Question

Who’s the only defensive lineman who has been named the league’s Most Valuable Player? This player was honored in 1971.

Answer

Alan Page. Page at the time was the leader of Minnesota’s “Purple People Eaters” defense. He spent 11-plus seasons with the Vikings. Released during the 1978, he found late-career success playing for defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan in Chicago. He retired after the 1981 season. (These NFC North teams, of course, play tonight.) Page is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After football, he served as a justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court for 23 years.