There’s a reason that so many people are struggling to come to terms with that fact that Vikings legend Jim Marshall is gone.

Because of the way he lived, it almost seemed he couldn’t die.

The icon affectionately known as “The Captain” by his peers passed away last week at the age of 87 following a lengthy hospitalization. The original iron man in the NFL, Marshall played in 282 consecutive games during his career, most of them coming for the Vikings, all of them on the defensive line.

As former teammates and others have pointed out, the resumé seems to demand enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That never happened in his lifetime. Instead, Marshall has been immortalized in a different way, his legacy living on in those who had the privilege of coming into contact with him.

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