Jeff Siemon, the legendary Minnesota Vikings linebacker who earned four Pro Bowl selections during his NFL career, passed away Saturday at the age of 75.
While the Vikings organization confirmed Siemon’s death, they have not released details about what caused his passing.
The Stanford University product dedicated his entire professional football career to Minnesota after the team chose him as the 10th selection in the 1972 NFL Draft. During the franchise’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2010, Siemon received recognition as one of the 50 Greatest Vikings in team history.
His Pro Bowl honors came in 1973, 1975, 1976, and 1977, marking him as one of the premier linebackers of his era.
Former Vikings defensive back Bobby Bryant shared his memories of Siemon following news of his death, according to the team’s official website.
“Jeff was a great teammate — a leader for us on the field and a really good linebacker. He was key to our teams,” Bryant said.
“As good of a player that Jeff was, he was a better person — truly one of the best guys we had. You never heard anyone speak cross of Jeff. His faith was his guide, and he was not afraid to share it with people. He touched so many.”
Throughout his professional career, Siemon appeared in 156 games and started 124 of them. His defensive statistics included 11 interceptions, 11 fumble recoveries, and seven quarterback sacks.
