Most Seahawks fans and hardcore NFL fans know that Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (WR) and Franco Harris (RB) retired with the Seattle Seahawks, despite having played most of their careers and building their legacy elsewhere. However, did you know that there was a third Hall of Famer who ended his storied career in the Blue, Green, and Gray? That's right, Hall of Famer and legendary Minnesota Vikings Defensive End Carl Eller also bid farewell to the NFL as a member of the Seahawks. Of course it's fitting that as Seattle tries to bolster their pass rush we take a look back at one of the best pass rushers to ever play the game.
Carl Eller was born on January 25, 1942 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He dominated the competition while attending Atkins Academic & Technology High School and headed off to the University of Minnesota. While at Minnesota, Eller and the Golden Gophers would enjoy tremendous success. In 1962, Eller's sophomore season, he led the Golden Gophers to their first and only Rose Bowl victory in school history. Eller showed what a remarkable athlete he was by playing both sides of the ball during his final two seasons at Minnesota. A natural defensive lineman, Eller would go on to be a Runner-Up for the Outland Trophy in 1963, an award given to the Nation's top interior Offensive Lineman. Quite the impressive feat. When Eller's time at Minnesota was done, he left the school a 2-time All-American, wrapping up an excellent college career. He was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. His legacy is still felt at Minnesota, as the Carl Eller Award is given annually to the University of Minnesota's Defensive Player of the Year.
Eller's collegiate success would see him drafted in the 1st round in 1964 by both the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL and the Buffalo Bills, then of the AFL. Seeing as how he had already developed roots in the Minnesota area, Eller decided to play for the Vikings. It would turn out to be a very wise decision. Over his 15 year career with Minnesota, Eller would be elected to the Pro Bowl 6 times. He was a 5 time All-Pro and helped lead the Vikings to 4 NFC Championships. If that wasn't enough, he was twice a 2nd Team All-Pro, and was voted All Conference 7 times! As a member of the vaunted "Purple People Eater" (still the coolest group nickname in all of sports, sorry Legion of Boom!) Eller still managed to stand out despite playing alongside one of the finest defensive line units of all time. Eller's ultimate individual achievement during his playing days would come in 1971, the year he was voted the George S. Halas Trophy which is given to the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. The man they called "Moose" due to his imposing 6'6" 247 pound frame, still holds the Minnesota Vikings all-time sacks record with 130 1/2.
Eller would play his final season in the NFL with our very own Seattle Seahawks! After being traded by the Vikings to Seattle in 1979, he added 3 more sacks with Seattle to bring his career tally to 133 1/2, which would be good enough for 8th place all-time if the NFL had kept track of sacks as a stat back then. Most Seahawks fans know that Jerry Rice and Franco Harris called the Pacific Northwest home before calling it quits, but most don't remember that Eller did the same. At 6'6" 247 pounds, Eller was exactly what the Seahawks would be looking for right now. An excellent pass rusher with the ability to also anchor against the run. If he were still playing today, in his prime of course, Eller would more than likely supplant Red Bryant as the 5 Tech in the Seahawks defense. Roughly on par with Bryant's abilities to shut down the run, Eller would offer MUCH more in the pass rush department. I love Red, but you'd have to give the nod to the proven Hall of Famer. If I had to pick a guy on the Seahawks that most resembles Eller's style, it'd probably be DE/DT Greg Scruggs. The 2nd year man out of Louisville displays stellar ability in slowing down the running game, as well as the potential to get after the quarterback. The Hawks would be lucky to find someone of Eller's ability in the draft this year at #25. The odds are against it but with Carroll and Schneider openly seeking to bolster the pass rush you just never know. The Hawks have struck gold numerous times before when it seemed improbable.
His career with Seattle may have been brief, but it certainly adds another great name to the list of players who have donned a Seahawks jersey. Being 25 years old, I never got to watch Carl Eller play. All I've seen is old footage but you can still see the type of dominant player he was. My father would often tell me about the "Purple People Eaters" growing up. He'd tell me about the legendary frozen tundra in Minnesota, back when they played outdoors, and he'd talk about how guys like Carl Eller used to impose fear in the hearts of other grown men. Frigid temperatures weren't enough to stop Eller and the rest of the Purple People Eaters. To this day I still remember these stories and I wish that I'd have been able to see them in person. I absolutely love a good ferocious lineman, and from the sounds of it Carl Eller was that guy. The stories my father would tell me as a kid ultimately stuck with me until now, which is why I have such great respect for Eller and his legacy.
These are just some of Eller's accomplishments on the field. What I didn't necessarily know about was Eller's work off the field, which is equally impressive. As well as being a licensed drug and alcohol counselor, in 1986 Eller would go on to start a group of substance-abuse clinics in the Twin Cities called Triumph Life Centers. Eller then went on to work for the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Eller has been candid about his struggles with substance abuse, speaking with groups about the dangers of chemical dependency. You have simply got to respect that kind of honesty and desire to educate and help others. Eller has even appeared on the big screen, in both television and film roles. As if all this wasn't enough, Eller is also President of the Retired Players Association, which is a non-profit organization that's dedicated to advocacy and collegial support for retired football players and their families.
As the Hall of Fame and Allstate Insurance gets set to recognize Eller as part of their "Hometown Hall of Famers" program with a plaque at the high school he attended long ago, I just wanted to give a little salute to Mr. Eller as well. Any man, woman, or child who wears a Seahawks jersey sounds like a good person to me, and in writing this I got to learn a lot more about Eller than I had previously known before. Not only was the man a Hall of Fame caliber play ON the field, but he was a Hall of Fame caliber person off it. His honesty and decency make it great to see him continue to get honored by those around him to this day. Here's hoping that this is yet another special day in the special life of Carl Eller.
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