Chris Doleman’s journey to the Pro Football Hall of Fame had its first stop in Minnesota, where his plans to be a star linebacker didn’t go very well.
“He was the exact same player that Matt Blair was, and that’s why they drafted him,” former teammate Keith Millard said. “They thought he would take over for Matt.”
But when defensive coordinator Floyd Peters arrived in 1986, Doleman’s second season with the Vikings, he had a different plan.
“I was playing defensive end, [Doleman] was playing linebacker,” said Millard, “and Floyd sees this guy … and says, ‘We got to make a pass rusher out of this guy.