John Randle
Encyclopedia
John Anthony Randle played defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings
and the Seattle Seahawks
of the NFL
. On February 6, 2010 he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. Born in Mumford, Texas, Randle was raised poor, and worked odd jobs when he was young. His brother Ervin Randle
played as a linebacker
for eight years. Randle played high school football in Hearne, Texas
. He started his college playing career at Trinity Valley Community College
in Athens, Texas
, before transferring to Texas A&I University–Kingsville
. He currently lives in Medina, Minnesota with his wife and children. Randle's father was Postmaster General of Mumford in John's childhood and as such John developed an affinity for all things postal. As a tribute he was fond of writing his zip code on the eye black stickers that he wore during games. Not to be confused with the area codes that many players write on their eye black in games today (which was a trend started by Dolphins running back Reggie Bush
), Zip Code Eye Black is uniquely tied to Randle and his passion for mail.
. He went to his first Pro Bowl
in 1993 after recording 11.5 sack
s, and was quickly becoming one of the dominant defensive tackles of his era. Once Henry Thomas
left the Vikings, Randle increased his training regimen, and became well known for his disarming on-field heckling of opposing players. Randle would record double digit sacks during eight different seasons, including a career-high and league-leading 15.5 sacks in 1997.
He had an ongoing rivalry with Packers
quarterback
Brett Favre
, whom he sacked more than any other quarterback; Favre said that Randle was the toughest defensive player he faced and "on artificial turf he's unblockable". To play off the rivalry with Brett Favre, Randle starred in a commercial which featured himself sewing a miniature version of Favre's #4 jersey which he put on a live chicken. The commercial then showed Randle chasing the chicken around what was supposed to be Randle's backyard and ended with Randle cooking chicken on his BBQ, leading to fierce protests from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
. Like fellow Minnesota Viking Chris Hovan
, Randle was known for eccentric face painting as well as trash talking on the field.
, Randle signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and retired in March 2004. He had planned to retire a year earlier, but Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren
convinced him to stay one more year. The Seahawks made the playoffs two times while he was on the roster, but did not reach the Super Bowl. While with the Seahawks, Randle acquired his final sack.
Randle left the NFL tied with Richard Dent
for 5th in number of career sacks, and his 137.5 career sacks is the most by a defensive tackle in NFL history. Over his career he was named to seven Pro Bowl squads. He was named All Tackle Machine of 1999 by Tackle The Magazine.
and inducted into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor in 2008. He was eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
starting in 2009, and was elected in his second year of eligibility in 2010. Randle was inducted in Canton, OH on August 7, 2010 alongside Jerry Rice
, Emmitt Smith
, Floyd Little
, Russ Grimm
, Rickey Jackson
and Dick LeBeau
. He was also inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
during the same year and had his number retired by the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Javelinas.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. On February 6, 2010 he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. Born in Mumford, Texas, Randle was raised poor, and worked odd jobs when he was young. His brother Ervin Randle
Ervin Randle
Ervin Randle is a former American football linebacker in the NFL. He played in the NFL from 1985-1992 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. He attended Baylor University for college. He is the older brother of Hall of Famer John Randle....
played as a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for eight years. Randle played high school football in Hearne, Texas
Hearne, Texas
Hearne is a city in Robertson County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,690 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area...
. He started his college playing career at Trinity Valley Community College
Trinity Valley Community College
Trinity Valley Community College is a community college in the state of Texas.TVCC operates four campuses serving the Texas counties of Anderson, Henderson, and Kaufman, southeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex:...
in Athens, Texas
Athens, Texas
Athens is a city in Henderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,710. It is the county seat of Henderson County. According to the Texas Legislature, Athens is the "Original Home of the Hamburger"...
, before transferring to Texas A&I University–Kingsville
Texas A&M University–Kingsville
Texas A&M University–Kingsville is a U.S. national university with a multicultural student body that is 62 percent Hispanic and includes students from 35 states and 43 foreign countries...
