Where’s the Next Jim Marshall?
On Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings lost beloved legend and key cog of the Purple People Eaters, Jim Marshall. He was 87 years old and had spent a considerable amount of time in a state of health decline.
Minnesota Vikings legend Jim Marshall died on Tuesday, and there’s an opportunity for someone to follow in his footsteps.
The Ironman, who started 270 straight games for the Minnesota Vikings, was held in high regard because of his abilities on the field. He was also representative of an era when the franchise reached its peak and gained prominence on the national stage.
It’s great that Randy Moss was one of the best ever, but he bounced around to end his career and never reached the Super Bowl. Adrian Peterson has been disgraced even before he left the gridiron, and he has continued to do so after hanging them up. Maybe Justin Jefferson can be the next iteration, or maybe J.J. McCarthy will be the one to lead the Vikings to the promised land.
Right now, it would stand to reason that someone held in Marshall’s stratosphere looks like Kevin O’Connell. He is well on his way to being the second coming of Bud Grant, and that would be quite the parallel for a coach who got the best out of Marshall.
Sports should solely be viewed through the scope of what takes place on the field. A human being reflecting a level of character beyond that is a feather in their cap. It remains to be seen if and when the Minnesota Vikings will reach the heights of their early years again. If and when they do, though, the tenured and talented members of the organization will have a unique opportunity to emulate someone like Marshall before them.
It should be expected that Marshall will be honored in some form or fashion this season. Maybe the Vikings can do something special with his namesake or memory, adorning their uniforms every time they take the field.
Who knows which member of this current team could be walking in his future footsteps?
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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