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Doug Sutherland passes away at age 73

It’s a sad day for fans of the Minnesota Vikings today, as another important member of the team’s history has left us.

Former Vikings’ defensive tackle Doug Sutherland passed away on Tuesday at the age of 73.

Sutherland was originally drafted by the New Orleans Saints out of the University of Wisconsin-Superior in the 14th round of the 1970 NFL Draft. After just one season with New Orleans, the Saints traded him to the Vikings, and Sutherland’s career took off.

He didn’t get any starts in his first three seasons with the Vikings, serving as the primary backup to Gary Larsen.