. He currently lives in Medina, Minnesota with his wife and children. Randle's father was Postmaster General of Mumford in John's childhood and as such John developed an affinity for all things postal. As a tribute he was fond of writing his zip code on the eye black stickers that he wore during games. Not to be confused with the area codes that many players write on their eye black in games today (which was a trend started by Dolphins running back Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
), Zip Code Eye Black is uniquely tied to Randle and his passion for mail.
Early NFL Career
Randle went undrafted; he tried out for his brother's team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but was thought to be too small, and was not signed to a contract. The 6'1" 287-lbs. defensive linemen was picked up by the Vikings during training camp, playing his first season in 19901990 Minnesota Vikings season
-Schedule:-Awards and honors:* Randall McDaniel, NFC Pro Bowl selection* Randall McDaniel, All-Pro selection by Associated Press* Randall McDaniel, All-NFC selection by UPI-References:...
. He went to his first Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
in 1993 after recording 11.5 sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s, and was quickly becoming one of the dominant defensive tackles of his era. Once Henry Thomas
Henry Thomas (American football)
Henry Thomas is a former defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played for the Minnesota Vikings for most of his career. His nickname was Hardware Hank....
left the Vikings, Randle increased his training regimen, and became well known for his disarming on-field heckling of opposing players. Randle would record double digit sacks during eight different seasons, including a career-high and league-leading 15.5 sacks in 1997.
He had an ongoing rivalry with Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
, whom he sacked more than any other quarterback; Favre said that Randle was the toughest defensive player he faced and "on artificial turf he's unblockable". To play off the rivalry with Brett Favre, Randle starred in a commercial which featured himself sewing a miniature version of Favre's #4 jersey which he put on a live chicken. The commercial then showed Randle chasing the chicken around what was supposed to be Randle's backyard and ended with Randle cooking chicken on his BBQ, leading to fierce protests from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
. Like fellow Minnesota Viking Chris Hovan
Chris Hovan
Christopher James Hovan is an American football defensive tackle for the Virginia Destroyers. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Boston College....
, Randle was known for eccentric face painting as well as trash talking on the field.
Later Years In Seattle
At the end of the 2000 season2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, Randle signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and retired in March 2004. He had planned to retire a year earlier, but Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren
Mike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
convinced him to stay one more year. The Seahawks made the playoffs two times while he was on the roster, but did not reach the Super Bowl. While with the Seahawks, Randle acquired his final sack.
Randle left the NFL tied with Richard Dent
Richard Dent
Richard Lamar Dent is a former American football defensive end, who played primarily for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XX...
for 5th in number of career sacks, and his 137.5 career sacks is the most by a defensive tackle in NFL history. Over his career he was named to seven Pro Bowl squads. He was named All Tackle Machine of 1999 by Tackle The Magazine.
After Football and Legacy
Randle was elected to the College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
and inducted into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor in 2008. He was eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
starting in 2009, and was elected in his second year of eligibility in 2010. Randle was inducted in Canton, OH on August 7, 2010 alongside Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
, Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
, Floyd Little
Floyd Little
Floyd Douglas Little is a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, and was a three-time American football All-American running back at Syracuse University. In 1967 he was the 6th selection of the first common AFL-NFL draft...
, Russ Grimm
Russ Grimm
Russell Scott Grimm is a former American football guard for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. As a collegian, he was an All-American center at the University of Pittsburgh. As a professional, Grimm had multi-selections to both the All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams, and was...
, Rickey Jackson
Rickey Jackson
Rickey Anderson Jackson is a former American football linebacker in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers . In 1997, Jackson was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame. Jackson won a Super Bowl ring with the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX one year before retiring...
and Dick LeBeau
Dick LeBeau
Charles Richard “Dick” LeBeau is a National Football League Hall of Fame defensive back. He is currently the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator and is considered to be one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time. He spent 14 years in the NFL as a player with the Detroit Lions and...
. He was also inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Texas Sports Hall of Fame
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame recognizes athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made "lasting fame and honor to Texas sports". It was established in 1951 by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Once it made its first induction in 1951, Texas became the first U.S...
during the same year and had his number retired by the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Javelinas.