.5 sacks and added an interception.
In 1989, Millard’s 18 sacks set an NFL record for most sacks in a single season by a defensive tackle. That led to him being selected as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year as well as the UPI’s NFC Player of the Year.
Unfortunately, during a Week 4 game against Tampa Bay in 1990, Millard sustained a serious knee injury that kept him sidelined until 1992. By then, he was no longer with Minnesota and retired after spending 1993 with Philadelphia.
During his six years with the Vikings, Millard had 53 sacks, seven fumble recoveries, including one returned for a score, and two interceptions. He was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year once, a three-time All-Pro, and a two-time Pro Bowler. Millard was later named to the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team and selected as one of the 50 Greatest Vikings.
5. Chris Doleman - DE
With the fourth overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft, Minnesota selected Pitt defender Chris Doleman. During his rookie year, Doleman started 13 games as an outside linebacker and played inside ‘backer in 1986.
Head coach Jerry Burns then moved Doleman to defensive end in 1987, and a star was born. That year, he bagged quarterbacks 11 times and led the NFL with six forced fumbles. Two seasons later, Doleman led the NFL with 21 sacks and was voted to his third consecutive Pro Bowl.
Between 1990 and 1993, Doleman had double-digit sacks in three of the four seasons. Then, before the 1994 season, he became an Atlanta Falcon for two years, followed by three in San Francisco. Doleman returned to Minnesota for a final year in 1999.
As a Viking, Doleman collected 749 combined tackles, 96.5 sacks, 16 fumble recoveries, 31 forced fumbles, and five interceptions for 118 return yards and two touchdowns. In addition to his single-season NFL accolades, Doleman was also selected as an All-Pro four times and was a six-time Pro Bowler-all with Minnesota.
He was later selected for the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team, the Vikings’ Ring of Honor, and named one of the 50 Greatest Vikings. In 2012, Doleman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
4. Jim Marshall - DE
Jim Marshall became a Viking in 1961 after spending a year in the CFL and another season with the Cleveland Browns. He would then stick with Minnesota through the 1979 season.
The NFL didn’t keep track of tackles or sacks at the time, but film predating 1982 has been thoroughly studied to assign unofficial sacks to former players. During his time in Minnesota, Marshall had an unofficial count of 128 sacks, 29 fumble recoveries, and one fumble return for a touchdown and an interception. His total number of recovered fumbles (30) set an NFL record for defensive ends.
Marshall also started all 270 games he suited up for the Vikings (282 straight games in total). That became an NFL record for consecutive games played by an NFL player, for a defensive player, and for a player with a single team. Marshall’s consecutive games record for an NFL player wasn’t surpassed until Brett Favre broke it as a Viking in 2009. The defensive end has a plethora of honors, including having his No. 70 retired by the franchise.
During his time in Minnesota, Marshall was a member of the fabled “Purple People Eaters” defensive line and helped the franchise reach four Super Bowls. Of course, many NFL fans also remember Marshall for accidentally returning a fumble the wrong way in a 1964 game against San Francisco that ended in a safety for the Niners. However, because of a fumble Marshall forced in the later stages of the contest, the Vikings still pulled out a victory.
3. John Randle - DT
John Randle was initially overlooked by every team in the 1990 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-1 defensive tackle was considered way too small for the position at the pro level. Randle was given an opportunity with Tampa Bay at first and then with Minnesota. The Vikes told Randle he could make the team if he weighed 250 pounds. A stealthily hidden chain at weigh-in helped accomplish that goal.
Randle played his first two seasons as a defensive end, then moved to his natural tackle position in 1992. After that, wild horses couldn’t keep him from the lineup. In 1992, Randle had 11.5 sacks. For the next seven years, he would continue accumulating double-digit sack totals every season. That included leading the league in sacks with 15.5 in 1997.
As a Viking, Randle became a fan favorite. Fans of other organizations couldn’t help but enjoy his passion and hilarious personality. Before games, Randle would paint the areas around his eyes black, and he chirped almost non-stop during games. Not only did he talk to opponents and teammates, Randle was known to strike up a conversation with referees between plays.
Although he ended his career in Seattle, Randle’s best work was in Minnesota. During his Vikings career, he had 486 total tackles, 114 sacks, 25 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, one interception and four passes defended. Randle was a six-time All-Pro and went to six Pro Bowls as a Viking.
The NFL added him to its 1990s All-Decade Team and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Randle is in the Vikings’ Ring of Honor, one of the 50 Greatest Vikings, and is a member of the organization’s 40th Anniversary Team. In 2010, he became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
2. Carl Eller - DE
Carl Eller was so talented as a defensive end at the University of Minnesota that he was drafted in the first round of the 1964 NFL Draft by the Vikings and the AFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He chose the Vikes, and the rest is history, as he started 201 out of 209 games in Minnesota (and 209 of 225 career games that included a final year with the Seahawks).
Along with Gary Larsen, Jim Marshall, and Alan Page, Eller was a member of the “Purple People Eaters.” His agility and strength as a 6-foot-6, 250-pound end intimidated opponents.
He helped the franchise reach four Super Bowls, and though the NFL didn’t keep track of sack totals during his career, Eller bagged 130.5, unofficially, in Minnesota (still considered to be the franchise's all-time leader in career sacks). That included an NFL co-leading 15 in 1969. He also had 23 fumble recoveries including one returned for a score, one safety, and one pick during his Vikings career.
Eller was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1971, a seven-time All-Pro, a six-time Pro Bowler, and he is a member of the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team. He is a member of the Vikings’ Ring of Honor and 25th and 40th Anniversary Teams and is one of the 50 Greatest Vikings. Eller was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
1. Alan Page - DT
The fourth member of Minnesota’s vaunted “Purple People Eaters” is arguably the franchise’s top defensive lineman of all time. After winning two national titles with Notre Dame, Alan Page was the 15th overall pick in the 1967 NFL Draft by the Vikings.
During his Vikings career, lasting from 1967 to 1978, Page was a 6-foot-4, 245-pound lean, mean fighting machine. Although he was the perfect size for a defensive end, Page played defensive tackle, and he played it well.
In addition to helping the Vikings win the NFL Championship in 1969 before losing Super Bowl IV, he was the league’s MVP (the first defensive player to be given the award) and its first-ever Defensive Player of the Year, both in 1971. Page was once again hailed as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year two seasons later.
Without a doubt, Page affected every football game he played in. During his Vikings career, he was responsible for an unofficial count of 108.5 sacks (and gained another 40 sacks playing four years with the Chicago Bears).
Page also forced two safeties as a Viking, two interceptions, which included a pick-six, and recovered 19 fumbles (including an NFL-best seven in 1970), including one for a touchdown.
Although the Vikings never won any of the four Super Bowls they played in during Page’s tenure, he was still an eight-time All-Pro, nine-time Pro Bowler, and later added to the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
The Vikings have added Page to its 25th and 40th Anniversary Teams, Ring of Honor, 50 Greatest Vikings list and also retired his number 88. He became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.