Brett Favre recalls why Jim Marshall was class apart following legendary Vikings DE's death at 87

Legendary Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall passed away on Tuesday at the age of 87.

Considered one of the best and most consistent defensive players of his generation, Marshall is an NFL champion and a member of various Anniversary and Vikings Hall of Fame teams.

Marshall was a member of the Vikings 25th and 40th Anniversary Teams, as well as being included in the 50 Greatest Vikings and the Vikings Ring of Honor. His iconic No. 70 is also retired by the team.

Marshall was a class act and made a positive impact on fans, analysts, and players alike during his life. One of those individuals was longtime NFL QB Brett Favre, who took to social media on Tuesday to pay a nice tribute to Marshall.

"Man, I’ll never forget the day I got to meet Jim Marshall — one of the true original Iron Men of the NFL. Tough as nails, played 282 consecutive games as a defensive end… in an era when the game was as gritty and raw as it gets.

"Growing up watching guys like Jim, I learned what it meant to show up every single Sunday, no matter what. To have had the chance to shake his hand — and even play in front of him — was a real honor.

"Guys like Jim paved the way. They didn’t ask for attention, they earned respect with every snap. I tried to bring that same mindset to the field every week. My condolences go out to him and his family — but he’s certainly a legend among legends."

Jim Marshall's career NFL stats

Jim Marshall finished his legendary NFL career with 282 games played, 130.5 sacks, one interception and 30 fumble recoveries.

According to the Minnesota Vikings official website and senior editor Craig Peters, Marshall "set an NFL record for consecutive games by a position player (282) that was later broken by Brett Favre (299). Marshall still ranks fourth in the latter category behind Favre (298), Bruce Matthews (292) and Jerry Rice (284)."

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jim Marshall's family and his friends during this difficult time.