John Randle facts for kids
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Randle with the Seattle Seahawks in 2002
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | December 12, 1967 Mumford, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 290 lb (132 kg) | ||||||||||||
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| High school: | Hearne (Hearne, Texas) |
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| College: | Trinity Valley (1986–1987) Texas A&I (1988–1989) |
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| Undrafted: | 1990 | ||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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John Anthony Randle (born December 12, 1967) is a famous former American football player. He was a powerful defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings for eleven seasons. He also played for the Seattle Seahawks for three seasons in the National Football League (NFL).
John Randle was chosen for the All-Pro team six times. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl seven times. His 137.5 sacks (tackles of the quarterback) rank among the top ten in NFL history. This is especially impressive for a defensive tackle. In 2010, he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
John played college football for the Trinity Valley Cardinals and the Texas A&I Javelinas. The Vikings signed him after the 1990 NFL draft. He is known as one of the greatest players who was not picked in the draft.
Contents
Early Life and College Football
John Randle was born in Mumford, Texas. He grew up in a family that didn't have much money. He worked many different small jobs when he was young. His brother, Ervin Randle, also played as a linebacker in the NFL for eight years.
John played high school football in Hearne, Texas. He started his college football career at Trinity Valley Community College. Later, he moved to Texas A&M University–Kingsville to continue playing.
Professional Football Career
Playing for the Minnesota Vikings
John Randle was not chosen by any team in the NFL draft. This meant he was an undrafted player. He tried out for his brother's team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But they thought he was too small at 6 feet 1 inch and 244 pounds. So, they did not sign him.
The Minnesota Vikings decided to sign John after the draft. Their head scout, Don Deisch, recommended him. The Vikings told John he needed to weigh over 250 pounds to be signed. So, when he was weighed, he cleverly hid a chain under his clothes!
John played his first NFL season in 1990. He quickly became one of the best defensive tackles of his time. He went to his first Pro Bowl in 1993. That year, he recorded 11.5 sacks. John had double-digit sacks in nine different seasons. In 1997, he led the league with a career-high 15.5 sacks. In 1999, he even got his only career interception in a game.
John Randle was famous for his unique face painting on the field. He was also known for talking a lot to opposing players during games. One of his most famous sayings was "Six footers for LIFE!" This was his way of responding to people who said he was too small for his position.
He had a big rivalry with Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. John sacked Favre more than any other quarterback. Favre said John was the toughest defensive player he ever faced. He even said John was "unblockable" on artificial turf.
To have some fun with their rivalry, John Randle appeared in a TV commercial. In the commercial, he was sewing a tiny version of Favre's #4 jersey. He then put it on a live chicken! The commercial showed John chasing the chicken. It ended with him grilling chicken. This led to some protests from an animal rights group.
Playing for the Seattle Seahawks
After the 2000 NFL season, John Randle signed with the Seattle Seahawks. In his first year with the Seahawks in 2001, he was invited to the Pro Bowl. This was his last Pro Bowl appearance.
John Randle decided to retire from football in 2004. He had planned to retire in 2003. But Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren convinced him to play one more year. The Seahawks made it to the playoffs in 2003. However, they lost to the Packers in the Wild Card Round. John also got his final sack in 2003.
When he retired, John Randle was tied for fifth in career sacks in the NFL. His 137.5 sacks are still the second-highest total for a defensive tackle in NFL history. Only fellow Vikings legend Alan Page had more.
After John retired, Coach Holmgren said that John had more fun than any ten players he had ever seen. He also mentioned that there were two different sides to John. There was the football player and the person he would talk to in his office.
After Football and His Legacy
John Randle has received many honors after his football career. He was chosen for the College Football Hall of Fame. In 2008, he was also added to the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor.
In 2010, John was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was inducted in Canton, Ohio, on August 7, 2010. Other famous players like Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith were inducted with him. That same year, he was also inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. His high school team even retired his jersey number. In 2019, John Randle was inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame.
John Randle now lives in Medina, Minnesota, with his wife and children. In 2024, he served as a delegate from Minnesota for the 2024 Democratic National Convention. This means he was chosen to represent his state at a big political meeting.
