Doug Sutherland, a former defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings, died early today, according to the team. He was 73 years old at the time.
Sutherland was drafted 14th overall by the New Orleans Saints in 1970 and traded to the Minnesota Vikings the following year. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles for ten seasons until joining the Seattle Seahawks in 1981.
Sutherland was a notable contributor for the Vikings throughout his first four seasons before becoming a full-time starter in 1975. He had 27.5 sacks and 90 starts in 138 games during his time with the Vikings.
Sutherland appeared in three Super Bowls, two of which he started. He was also rated one of the top 50 Vikings of all time.
“One of our most cherished Legends was Doug Sutherland. Doug was a critical player of some of the top defenses in NFL history, as well as three Super Bowl teams,” Vikings owner Chairman Zygi Wilf and owner/president Mark Wilf stated in a statement. “After football, Doug was also the consummate teammate. He was one of the most active members of Vikings Legends activities, never missing an opportunity to volunteer at a community event or provide a helping hand. Doug’s friends and family are in our thoughts.”
The #Vikings are mourning the loss of Legend Doug Sutherland.
Sutherland started 90 of the 138 regular-season games he played for Minnesota, the fourth-highest total of appearances by a Vikings DT behind John Randle, Kevin Williams and Alan Page.
📰: https://t.co/Ckqx3k5wsX pic.twitter.com/t1s7djolXD
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) April 5, 2022
During this terrible time, our thoughts and prayers are with Sutherland’s surviving family and friends.
