Jim Marshall (defensive end) facts for kids
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| No. 80, 70 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||||||||
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| Born: | December 30, 1937 Wilsonville, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| Died: | June 3, 2025 (aged 87) | ||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 248 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
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| High school: | East (Columbus, Ohio) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Ohio State (1956–1958) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1960 / Round: 4 / Pick: 44 | ||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
Jim Marshall (born December 30, 1937 – died June 3, 2025) was an amazing American football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, mostly with the Minnesota Vikings. A defensive end is a player on defense who tries to tackle the opposing team's quarterback or stop their running plays.
Jim Marshall holds some incredible NFL records, like recovering 29 of the other team's fumbles. A fumble is when a player loses control of the ball. He's also famous for a play in 1964 where he recovered a fumble and accidentally ran the wrong way into his own end zone! Despite that funny moment, he was a true "iron man" of football, holding records for the most consecutive games played (282) and most consecutive starts (270) by a defensive player.
Contents
Jim Marshall: A Football Legend
Early Life and High School Days
Jim Marshall was born on December 30, 1937, in Wilsonville, Kentucky. When he was five, his family moved to Columbus, Ohio, but he still spent his summers back in Wilsonville. He went to East High School in Columbus, where he was a star on the football team. His team had two undefeated seasons, and Jim was recognized as an All-State, All-City, and even a high school All-American player.
College Football Journey
Jim Marshall continued his football career at Ohio State University, playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1957 to 1958.
Playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes
In 1958, Jim was named an All-American at the tackle position. He wasn't just a football star; he was also a talented track athlete at Ohio State, setting school records in discus and shot put in 1958.
In 1957, his Buckeyes team had a fantastic season, winning 9 out of 10 games and going undefeated in the Big Ten Conference. They were even ranked as one of the top teams in the country! Jim played in the 1958 Rose Bowl on January 1, 1958, where the Buckeyes won 10–7 against the Oregon Ducks.
The 1958 team also had a strong season, ending up ranked 8th nationally. In one memorable game against Purdue in November 1958, Jim had an amazing game. He returned an interception (when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player) 25 yards for a touchdown. Later, he recovered a blocked punt (when a defensive player stops a punt from being kicked) and returned it 22 yards for another touchdown!
In 1978, Jim Marshall was honored for his college achievements by being inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame.
Stepping into Professional Football
Jim left college early, mainly because he needed to earn money. He then began his professional football journey.
Canadian Football League Experience
In 1959, Jim played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). The CFL is a professional football league in Canada, similar to the NFL. While he usually played on defense, he even caught a touchdown pass in one game! After just one year, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL.
Becoming an NFL Star with the Vikings
Jim Marshall played his first NFL season with the Cleveland Browns in 1960. Before the 1961 season, he became very sick with encephalitis, a serious brain infection, and was even put into a special coma to help him recover. After his recovery, he was traded to the brand-new Minnesota Vikings team.
From 1961 to 1979, Jim played for the Vikings, becoming a true legend. He set a record for playing in 282 consecutive games, which means he never missed a game for 20 years! He also started 270 consecutive games for the Vikings, which was an NFL record for a defensive player at the time.
Jim was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl (an all-star game for the best players) in 1968 and 1969. He recovered 30 fumbles during his career, which is an NFL record! He was a key part of the Vikings' famous defensive line, known as the "Purple People Eaters." This group included Jim Marshall (defensive end), Alan Page (defensive tackle), Gary Larsen (defensive tackle), and Carl Eller (defensive end). They were known for being incredibly tough and dominant. Jim was the very last player from the original 1961 Vikings team to retire.
When he retired in 1979, Jim Marshall had played in every single game in Vikings history up to that point. In his final home game, he had two sacks (tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage) and was given a special game ball by his longtime coach, Bud Grant. Jim was also one of only 11 players who played in all four of the Vikings' Super Bowl appearances in the 1970s.
Jim Marshall's Amazing Records
Jim Marshall holds several impressive NFL records:
- Most seasons played by a defensive player: 20
- Most complete seasons played by a defensive player: 20
- Most consecutive games played by a defensive player: 289
- Most consecutive regular-season games played by a defensive player: 282
- Most consecutive game starts by a defensive player: 277
- Most consecutive regular-season starts played by a defensive player: 270
- Most consecutive regular-season starts played with one team: 270
- Most opponent fumbles recovered: 29
- Most fumble recoveries by a defensive end: 30
- Most yardage lost on a fumble recovery: 66
The Famous "Wrong Way Run"
One of Jim Marshall's most famous (and funniest) moments happened during a game against the San Francisco 49ers on October 25, 1964.
After the 49ers fumbled the ball, Jim Marshall picked it up. He then ran 66 yards, but he ran the wrong way into his own team's end zone! Thinking he had scored a touchdown for the Vikings, he threw the ball in celebration. The ball landed out of bounds, which resulted in a safety for the 49ers. A safety is when a player with the ball is tackled in their own end zone, giving the other team two points.
Jim didn't realize his mistake until a 49ers player, Bruce Bosley, thanked him, and his own teammate, Fran Tarkenton, yelled at him from the sideline. When Jim went to his coach, Norm Van Brocklin, after the play, the coach simply said, "Well Jim, you've done the most interesting thing in this game today." Even with this big mistake, the Vikings still won the game 27–22, thanks to another play where Jim forced a fumble that his teammate returned for a touchdown!
After the game, Jim received a letter from Roy Riegels, another football player famous for a "wrong-way run" in the 1929 Rose Bowl. The letter simply said, "Welcome to the club." In 2019, Jim's "wrong-way run" was even ranked as one of the NFL's 100 Greatest Plays!
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Jim Marshall lived in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. He was married twice and had two daughters. He worked in financial services, real estate, and insurance. He also helped foundations that supported homeless and unemployed young people.
Jim Marshall passed away on June 3, 2025, at the age of 87.
Jim Marshall's Lasting Legacy
Jim Marshall's impact on the Minnesota Vikings is still celebrated today. His jersey number, 70, has been retired by the Vikings, meaning no other player on the team will ever wear that number. He is also a member of the team's Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor, which recognizes the most important players in Vikings history.
In 2004, Jim was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor a professional football player can receive, but he was not chosen that year. In 2008, NFL Network named him the second-best player not in the Hall of Fame. He continued to be considered as a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame in 2023 and 2024.
See also
- Iron man
- Own goal
