JOHN RANDLE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME 2010 FINALIST

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Roland Allison
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1 JOHN RANDLE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME 2010 FINALIST

JOHN RANDLE 6-1 / 287 / DOB 12-12-67 COLLEGE: TEXAS A&I HIGH SCHOOL: HEARNE, TX John Randle s struggle to the top of the NFL heap was a long shot at best growing up in tiny, rural Hearne, Texas.

His stature kept him off the radar of the big schools in football-crazy country and he wound up starting his collegiate career at Trinity Valley Junior College before getting a shot at Division II

His size and small-school stigma followed him and Randle wasn t drafted by an NFL team. The Vikings acquired Randle in 1990 as a rookie free agent and brought him to training camp.

5 sacks during the 1993 season. Randle went on to earn seven Pro Bowl selections and six All-Pro honors as well as being named to the 1990s All-Decade Team.

2 JOHN RANDLE 6-1 / 287 / DOB COLLEGE: TEXAS A&I HIGH SCHOOL: HEARNE, TX John Randle s struggle to the top of the NFL heap was a long shot at best growing up in tiny, rural Hearne, Texas. Always an underdog, his fought his way to top dog. His stature kept him off the radar of the big schools in football-crazy country and he wound up starting his collegiate career at Trinity Valley Junior College before getting a shot at Division II Texas A&I. Even though he would eventually be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, Randle was toiled in obscurity at A&I and was overlooked by the NFL. His size and small-school stigma followed him and Randle wasn t drafted by an NFL team. The Vikings acquired Randle in 1990 as a rookie free agent and brought him to training camp. As a rookie he earned a name for himself as a reckless special teams player. Just three years later, Randle was a full-time starter and heading to his fi rst Pro Bowl after tallying 11.5 sacks during the 1993 season. Randle went on to earn seven Pro Bowl selections and six All-Pro honors as well as being named to the 1990s All-Decade Team. He recorded double-digit sacks during eight different seasons, including a career-high and league-leading 15.5 sacks in 1997; he led the Vikings in sacks nine different times (eight years consecutively). Randle re-defi ned the DT position and ushered in the emergence of the under-tackle or 3-technique position. His ability proved that a pass-rush threat from the interior could alter how offenses protected and have a ripple effect across the line. Randle and his brother, NFL LB Ervin Randle, made the most of their humble childhoods and achieved at the highest level through unwavering work ethic and determination. Ervin presented John for his induction into the Vikings Ring of Honor in John and wife Candace, with their children, live in suburban Minneapolis. RANDLE MILESTONES 1st NFL game: at Kansas City, 9/9/90 1st NFL sack: at Philadelphia, 10/15/90 - QB Randall Cunningham 1st NFL start: at Detroit, 10/6/91 Single-game career-high sacks: 3.5 at Green Bay, 9/22/96 Single-game career-high tackles: 10 at San Francisco, 12/7/97 Touchdown: 1, fumble recovery at NY Giants, 12/23/01 Inducted into Vikings Ring of Honor: 11/30/08 Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame: 2008 WINNING WAYS Randle was only part of a losing team once in his 13 seasons as a starter, in a 7-9 campaign with Seattle in Randle was a starter on 8 playoff squads with the Vikings in a 9-season span from Randle played on 9 playoff-bound teams during his 13 seasons as a starter and 14 overall seasons. ALOHA RANDLE John Randle earned berths in 7 Pro Bowls, being recognized for his play in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and Randle went to 6 straight Pro Bowls with the Vikings and earned a berth with Seattle for his play in 2001, his 1st season as a Seahawk after joining the team as a free agent.

