This week, the football world lost a legend: Jim Marshall, the Minnesota Vikings ironman best known for his resilience, leadership, and—yes—one unforgettable mistake. He passed away at 87, having etched his name into NFL history for far more than one play.
Marshall’s infamous “wrong way run” in 1964, when he recovered a fumble and sprinted 66 yards into his own end zone, turning a touchdown into a safety, could have defined his career. Instead, it became a symbol of something more powerful: perseverance after a mistake.
The play:
The Mistakes That Make Us reminds us:
“The path to success is paved with mistakes. And—as the Japanese proverb ‘Fall down seven times, get up eight’ represents—what matters is how we get up from the setbacks that knock us off course”.
That perfectly captures Marshall’s story. He didn’t let one mishap sideline his drive. He played 270 consecutive games—a record for defensive players. He led the Vikings to four Super Bowls. He wore the captain’s “C” for 14 years. The mistake made headlines, but his response made history.
Jim Marshall once said people respected that he kept going after that play—and maybe that’s the biggest lesson of all. It’s not about perfection. It’s about resilience.
To Jim Marshall: thank you for showing us how to get up and keep playing, no matter which way we ran the first time.
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