Editing Carl Eller (section)

==Professional career==
In 1964, Eller was selected in the first round of the [[NFL draft]] by  the [[Minnesota Vikings]] (6th overall). He was also selected in the first round of the [[American Football League draft]] by the [[Buffalo Bills]] (5th overall), who could not sign him.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=1964 AFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1964_AFL/draft.htm |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  As the left [[defensive end]] in the Vikings front four, he was a major factor in the unit known as the "[[Purple People Eaters]]" (the other members being [[Alan Page]], [[Jim Marshall (defensive end)|Jim Marshall]] and [[Gary Larsen]]).<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Carl Eller, Defensive End, The Official Site of the Minnesota Vikings |url=https://www.vikings.com/team/front-office-roster/carl-eller |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=www.vikings.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL's Purple People Eaters |url=https://www.nfl.com/photos/nfl-s-purple-people-eaters-0ap1000000088765#e7844cdb-ac3e-4cdd-a02f-d2b7d8796f69 |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Ragatz |first=Will |date=2024-01-31 |title=A Documentary on the Purple People Eaters is On the Way |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/documentary-purple-people-eaters-on-the-way-vikings |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Minnesota Vikings On SI |language=en-US}}</ref>

Starting in 1968, Eller's fifth campaign, Minnesota won 10 Central Division titles in the next 11 seasons.<ref name=":8" /> The Vikings won the NFL Championship in 1969,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/nfl-champions/ |title=NFL Champions 1920-2015 |access-date=December 18, 2018}}</ref> losing to the AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs in [[Super Bowl IV]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl IV - Minnesota Vikings vs. Kansas City Chiefs - January 11th, 1970 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197001110kan.htm |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The Vikings also won the NFC Championships in 1973, 1974, and 1976,<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Champions: Complete list of winners by year |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfc-champions-complete-list-winners-year |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=FOX Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> but lost in the Super Bowl each year.<ref name=":8" />  Eller was one of 11 Vikings to play in all four of their [[Super Bowl]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sansevere |first=Bob |date=2018-02-01 |title=1970s Vikings remember four trips to Super Bowl as success … and failure |url=https://www.twincities.com/2018/02/01/1970s-vikings-remember-four-trips-to-super-bowl-as-success-and-failure/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Twin Cities |language=en-US}}</ref>

He was selected to play in six [[Pro Bowl]]s (1968–1971, 1973, and 1974).<ref name=":9" /> After being traded with an eighth-round pick to Seattle Seahawks for defensive tackle [[Steve Niehaus]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=1979-07-31 |title=Vikings Trade Eller |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/07/31/archives/vikings-trade-eller.html |access-date=2025-01-14 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Eller played his final season in 1979 with the [[Seattle Seahawks]], where he ran his career total to 225 games. In his career, "Moose" only missed three games and started 209 out of the 225 he played.<ref name=":9" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Henn |first=Donnie |date=2016-09-23 |title=Eller: 'If you could make it back to the huddle you were okay' |url=https://www.postbulletin.com/sports/eller-if-you-could-make-it-back-to-the-huddle-you-were-okay |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Rochester Post Bulletin |language=en}}</ref>

Eller is credited as the Vikings' all-time sack leader with 130½.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vikings.com/TeamHistoryPage_HistoryRingOfHonor.aspx |title=Vikings.com Ring of Honor |access-date=December 2, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205005245/http://www.vikings.com/TeamHistoryPage_HistoryRingOfHonor.aspx |archive-date=February 5, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also had 3 sacks with the Seahawks in 1979 for a career total of 133½. He set a career high with 15 sacks in 1969 and matched that total in 1977; he also amassed 7 seasons with 10 or more sacks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vikings.com/historyalumni_detail_objectname_CarlEller.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051101095217/http://www.vikings.com/historyalumni_detail_objectname_CarlEller.html|url-status=dead|title=Vikings.com|archive-date=November 1, 2005}}</ref><ref name=":9" /> He recovered 23 fumbles during his career.<ref name=":3" />

Eller was First-team All-NFL from 1968 to 1971, and again in 1973.<ref name=":9" /> He was also Second-team All-Pro in 1967<ref>{{Cite web |title=1967 NFL All-Pros |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1967/allpro.htm |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> and 1972<ref>{{Cite web |title=1972 NFL All-Pros |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1972/allpro.htm |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> and was named first team All-NFC by the [[Associated Press|AP]], [[United Press International|UPI]], <ref>{{Cite web |title=1975 NFL All-Pros |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1975/allpro.htm |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> and [[The Sporting News]] {{citation needed|date=January 2025}}in 1975. Including his Pro Bowls, Eller had a nine-year consecutive streak of post-season honors which began in 1967 with his Second-team All-Pro selection and ended in 1975 with his All-NFC honors. He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame 1970s All-Decade Team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Teams - 1970s |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/pfhof_all_decade_1970.htm |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

He was voted the winner of the [[Newspaper Enterprise Association NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award|George Halas Trophy]] in 1971 as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year as awarded by the [[Newspaper Enterprise Association]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/players/carl-eller/|title=Carl Eller &#124; Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|website=www.profootballhof.com}}</ref>