University of Minnesota Athletics
Carl Eller - M Club Hall of Fame
Carl Eller
HOF Class of 1992
Football, 1961-63
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.
An All-Pro six times, 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 a record 23 fumbles along the way. Eller was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.