3 NFL CAREER SACKS Bruce Smith, DE Reggie White, DE Kevin Greene, DE Chris Doleman, DE Michael Strahan, DE John Randle, DT Richard Dent, DE VIKINGS CAREER SACKS Carl Eller, DE Jim Marshall, DE John Randle, DT NFL SACKS John Randle Bruce Smith Reggie White Kevin Greene NFL SACKS 1994 Kevin Greene John Randle Ken Harvey NFL SACKS 1997 John Randle Dana Stubblefi eld MOST CONSECUTIVE 10+ SACK SEASONS Reggie White... 9 John Randle... 8 Lawrence Taylor... 7 Bruce Smith... 7 MOST SEASONS LEADING VIKINGS IN SACKS John Randle... 9 Jim Marshall... 6 Alan Page... 6 Chris Doleman... 6 VOICES ON RANDLE Tenacious is the fi rst word that comes to mind when I think of John. He played hard on every play for 60 minutes. He also played with a great love for the game. He had fun out there. He talked a lot and let everyone know he was having fun. I respected John as a great player and I will always remember how much he appreciated the opportunity to play in the NFL. - Troy Aikman I got the chance to play with John in the last few seasons of his career in Seattle. You knew who he was from seeing all the highlights through the years, but what you didn t know when you fi rst met him was how hard he worked every day in practice and how much he put into his preparation. I was lucky to see fi rst-hand what a player of his caliber dedicated to his day-today routine. You couldn t help but work harder when he was going full-bore every day. He made all of us on the offensive line better by facing him at practice. - Steve Hutchinson ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-PRO DEFENSIVE LINES John Randle, DT; Cortez Kennedy, DT; Bruce Smith, DE; Neil Smith, DE John Randle, DT; Corez Kennedy, DT; Bruce Smith, DE; Charles Haley, DE John Randle, DT; Chester McGlockton, DT; Bruce Smith, DE; Reggie White, DE John Randle, DT; Bryant Young, DT; Bruce Smith, DE; Alfred Williams, DE John Randle, DT; Dana Stubblefi eld, DT; Bruce Smith, DE; Michael Strahan, DE John Randle, DT; Darrell Russell, DT; Michael Strahan, DE; Reggie White, DE NFC PRO BOWL DEFENSIVE LINE STARTERS John Randle, DT; Sean Gilbert, DT; Richard Dent, DE; Reggie White, DE John Randle, DT; Leon Lett, DT; Charles Haley, DE; William Fuller, DE John Randle, DT; Eric Swann, DT; Charles Haley, DE; Reggie White, DE John Randle, DT; Bryant Young, DT; Tony Tolbert, DE; Reggie White, DE John Randle, DT; Dana Stubblefi eld, DT; Michael Strahan, DE; Chris Doleman, DE John Randle, DT; Warren Sapp, DT; Michael Strahan, DE; Reggie White, DE 2001 AFC PRO BOWL DEFENSIVE LINE STARTERS John Randle, DT; Sam Adams, DT; John Abraham, DE; Marcellus Wiley, DE

4 RANDLE S CAREER Season... G/S...W-L... Division... Sacks... Tackles...FF...FR...PD 1990 (Minnesota)...16/ th (Minnesota)...16/ rd (Minnesota)...16/ st Playoffs...1/ (Minnesota)...16/ nd Playoffs...1/ (Minnesota)...16/ st Playoffs...1/ (Minnesota)...16/ th (Minnesota)...16/ nd Playoffs...1/ (Minnesota)...16/ th Playoffs...2/ (Minnesota)...16/ st Playoffs...2/ (Minnesota)...16/ nd Playoffs...2/ (Minnesota)...16/ st Playoffs...2/ (Seattle)...15/ nd (Seattle)...12/ rd (Seattle)...16/ nd Playoffs...1/ Total...219/ Playoffs...13/ John Randle s Career Sack Totals Oct L...at Philadelphia... Randall Cunningham Sept W...at Atlanta... Chris Miller Sept W...vs. San Francisco... Steve Young Sept L...vs. Denver... John Elway Oct L...at Detroit... Rodney Peete Oct W...vs. Phoenix... Tom Tupa Oct W...at Phoenix... Tom Tupa Dec W...at Tampa Bay... Vinny Testaverde Dec L...vs. Green Bay... Don Majkowski Sept W (OT)...at. Green Bay... Don Majkowski Sept L...at Detroit... Rodney Peete Sept W...at Cincinnati... Boomer Esiason Oct W...vs. Detroit... Erik Kramer Nov W...at Chicago... Jim Harbaugh Nov L...vs. Houston... Warren Moon Dec L...at Philadelphia... Randall Cunningham Dec L...vs. San Francisco... Steve Young Dec W...at Pittsburgh... Bubby Brister Dec W...vs. Green Bay... Brett Favre

