University of Minnesota Athletics
Pro Football Hall of Fame: Carl Eller
8/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
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v Minnesota's seventh and most recent inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be former Gopher quarterback Tony Dungy, who will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame on Aug. 6, 2016.
Dungy played for the Gophers from 1973-76 and was the team captain in 1976. After his collegiate career, Dungy signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1978, he intercepted six passes, second-best in the AFC, and helped the Steelers defeat the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII. Dungy was the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002-08 and led the Colts to their first Super Bowl title in 2007.
Leading up to Dungy's induction, we will take a look back at the former Gophers who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Today, we look at Carl Eller.
Carl Eller
Carl Eller was a defensive tackle for the Golden Gophers from 1961 to 1963, so tough that in his first season he played with a broken hand, on game day tossing aside the cast he wore in practices.
As a sophomore, the dominating Eller helped lead the Gophers past UCLA to win the Rose Bowl.
In 1963, "Moose" Eller earned All-American honors and was the runner-up for the Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation's top interior lineman.
The six-foot-six, 260-pound terror was selected sixth overall by the Vikings in the NFL draft. He played 225 regular-season games over 15 years for them before spending one final 1979 season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Eller was the NFL's Most Valuable Defensive Lineman twice, and played in six Pro Bowl games and four Super Bowls. He became the Vikings' all-time sack leader with 130, and recovered 23 fumbles along the way. Eller was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
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Bronko Nagurski
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