AlanPage

Alan Cedric Page is a former defensive tackle and retired Minnesota Supreme Court justice, born August 7, 1945, in Canton, Ohio (6'4", 245 lbs). He played college football at Notre Dame, was drafted 15th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 1967, and later played for the Chicago Bears. He's the 1971 NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, a nine-time Pro Bowler, and Pro Football Hall of Famer.

At Notre Dame, Page led the Fighting Irish to the 1966 national championship and earned consensus All-American honors. Drafted by the Vikings in 1967, he became a cornerstone of the legendary "Purple People Eaters" defensive line, playing 218 consecutive games and appearing in all four of Minnesota's Super Bowls.

In 1971, Page became the first defensive player in NFL history to win the league MVP award — an honor since matched only by Lawrence Taylor. He earned six All-Pro selections and nine straight Pro Bowl nods over a 15-year career split between the Vikings and Bears, finishing with 148.5 sacks and three safeties.

While still playing, Page earned a law degree from the University of Minnesota, and after retiring from football he built a second career as an attorney. In 1992 he was elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court, becoming the state's first Black justice, and served until mandatory retirement in 2015.

Page was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018. Through the Page Education Foundation, he and his late wife Diane supported thousands of students of color pursuing higher education.-