5 Sept W...vs. Chicago... Jim Harbaugh Oct W...vs. Tampa Bay... Craig Erickson Oct W...at Chicago... Jim Harbaugh Nov W...at Denver... John Elway Dec W...at Detroit... Rodney Peete Dec W...at Green Bay (Milw.)... Brett Favre Dec W...at Washington... Mark Rypien Sept L...at Green Bay... Brett Favre Sept W...vs. Detroit... Scott Mitchell Oct L...at Arizona... Jay Schroeder Oct W...at New York Giants... Dave Brown Oct W (OT)...vs. Green Bay... Brett Favre, Mark Brunell Oct W...at Tampa Bay... Craig Erickson Dec W (OT)...vs. Chicago... Steve Walsh Dec W...at Buffalo... Jim Kelly Dec W...vs. San Francisco... Steve Young, Elvis Grbac Sept L...at Chicago... Erik Kramer Sept W...vs. Detroit... Scott Mitchell Sept W (OT)...vs. Dallas... Troy Aikman Oct L...at Tampa Bay... Trent Dilfer Nov W...vs. Green Bay... Brett Favre Nov W (OT)...at Arizona... Dave Krieg Nov L...at Detroit... Scott Mitchell Dec W...vs. Tampa Bay... Trent Dilfer Dec W...vs. Cleveland... Eric Zeir Sept W...vs. Detroit... Scott Mitchell Sept W...at Chicago... Erik Kramer Sept W...vs. Green Bay... Brett Favre Sept L...at New York Giants... Dave Brown Nov L...at Seattle... John Friesz Nov W (OT)...at Oakland... Jeff Hostetler Dec W...vs. Arizona... Boomer Esiason Dec W...vs. Tampa Bay... Trent Dilfer Aug W...at Buffalo... Todd Collins Sept W...vs. Philadelphia... Ty Detmer Oct W...at Arizona... Kent Graham Oct W...vs. Carolina... Steve Beuerlein Oct W...at Tampa Bay... Trent Dilfer Nov W...vs. New England... Drew Bledsoe Nov W...vs. Chicago... Erik Kramer Dec L...vs. Detroit... Scott Mitchell Dec W...vs. Indianapolis... Jim Harbaugh Jan. 3, 98** L...@ San Francisco... Steve Young Sept W...vs. Detroit... Charlie Batch Sept W...at Chicago... Erik Kramer Oct W...at Detroit... Charlie Batch Nov W...vs. New Orleans... Billy Joe Tolliver Nov W...vs. Cincinnati... Neil O Donnell

6 Nov W...vs. Green Bay... Brett Favre Dec W...vs. Chicago... Steve Stenstrom Dec W...vs. Jacksonville... Jonathan Quinn Oct W...vs. Tampa Bay... Trent Dilfer Oct L...at Detroit... Gus Frerrote Nov W...vs. Dallas... Troy Aikman Dec L...at Kansas City... Elvis Grbac Dec W...at NY Giants... Kerry Collins Jan. 2, W...vs. Detroit... Charlie Batch, Gus Frerotte (2) Jan. 16, 00** L...at St. Louis... Kurt Warner Oct W...vs. Tampa Bay... Shaun King Oct W...at Chicago... Cade McNown Nov L (OT)...at Green Bay... Brett Favre Nov W...vs. Arizona... Jake Plummer Nov W...vs. Carolina... Steve Beuerlein Nov W...vs. Detroit... Stony Case Jan. 6, 01** W...vs. New Orleans... Aaron Brooks Sept W...at Cleveland... Tim Couch Sept L...vs. Philadelphia... Donovan McNabb Sept L...at Oakland... Rich Gannon Oct W...vs. Jacksonville... Mark Brunell Oct W...vs. Denver... Brian Griese Nov L...at Washington... Tony Banks Nov L...at Kansas City... Trent Green Dec L...at Denver... Gus Frerotte Dec W...vs. Dallas... Quincy Carter Dec W...at San Diego... Doug Flutie Oct W...at Dallas... Chad Hutchinson Nov L...vs. Kansas City... Trent Green Dec W...at Atlanta... Michael Vick Dec W...at San Diego... Drew Brees Oct L...at Green Bay... Brett Favre Oct W...vs. San Francisco... Jeff Garcia Nov L...at Baltimore... Anthony Wright Dec W...vs. Arizona... Josh McCown Dec W...@ San Francisco... Jeff Garcia ** playoffs (Minnesota Vikings) regular season/ 3.0 playoffs (Seattle Seahawks) regular season

Kevin Greene. Kevin Greene, a fifth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in the 1985 NFL Draft,

Kevin Greene. Kevin Greene, a fifth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in the 1985 NFL Draft, Kevin Greene Kevin Greene, a fifth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in the 1985 NFL Draft, quickly developed into one of the most punishing pass rushers in league history. A walk-on at Auburn he