#Purple people eater pumpkin pro

#Purple people eater pumpkin pro

In 1968, Marshall, Eller and Page all made the Pro Bowl as the defense collected 44 sacks, ranked 6th in the league in points allowed and played a big role in the Vikings winning their first division title. Then in 1967, the Vikings drafted Alan Page in the first round.įrom 1968, the Purple People Eaters were a key part of a Vikings team that won 10 division titles in 11 years, leading to five NFC Championships and four Super Bowl appearances. In the next season, they acquired Gary Larsen from the Los Angeles Rams. In 1964, Carl Eller was drafted in the first round. When the Minnesota Vikings first came into the NFL in 1961, they picked up Jim Marshall from the Cleveland Browns during a number of early September trades that moved six Cleveland players to the Vikings for two 1962 draft picks. Many fans, players, coaches and sportswriters argue that Jim Marshall should be in the Hall of Fame as well. The Purple People Eaters were one of the most identifiable front fours in National Football League history, with the ' Fearsome Foursome' of the Los Angeles Rams during the 1960s and early 1970s, the ' Steel Curtain' of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1970s, the ' New York Sack Exchange' of the New York Jets during the 1980s, and the 1985 Chicago Bears ' Monsters of the Midway'.Įller and Page were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The group was a major factor in the post-season success of the Vikings from the late 1960s through the 1970s. Marshall said that the players disliked the name 'Purple People Eaters' and called themselves ' The Purple Gang', but 'we've got to ride with it because it's our handle'. Larsen was replaced in 1974 by Doug Sutherland. Defensive tackle Gary Larsen, 2 Pro Bowl selections (1969–1970).

Defensive end Jim Marshall, 2 Pro Bowl selections (1968–1969).Defensive end Carl Eller, 6 Pro Bowl selections (1968–1971, 1973–1974), Pro Football Hall of Fame.Defensive tackle Alan Page, 9 Pro Bowl selections (1968–1976), NFL MVP (1971), Pro Football Hall of Fame.The Purple People Eaters mainly consisted of:

The motto of the Purple People Eaters was 'Meet at the quarterback.' The term is a reference to a popular song from 1958, the efficiency of the defense, and the color of their uniforms. The Purple People Eaters was a nickname for the defensive line of the Minnesota Vikings from 1968 to 1977, consisting mainly of Alan Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, Gary Larsen, and Doug Sutherland. From left to right: Marshall, Larsen, Eller, and Page. 1960s and 1970s NFL defensive line for the Minnesota Vikings The Purple People Eaters in January 1970 at Metropolitan Stadium.