Jim Marshall (defensive end) facts for kids
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Marshall, c. 1970
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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) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 248 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | East (Columbus, Ohio) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Ohio State (1956–1958) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1960 / Round: 4 / Pick: 44 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
James "Jim" Marshall (December 30, 1937 – June 3, 2025) was an American football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Most of his career was with the Minnesota Vikings.
Jim Marshall holds NFL records for recovering the most fumbles from opponents (29). He also holds records for the most consecutive games started (270) and most games played (282) by a defensive player. The Vikings honored him by retiring his jersey number 70. He was also added to the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor.
Marshall played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. After college, he played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Cleveland Browns picked him in the 1960 NFL draft. Marshall played one season with the Browns before joining the Vikings.
In 1964, he had a famous play where he recovered a fumble. He ran 66 yards in the wrong direction into his own team's end zone. He then threw the ball out of bounds, which gave the other team, the San Francisco 49ers, a safety.
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Early Life and High School
Jim Marshall was born on December 30, 1937, in Wilsonville, Kentucky. When he was five, his family moved to Columbus, Ohio. However, he spent his summers back in Wilsonville.
He went to East High School in Columbus. He played on the football team there. His team had two undefeated seasons. Jim was chosen as an All-State, All-City, and high school All-American player.
College Football Career
Marshall played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1957 to 1958. In 1958, he was named an All-American at the tackle position. He was also a track and field star at Ohio State University. In 1958, he set school records in discus and shot put.
Ohio State's Successful Seasons
In 1957, the Buckeyes had a great season. They won 9 games and lost only 1. They were champions of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season ranked first by some national polls. Marshall's team included other future NFL players like Jim Houston and Dick LeBeau. The Buckeyes won the 1958 Rose Bowl game 10–7 against Oregon.
The 1958 Buckeye team finished the season ranked 8th nationally. In a game against Purdue in November 1958, Marshall made two touchdowns. He returned an interception 25 yards for one touchdown. He also returned a blocked punt 22 yards for another touchdown. These were Ohio State's only two touchdowns in that game.
In 1978, Jim Marshall was honored by being added to the Ohio State Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Career
Starting in Canada
Marshall left college early for money reasons. He started his professional career in 1959 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He usually played on the defensive line. Sometimes, he also played offense. In one game, he even caught a touchdown pass. The coach of the opposing team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, was Bud Grant. Grant later became Marshall's head coach with the Vikings.
After one year, Marshall was traded to the Cleveland Browns. The Browns had picked him in the fourth round of the 1960 NFL draft.
Time with the Browns and Vikings
Marshall played the 1960 season with the Cleveland Browns. Before the 1961 season, he became very sick with encephalitis. He was so ill that doctors put him in a special sleep (induced coma) to save his life.
After recovering, he was traded to the new Minnesota Vikings team. He played for the Vikings from 1961 to 1979. He set a record by playing in 282 consecutive games. This record was later broken by punter Jeff Feagles. Marshall also started 270 consecutive games for the Vikings. This was an NFL record for a defensive player.
Marshall was chosen for the Pro Bowl 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 called the "Purple People Eaters." This group included Marshall, Alan Page, Gary Larsen, and Carl Eller. Marshall was the last player from the Vikings' first team in 1961 to retire.
He had 127 sacks as a Viking, which is the second-most in team history. When he retired in 1979, he had played in every game in the Vikings' history. In his last home game, he had two sacks. He was given a special game ball by coach Bud Grant.
Marshall played in all four of the Vikings' Super Bowl appearances in the 1970s.
Legacy and Records
Jim Marshall was a two-time Pro Bowl player. He was also chosen three times for the second-team All-Pro list. The Vikings retired his jersey number 70. He was also inducted into their Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor.
In 2004, Marshall was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, he was not chosen that year. In 2008, NFL Network named him the second-best player not in the Hall of Fame. The only player ranked higher was Jerry Kramer. Kramer was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
The Wrong-Way Run
Marshall is well-known for a play where he ran in the wrong direction. This happened on October 25, 1964, against the San Francisco 49ers.
He recovered a fumble from the other team. Then, he ran 66 yards the wrong way into his own team's end zone. He thought he had scored a touchdown for the Vikings. In celebration, he threw the ball out of bounds. This resulted in a safety for the 49ers.
Marshall did not realize his mistake until a 49ers player, Bruce Bosley, thanked him. His teammate Fran Tarkenton also told him what he had done. Marshall later said that his coach, Norm Van Brocklin, simply told him, "Well Jim, you've done the most interesting thing in this game today." Even with this mistake, the Vikings won the game 27–22.
Marshall later received a letter from Roy Riegels. Riegels was famous for his own wrong-way run in the 1929 Rose Bowl. The letter said, "Welcome to the club." In 2019, Marshall's wrong-way run was ranked among the NFL's 100 Greatest Plays.
NFL Records Held by Jim Marshall
Current Records
- Most seasons played by a defensive player: 20
- Most complete seasons played by a defensive player: 20
- Most consecutive games started (including playoffs) by a defensive player: 289
- Most consecutive regular-season games played by a defensive player: 282
- 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 (tied by Jason Taylor)
- Most fumble recoveries by a defensive end: 30
- Most yardage lost on a fumble recovery: 66
Former Records
- Most consecutive regular-season games played: 282 (broken by Jeff Feagles, 2005)
- Most consecutive regular-season games started: 270 (broken by Brett Favre, 2009)
Personal Life
Jim Marshall lived in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. He was married twice. He had two daughters with his first wife, Anita. He later married Susan.
In September 2009, Brett Favre was about to break Marshall's record for consecutive games started. Marshall could not attend the game because it was his wedding anniversary. A few days later, Marshall visited the Vikings' practice facility to congratulate Favre in person.
After retiring from football, Marshall worked in finance, real estate, and insurance. He also helped foundations that supported homeless and unemployed young people.
Jim Marshall passed away in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 3, 2025. He was 87 years old.
See also
- Iron man
- Own goal
