Vikes Views: Favorite Vikings Defensive Tackle

Welcome to the All-Time Favorite Viking Team series. We’re going through and voting by position for your favorite Viking players. There are no set criteria other than they played for the Minnesota Vikings. It’s your favorite player at that position.

Alan Page (1967-1978)

148 ¹⁄₂ Sacks, 2 INTs

Page was the first defensive player ever to win MVP. He was 5x First Team All-Pro, 3x Second Team All-Pro, 9x Pro Bowl (1968-1976), Defensive Player of the Year, MVP, NFL 100th Anniversary Team, 1970s All-Decade Team, 50 Greatest Vikings, 25th Anniversary Team, 40th Anniversary Team, Ring of Honor, Number 88 is retired by the Vikings, Hall of Fame and Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is one of the best Defensive Tackles to ever play the game. While doing all of that for the Vikings, Page attended law school at the University of Minneosta. He went on to become the first African American to serve on the Minnesota Suprme Court and did so until the manadatory retirement age of 70. The Page Education Foundation has awarded grants to more than 7,500 students. Page was great on the field and had an even more distinguished career and life off of it.

John Randle (1990-2000)

137 ¹⁄₂ Sacks, 29 FF, 1 INT, 556 Tackles

Randle was 6x First Team All-Pro, 7x Pro Bowler, 90s NFL All Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team, 50 Greatest Vikings, 40th Annivesary Team, Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame. Randle and Moss are why I am a Viking fan. He was known for wearing fave paint and trash talking. Randle led the Vikings in sacks 8 straight seasons from 1993-2000. Randle still posts regularly online about the Vikings and his hatred for the Packers.

Kevin Williams (2003-2013)

63 Sacks, 5 INTs, 10 FF, 528 Tackles

Williams was a forced in the middle of the field. He continued the Viking tradition of pass rushing DTs a few years after Randle’s departure. Williams was 5x First Team All-Pro, 6x Pro Bowler, NFL 2000s All Decade Team, 50 Greatest Vikings and Ring of Honor. Williams has the potential to be in the Hall of Fame. Pro Football Reference gives him a value higher than the average DT in the Hall of Fame. Most Viking fans will remember when the team tried to trade the 7th pick in the draft and the pick clock expited. Williams was the Vikings preferred choice and they selected him after Jacksonville and Carolina jumped them in the order.

Pat Williams (2005-2010)

20 ¹⁄₂ Scaks, 1 INT, 8 FF, 672 Tackles

Williams is a beast of a man. He was the anchor in the middle for several seasons. Williams was 3x Pro Bowler and 1x Second Team All-Pro. He was a big part of a dominant defensive line.

Henry Thomas (1987-1994)

93 ¹⁄₂ Sacks, 4 INTs, 19 FF, 1,006 Tackles

Thomas was 2x Pro Bowl, 1x Second Team All-Pro, and 50 Greatest Vikings. He was a consistent force in the middle int he late 80s and early 90s for the Vikings. He had 11 consecutive seasons with 6 or more sacks from 1988-1998 (MIN, DET, NE).

Keith Millard (1985-1990)

58 Sacks, 2 INTs

Millard was 2x First Team All-Pro, 1x Second Team All-Pro, 2x Pro Bowle, 80s NFL All Decade Team, 50 Greatest Vikings and Defensive Player of the Year. Millard set the single season record for sacks by a DT at 18 in 1989. That record stood until Aaaron Donaald broke it in 2018. A knee injury prematurely ended Millard’s time in Minneosta.

Gary Larsen (1965-1974)

38 ¹⁄₂ Sacks

Larsen was a 2x Pro Bowler, 50 Greatest Vikings and a member of the 25th Anniversary Team. Larsen was born in Fargo, attended Moorhead High School and went to Concordia-Moorhead College.

Paul Dickson (1961-1970)

25 ¹⁄₂ Sacks

Dickson was part of the trade that brought Jim Marshall and Jim Prestel to the team in the inaguaral season. Dickson started his career as an offensive tackle and switched after being traded to the Vikings.

Harrison Phillips (2022-present)

8 Sacks, 1 FF, 314 Tackles

Phillips isn’t nearly the player of most on this list, but he’s a great community guy. He’s popular in the lockeroom.

Linval Joseph (2014-2019)

Joseph made back to back Pro Bowls in 2016 & 2017. He was a solid player in the Mike Zimmer era and I’ll always remember him wearing sun glasses and getting oxygen on the sideline.

Tom Johnson (2014-2018)

25 ¹⁄₂ Sacks, 1 INT, 2 FF, 186 Tackles

Sebastian Thunderbucket was a better player than he is given credit for. His career included stops in NFL Europe, AFL, CFL and 4 NFL teams.

Sharrif Floyd (2013-2016)

9 ¹⁄₂ Sacks, 1 FF, 95 Tackles

Floyd’s career was cut short after a meniscus surgery went wrong. Floyd ended up with nerve damage in his knee and sued Dr James Andrews for medicla malpractice. A promising career cut short.

Doug Sutherland (1971-1980)

29 Sacks

Sutherland came in for Gary Larsen in Super Bowl IX and held the starting role for the next 6 seasons.

Defensive Ends – Carl Eller (1964-1978) & Jared Allen (2008-2013)

Safety – Harrison Smith (2012-present) & Paul Krause (1968-1979)

Cornerbacks – Antoine Winfield (2004-2012) & Bobby Bryant (1967-1980)

Outside Linebackers – Matt Blair (1974-1985) & Chad Greenway (2006-2016)

Inside Linebacker – Scott Studwell (1977-1990)

Kick Returner – Cordarelle Patterson (2013-2016)

Punter – Greg Coleman (1978-1987)

Kicker – Fred Cox (1963-1977)

Running Back – Adrian Peterson (2007-2016)

Quarterback – Fran Tarkenton (1961-1966, 1972-1978)

Wide Receivers – Randy Moss (1998-2004, 2010) & Cris Carter (1990-2001)

Tight Ends – Steve Jordan (1982-1994) & Jim Kleinsasser (1999-2011)

Offensive Tackles – Ron Yary (1968-1981) & Gary Zimmerman (1986-1992)

Offensive Guards – Randall McDaniel (1988-1999) & Steve Hutchinson (2006-2011)

Center – Mick Tingelhoff (1962-1978)

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