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In football it’s common to hear the phrase “It all stars up front.” But when Chris Doleman was on the field, it all stopped up front. With a physically imposing frame and relentless desire to make impact plays, Doleman was a dominant pass-rushing defensive end who made a career out of sacking the quarterback.
Football is a game that celebrates teamwork more than statistics, but if there is a statistic that captures the mind of football fans, it’s sacks. And there weren’t many players in NFL history who accumulated more sacks than Doleman.
It is for that reason, among others, that Doleman was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 on Saturday. Joining Doleman in the 2012 class are:
Induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is the highest honor a football player can receive, and Doleman’s dominance along the defensive line makes him a qualified member of this class.
Selected in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft as an outside linebacker, Doleman was moved to defensive end early in his career because the Vikings defense transitioned from a 3-4 alignment to a 4-3 scheme. After his first two NFL seasons, Doleman had just 3.5 sacks. But the move to defensive end eventually paid off for Doleman because he developed into one of the best pass-rushers of his era, recording 150.5 career sacks and 44 forced fumbles in 15 seasons.
“Chris was a phenomenal player and a guy who could have excelled in any decade,” former Vikings linebacker and current Director of College Scouting Scott Studwell said. “His size, speed, balance and skill level were ahead of their time. He changed how teams could play against us. Chris was a good friend and teammate and earned the respect of the locker room.”
Doleman began and concluded his career with the Vikings, but also spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers. His breakthrough season came in 1987 when he tallied 11.0 sacks and six forced fumbles for the Vikings. Doleman’s best season came two years later in 1989, when he recorded a franchise single-season record 21.0 sacks. During his first stint with the Vikings (1985-1993), Doleman earned six Pro Bowl berths and three First-Team All-Pro honors.
Doleman played for the Falcons from 1994-1995 and then for the 49ers from 1996-1998, accumulating a total of 54.0 sacks in five seasons and also earning a Pro Bowl berth with each franchise. Doleman then finished his career with the Vikings during the 1999 season, registering 8.0 sacks and helping the Vikings advance to the Divisional round of the NFC playoffs.
Other NFL greats recognized the impact Doleman had on the game, even when he was in the middle of his playing career. We often hear about outstanding offensive players and how defenses must devise plans to contain them. With Doleman, though, opposing offenses had to adjust how they played to make sure Doleman didn’t take over the game.
“Doleman is one of those rare guys, maybe one of four or five that I played against during my career right there with Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Derrick Thomas, that you had to know where they were and set your protection accordingly,” said Hall of Famer and former Vikings quarterback Warren Moon. “You had to know if you were going to help the tackle out with a tight end or running back to chip on those guys. Doleman was someone you always had to worry about because you knew he could get to the quarterback. The amount of time and attention that went to preparing for Chris Doleman benefitted the others guys on those defensive lines. He was one of those guys that you had to make sure could be blocked in one way or another.”
Doleman’s impact on the game was not limited to Vikings opponents. He made a big difference in the careers of his teammates, too.
“Chris Doleman had the ability to deliver the big play when you needed it,” said fellow Hall of Fame defensive lineman John Randle, a teammate of Doleman’s in Minnesota. “Teams had to keep an eye on him because they knew it was coming, be it in the beginning, middle or end of the game. He was capable of making that big play.
“As a young guy learning the NFL game from him, he did so much for me. He taught me how to be a pro on and off the field. He was quiet on the field, a leader without speaking. It was his presence that influenced games. The way he studied the game and showed his teammates the way to prepare and be a mature player made a big impact on me.”
Doleman had a big impact on the Vikings. In 10 total seasons with the organization, Doleman registered 96.5 sacks, 31 forced fumbles and 16 fumble recoveries, making him one of the best defensive linemen in the history of a franchise with several Hall of Fame linemen.
In total for his career, Doleman accumulated eight Pro Bowl selections, three First-Team All-Pro honors and he was also named to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Second-Team, joining fellow defensive linemen Warren Sapp, Neil Smith and Bryant Young (Cortez Kennedy, John Randle, Bruce Smith and Reggie White were on the First Team).
Doleman’s production and dominating presence over 15 seasons placed him in an elite fraternity, as he was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor during the 2011 season. And now, Doleman’s career will forever be remembered in NFL lore as well, as he’ll be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Doleman Did You Knows
-- Doleman suited up for 232 of a possible 237 career games from 1985-99 for three different teams.
-- During his 15 seasons, Doleman endured only three losing campaigns and was part of double-digit win teams seven times.
-- Doleman played on four defensive units that ranked No. 1 in the NFL – Minnesota 1988, ‘89, ‘93 and San Francisco 1997
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT CHRIS DOLEMAN
“Certainly Chris has been worthy of this honor for a long time. His sack numbers are just a part of it. Even more impressive, he had what we referred to as a ‘hat trick,’ which was the sack, the strip of the ball and the recovery of the fumble; probably more so than anybody in football, including Reggie White. There’s probably no player that had more speed combined with body lean as far as being an outside rusher. He had incredible balance and body control to be able to stay on his feet and arch himself back into the quarterback, which was how he was able to create so many fumbles and big plays.”
- Paul Wiggin
“Chris Doleman had the ability to deliver the big play when you needed it. Teams had to keep an eye on him because they knew it was coming, be it in the beginning, middle or end of the game. He was capable of making that big play. As a young guy learning the NFL game from him, he did so much for me. He taught me how to be a pro on and off the field. He was quiet on the field, a leader without speaking. It was his presence that influenced games. The way he studied the game and showed his teammates the way to prepare and be a mature player made a big impact on me.”
- John Randle - Pro Football Hall of Fame 2010
“He was a true leader on the field. Chris was relentless in his attack and he was an unselfish player. He didn’t care who got credit as long as the job got done. Many times he would take on the double team freeing the other D-linemen to make a big play. He was a complete player – he was a great pass rusher and equally as good defending the run. In my opinion, to be a great player you have to be able to do everything well…and Chris did them extremely well.”
- Randall McDaniel, Pro Football Hall of Fame 2009
“Doleman is one of those rare guys, maybe one of four or five that I played against during my career right there with Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Derrick Thomas, that you had to know where they were and set your protection accordingly. You had to know if you were going to help the tackle out with a tight end or running back to chip on those guys. Doleman was someone you always had to worry about because you knew he could get to the quarterback. The amount of time and attention that went to preparing for Chris Doleman benefitted the others guys on those defensive lines. He was one of those guys that you had to make sure could be blocked in one way or another.”
- Warren Moon - Pro Football Hall of Fame 2006
“Having watched Chris enter the Vikings Ring of Honor this past season, we’re very excited that he has now been chosen as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012. Chris was a very important part of the organization’s success for 10 years and his accomplishments on the field speak for themselves. He has earned this honor and we look forward to celebrating his enshrinement in Canton in August.”
- Zygi Wilf, Vikings Owner/Chairman
