Does longevity mean more than greatness? We ask this question about Jim Marshall, who had a solid 20-year career but made the Pro Bowl only twice.
Jim Marshall was truly the model of consistency. For nineteen of his twenty-year career, he patrolled the Minnesota Vikings defense in a time period that seemed to last forever. Marshall set longevity records by setting the consecutive starts record for a Defensive End and the most Fumbles recovered. Although he wasn't dominant, he was very good, and the NFL doesn’t allow a player to last twenty years just for charitable reasons. Marshall recovered 30 fumbles over his career, which is also a record for Defensive Ends.
Again, Jim Marshall was a great player for Minnesota, but without a dominating period, it is difficult to see how Marshall can get into the Hall of Fame. With only one year as a finalist, it seems that the Hall committee thinks the same, especially considering he was not on the Centennial Slate Finalists in 2020. Nevertheless, when fans talk about Hall of Fame snubs among Defensive Ends, the voices for Jim Marshall extend well beyond the borders of Minnesota.
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