Hall of Fame defensive end Doleman
dies at 58 after cancer battle
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 [January 29, 2020]
Hall of Fame defensive end Chris
Doleman, who ranks fifth on the NFL's all-time sack list, died of
cancer Tuesday night at age 58.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the news in a statement.
Doleman had been battling glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, for
two years.
"The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of
Chris Doleman after a prolonged and courageous battle against
cancer," Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker said. "I had the
honor of getting to know him not only as a great football player but
an outstanding human being. One of the honors of my life was
witnessing Chris get baptized in the Jordan River during a Hall of
Fame trip to Israel.
"The legacy of Chris Doleman will live forever in Canton, Ohio, for
generations to learn from how he lived a life of courage and
character."
Doleman played 15 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings, who
selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft. The
former Pittsburgh Panthers star earned nearly two-thirds of his
150.5 career sacks over his 10 years with the Vikings (1985-93,
1999). His 96.5 sacks with the Vikings rank second in franchise
history behind the 114 of fellow Hall of Famer John Randle, who was
Doleman's teammate for five years.
"The Minnesota Vikings express our deepest sympathies to Chris
Doleman's family and friends upon his passing," the team wrote in a
statement. "Chris was a great example for players past and present,
as he embodied all the best characteristics of a Viking --
resilience, toughness and a competitive spirit. Chris always carried
himself with dignity and class. Vikings fans worldwide will greatly
miss him."
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Chris Doleman during the TimkenSteel Grand Parade on Cleveland Ave.
in advance of the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Doleman recorded 10 or more sacks eight times, which ranks tied for
sixth in league history since sacks became an official statistic in
1982. His best season came in 1989, when he led the NFL with 21
sacks on a dominant Vikings defense that racked up a league-high 71.
His 21 sacks that year are tied for the fifth most in a single
season in NFL history.
Doleman also spent two seasons (1994-95) with the Atlanta Falcons
and three years with the San Francisco 49ers (1996-98), where he
notched 11 or more sacks in each season.
In 232 career games (213 starts), Doleman also posted 975 tackles,
44 forced fumbles and eight interceptions.
--Field Level Media
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