Keith Millard was the ferocious face of the Minnesota Vikings from 1985 through 1990. This ex-Jacksonville Bull and Arizona Wrangler tormented opposing quarterbacks for more than nine seasons in the NFL -- recording 58 career sacks in 93 games.

 

Drafted by the Vikings in the first-round in 1984, Millard decided to play for the legendary coach George Allen. Arizona made Millard their first-round pick in the ’84 USFL draft. 

 

The Wranglers went to the championship game, but lost to the Stars 23-3 that season.

 

The following year Millard was traded to the Jacksonville Bulls, where he recorded 12 sacks, second only to Reggie White’s 12.5, which was a league-best. Millard was named to the All-USFL team after his impressive sophomore season under head coach Lindy Infante.

 

After the USFL folded, Millard joined the Vikings for the start of the ’85 season.  Like many USFL refugees, Millard  played a full 18-game schedule and went right into the heat of the NFL training camps that summer.

 

The fatigue didn’t effect Millard’s performance; the former first-team All-Pac-10 defensive lineman led the Vikings with 11 sacks.  In 1986, he followed his rookie NFL season with 10.5 bags of the quarterback.  The Vikings’ defense now had a player that would make the Purple People-Eaters proud.

 

In 1989, Millard switched from defensive end to tackle, where he set an NFL record 18 sacks for an interior lineman.  Millard was selected to his third-consecutive Pro Bowl and was named Defensive Player of the Year.

 

Millard finished his career with the Eagles in 1993.