MINNEAPOLIS — Their mission was simple, meet you at the quarterback and that's what they did — a lot.
“It was a race to see if we could get there first,” laughed Alan Page, former Purple People Eater.
“If anything come up the middle, I was in a position to try to mess up the play,” said Gary Larsen, former Purple People Eater.
“We had a short space in time that we occupied as pretty much masters of our universe,” said Jim Marshall, former Purple People Eater.
From the late 1960s to the late 1970s, the Vikings Purple People Eaters terrorized NFL quarterbacks and helped turn a young Minnesota NFL franchise into a perennial Super Bowl team.
“You could just see the fear in the eyes of opposing quarterbacks and that mystique and that swagger went a long ways in those days,” said Stu Voigt, former Vikings tight end.
Those four men — defensive end, Carl Eller; defensive tackle Gary Larsen; defensive tackle Alan Page; and the captain, defensive end Jim Marshall — will forever be known as The Purple People Eaters.
Funny, the nickname came from a novelty song from 1958, not about football, but about a strange creature from outer space.
“I just saw this this year, yes. And this is how we got our name. I hate this,” said Marshall, holding up a comic book. “It just it just sounded so cartoonish.”
Marshall always preferred to call the four of them, the Purple Gang.
Whatever the name, they were relentless.
“All you got to know is that they started every game — those three except for one. Eller didn't start. He had a broken foot. He came in in the second quarter. They wrapped it up and he came in in the second quarter. They just played,” recalled Patrick Reusse, Star Tribune sports columnist.
“Funny thing about when the ball would change, when the defense would come off the field, we would tell the offense, 'Hold on to the ball,'" said Eller.
Shaver: So you could rest?
Eller: Yeah, yeah. Hold the ball, don't give up the ball.
In 1969, the Purple People Eaters played so well that all four were named to the NFC Pro Bowl team, and started the game together. That happened 54 years ago in Los Angeles, and it's never happened since.
“It was very emotional, very emotional to be standing out there on the field in the Pro Bowl with my three teammates, and I still get emotional thinking about it,” said Larsen. “That was just a special time in our life. And, you know, they don't come around very often."
In 1971, Alan Page was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player as a defensive tackle.
It's the only time in NFL history that's ever happened.
“You had to be wired every play, every down, because those guys — they knew how to play football and knew how to make things happen,” said Page.
And there's no doubt all of that success cemented the Purple People Eaters legacy with Viking fans forever. The four of them are prominently featured in the teams museum in Eagan.
The original Purple People Eaters were together from 1967 until 1974.
The late Doug Sutherland replaced Larsen who retired after the '74 season. And Bob Lurtsema, who came over from the New York Giants in 1972, filled in when needed. Thus his infamous moniker, Benchwarmer Bob.
“They embraced me so fast, any defensive lineman would come in, that's the way it was, because now you're a teammate, you're locked in like that,” said Lurtsema while snapping his finger.
Marshall started his Viking career in 1961.
He retired as the final Purple People Eater in 1979.
He never missed a game or a practice in 19 years as a Viking.
“If I'd say something, they'd look at Jim Marshall and go like that. I figured that out pretty quick. So I wasn't here a month, and he was the captain,” said the late Bud Grant. “I love Jim Marshall.”
To this day, the bond between the Vikings Purple People Eaters remains strong.
“I'm proud to say they're all my friends, and I love 'em,” said Larsen.
Now well into their late 70s and early to mid-80s, the four are facing physical challenges brought on by old age — and all those hard hits.
Yet, they still have that swagger.
That pride.
Which comes from being the best.
“We set the stage or we laid down the foundation of winning. Yes. And everything. But losing sure is nothing," said Marshall. “I'm sitting up here with tears in my eyes now.”
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