Jim Marshall, a legendary defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings and one of the most durable players in NFL history,  has passed away. He was 87.

Marshall’s passing came "following a lengthy hospitalization." 

No cause of death was released.

Marshall’s death was confirmed by his wife, Susan Landwehr Marshall, and the Vikings organization in an official statement on the team’s website.

"The entire Minnesota Vikings organization is mourning the loss of Jim Marshall. No player in Vikings history lived the ideals of toughness, camaraderie, and passion more than the all-time iron man. A cornerstone of the franchise from the beginning, Captain Jim's unmatched durability and quiet leadership earned the respect of teammates and opponents throughout his 20-year career,” the statement read. 

“Jim led by example, and there was no finer example for others to follow. His impact on the Vikings was felt long after he left the field. Jim will always be remembered as a tremendous player and person,” the statement continued.” Our hearts are with his wife, Susan, and all of Jim's loved ones."

Marshall began his career in the CFL and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1960. Eventually, he was traded to the expansion Vikings in 1961. 

As Vikings captain for 14 seasons, Marshall appeared in four Super Bowls as part of the franchise's famed “Purple People Eaters” defense along with Alan Page, Carl Eller, and Gary Larsen. Although sacks were not an official NFL statistic until 1982, Marshall was credited with 130.5 sacks by Pro Football Reference, which would tie him for the No. 22 spot in NFL history. 

In 1964, Marshall committed one of the most infamous blunders in NFL history in a game against the San Francisco 49ers, when he thought he had scored a touchdown; instead, it was a safety.

“It took a lot of guts for me to go back on that field,” Marshall said about the play in a 1994 television interview. “Because I took football very seriously, and I had made the biggest mistake that you could probably make.”

 But Marshall’s significance outweighs one mishap on the field of play.

Incredibly durable, Marshall started 270 consecutive regular-season games, a record still held by a defensive player. Brett Favre broke Marshall’s record in September 2009.

 The Vikings retired his No. 70, and he was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor.

To date, Marshall is the NFL career record-holder, now tied with Jason Taylor, for opponent fumbles recovered with 29.

NFL Films ranked him as the second-best player not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the 2000s, with many speculating that his famous blunder kept him from being inducted.

Along with his wife, Marshall is survived by two daughters, Angie Marshall Moore and Jimi Belanger; his sister, Deloris Bosley; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.