Alan Page shatters offensive lines to capture the NFL’s first defensive MVP award, ultimately cementing an immortal legacy on the gridiron and the judicial bench.
Football Bio
August 7, 1945. Alan Page, a defensive end from Notre Dame, was born.
Mr. Page was selected to enter the College Football Hall of Fame per the National Football Foundation. He was a member of that famed 1966 Fighting Irish National Championship team.
And Mr. Page went on to have a tremendous 15-year pro career as part of the famed Purple People Eaters of the Minnesota Vikings, and later three seasons with the Chicago Bears.
In 1967, he won the NFL Rookie of the Year honors. And as a Viking, Alan played in four Super Bowls.
Super Bowl IV, Super Bowl VIII, Super Bowl IX, and Super Bowl XI. But unfortunately, he never got a chance to hoist that Lombardi trophy. Page was named to the 1970s NFL All-Decade team and inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor.
And the great defender also has his bronze bust placed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Page was the first player on the defensive side of the ball to win the NFL Most Valuable Player honors, and only Lawrence Taylor has done it since. So that’s quite an honor.
What does a super intelligent football player do after a brilliant career? Well, according to Yahoo.com, Page attended the University of Minnesota Law School while he was still playing with the Vikings and earned his law degree in 1978.
The man then served as an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1992 all the way to 2015. What an incredible life Alan Page has lived, and that’s why he’s in both the College and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Alan Page exemplifies the true student-athlete, conquering the National Football League through aggressive dominance before building an equally impressive legal career. He inspires generations to relentlessly pursue greatness on the field, in the classroom, and in the courtroom. [Pro Football Hall of Fame]
Verified Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
- College Football Hall of Fame: He earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
- NFL Most Valuable Player: He became the first defensive player in NFL history to win the AP MVP award in 1971.
- NFL Defensive Player of the Year: He won the league’s top defensive honor in 1971 and 1973.
- 9× Pro Bowl Selection: He was voted to nine consecutive Pro Bowls.
- 6× First-Team All-Pro: He earned All-Pro honors six times during his career.
- National Champion: He led the University of Notre Dame to a national championship in 1966.
- Super Bowl Appearances: He played in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI with the Minnesota Vikings.
- Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court: He served on the bench from 1993 until reaching the mandatory retirement age in 2015.
- Presidential Medal of Freedom: He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018.
