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Minnesota Vikings legend Jim Marshall has died at the age of 87, the team announced on its official website and social media accounts Tuesday (June 3).
Marshall, who served as the Vikings' defensive captain for 14 seasons, made 270 consecutive starts and appeared in four Super Bowls during his tenure with the franchise.
"The #Vikings family mourns the loss of Legend Jim Marshall. Marshall set the standard for what it meant to be a Minnesota Viking, starting 270 consecutive games, appearing in 4 Super Bowls and serving as team captain for 14 consecutive seasons," the Vikingsd wrote on their X account.
Marshall, who had a Hall of Fame college career at Ohio State, played for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1959 and Cleveland Browns in 1960 before being traded to the expansion Vikings in 1961. The defensive end's 282 consecutive games started and 270 consecutive games started by a position player both stood for decades before being surpassed by then-New York Giants punter Jeff Feagles in 2005 and then-Vikings quarterback Brett Favre in 2009, respectively.
"I just hope I've given you as many thrills as you fans have given me. Thank you," Marshall said after his final home game at Metropolitan Stadium, the Vikings' past home stadium, while addressing fans in December 1979 via Vikings.com.