Measure of greatness

Class of 2012 enshrinee Chris Doleman was drafted out of the University of Pittsburgh as a linebacker by the Minnesota Vikings in 1985. Toward the end of his second pro season, the Vikings moved him into a pass rushing role at defensive end. He became firmly entrenched in that responsibility in 1987 and responded with 11 sacks in the 12 games he played during that strike year. It marked the first of eight times in his career that he registered double-digit sack totals.

Although he was a multi-dimensional force on defense, Doleman’s claim to fame was his ability to get to the quarterback. It’s a legacy he understands.

“I like to think of myself as an all-around player not just someone who was great at rushing the passer,” he shared with Profootballhof.com in an interview in March. “But, they measure defensive linemen by how many sacks that they get just like how they measure a baseball player by how many home runs he gets or RBIs.” [VIDEO: See full interview with Doleman]

Doleman’s stats measure up quite favorably among the game’s greatest when it comes to sacking the quarterback. By the time he stepped off the field for the final time, Doleman racked up 150.5 career sacks which ranked him fourth best at the time.

His first taste at getting to the QB in the NFL came, like so many that followed, at a crucial time of a game. He combined with Vikings’ DE Neil Elshire on a sack of the Green Bay Packers’ Lynn Dickey late in the first half of a game on Nov. 10, 1985. The sack of seven yards thwarted Green Bay’s attempt at converting on a 3rd-and-4 situation.

His first lone sack came a year later in a 45-13 thumping of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He broke through the line and got to the Bucs’ Steve DeBerg for a 10-yard loss. More importantly, Doleman stripped the ball from the veteran quarterback and Minnesota recovered it. As it turned out, the Bucs were Doleman’s biggest victim over the years as he recorded 17 of his career sacks against Tampa Bay.

Doleman had the majority of his sacks, 96.5, as a member of the Vikings. He also picked up 16 sacks during his two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and 38 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers from 1996-98. He had 40 multi-sack games during his career and his team won 33 of those contests. His final sack of his career came in his last game when nailed the Detroit Lions Gus Frerotte for a six-yard loss early in the fourth quarter of the 1999 season finale.

Here is a listing of every sack of Doleman’s career.