EAGAN, Minn. — It doesn't take long to find Chris Doleman's name on the NFL's all-time sack list.
The Hall of Fame defensive end ranks fifth in league history with 150.5 career sacks, the mark of a legendary career that included 10 seasons with the Vikings.
Doleman passed away Tuesday night after a courageous battle with brain cancer that lasted more than two years after the initital diagnosis.
Doleman played in Purple from 1985 to 1993 before spending the next two seasons with Atlanta. He played for San Francisco from 1996-1998 before returning to the Vikings in 1999 for the final season of his illustrious 15-year career.
Former Vikings punter Greg Coleman, a teammate of Doleman's from 1985-1987, reflected on his friend's immense talent and work ethic on Wednesday morning.
"I just talked with [Hall of Fame linebacker] Lawrence Taylor, and Doleman reminded me of Lawrence Taylor," Coleman said. "You had to know where LT was at all times, and you had to worry about where Chris Doleman was, too.
"He was just that type of a disruptive force, and it showed. He was rewarded for that with All-Pro [selections] and Pro Bowls and the ultimate — being in the Hall of Fame and the Vikings Ring of Honor," Coleman added. "You just don't get those accolades by whistling Dixie. You have to be a damn good football player, and that's what Chris Doleman was."
Doleman landed in Minnesota in 1985 as the fourth overall pick out of the University of Pittsburgh. He transitioned from linebacker to defensive end in his second pro season, recording just 3.5 sacks in his first 32 games.
But the sacks soon came in bunches; he recorded 40 of them over the next three seasons, a run that was highlighted by a whopping 21 in 1989 when he led the NFL and helped Minnesota set a franchise record with 71 team sacks.
Vikings Ring of Honor linebacker Scott Studwell, who played with Doleman from 1985-90, said there were times he watched in amazement at what Doleman was able to do in the field.
"He was so explosive, and he had such great acceleration off the edge, and he was so good at strippin' people because he had such great acceleration into contact," Studwell said Wednesday as a guest on KFAN's 9 to Noon broadcast with "Voice of the Vikings" Paul Allen. "He was a freak athlete. He was one of those guys ... I guess I would compare him to a Randy Moss on the other side of the ball.
"A guy that could transcend any generation – he could be playing today," Studwell said. "He's one of those unique guys that doesn't come around very often, and he's going to be sorely missed."
View photos of Vikings legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Chris Doleman.
An image from the October 14, 2018 home game against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings won 27-17.
An image from the Oct. 7, 2017 Alumni Homecoming weekend.
An image from the Sept. 11, 2017 home game against the New Orleans Saints. The Vikings won 29-19.
An image from September 23, 2018 regular season home game against the Buffalo Bills. The Vikings lost 6-27.
An image from October 13, 2018 of Chris Doleman visiting his Hall of Fame bust in the Vikings Museum.
An image from the October 14, 2018 home game against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings won 27-17.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Minnesota Vikings at Candlestick Park Sunday, October 3, 1993. 49ers beat Vikings 38-19. Minnesota Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman (56) and defensive tackle Henry Thomas (97) celebrate sacking Steve Young. (AP Photo/Al Golub)
Minnesota Vikings Chris Doleman (56) during a game from his 1990 season. Chris Doleman played for 15 years with 3 different teams, was a 8-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.(David Durochik via AP)
Minnesota Vikings Chris Doleman (56) during a game from his 1988 season. Chris Doleman played for 15 years with 3 different teams, was a 8-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.(David Durochik via AP)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman before the NFL Pro Bowl, a 17 - 3 NFC victory on Feb. 6, 1994, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
FILE - In this May 1, 1985, file photo, Minnesota Vikings head coach Bud Grant holds up the new jersey to their first-round draft pick Chris Doleman at a press conference to introduce the linebacker from Pittsburgh in Eden Prairie, Minn. Hall of Fame defensive end Doleman, who became one of the NFL's most feared pass rushers during 15 seasons in the league, has died. He was 58. The Vikings and Pro Football Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker offered their condolences in separate statements late Tuesday night, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Larry Salzman, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2013, file photo, former Minnesota Viking Chris Doleman acknowledges the crowd during a ceremony honoring the All Mall of America Field team during halftime of an NFL football game between the Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles in Minneapolis. Hall of Fame defensive end Doleman, who became one of the NFL's most feared pass rushers during 15 seasons in the league, has died. He was 58. The Vikings and Pro Football Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker offered their condolences in separate statements late Tuesday night, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Andy King, File)
Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman (56) pass rushes during an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals on October 27, 1991. The Vikings defeated the Cardinals 28-0. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
Minnesota Vikings players John Randle, Randall McDaniel, Chris Doleman, and Cris Carter pose on photo day before the NFL Pro Bowl, a 17 - 3 NFC victory on Feb. 6, 1994, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman (56) pressures Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon (9) during an NFL game in Chicago, Sept. 18, 1988. The Vikings defeated the Bears 31-7. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Former Minnesota Vikings players \Alan Page, left, and Chris Doleman on the sidelines in the first half of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in Minneapolis, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Minnesota Vikings Chris Doleman (56) during a game from his 1987 season. Chris Doleman played for 15 years with 3 different teams, was a 8-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.(David Durochik via AP)
Minnesota Vikings Chris Doleman (56) during a game from his 1989 season. Chris Doleman played for 15 years with 3 different teams, was a 8-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.(David Durochik via AP)
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chris Doleman (56) in a 23 to 20 Minnesota Vikings win over the Denver Broncos on Oct. 31, 1999 at Mile High Stadium in Denver. (AP Photo/Kevin Terrell)
Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman (56) sacks Green Bay Packers quarterback Randy Wright (16) during an NFL game on December 13, 1987, in Milwaukee, Wis. The Packers defeated the Vikings 16-10. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman (56) and defensive tackle Keith Millard (75) during the Vikings 44 - 10 victory over the New Orleans Saints in the 1987 NFC Wild Card Playoff Game on Jan. 3, 1988 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman relaxes in the locker room before the NFla Pro Bowl, a 17 - 3 NFC victory on February 6, 1994, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Detroit Lions linebacker Pat Swilling (55), Minnesota Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman (56), San Francisco 49ers tackle Harris Barton (79), and 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice (80) set for an NFC team photo before the NFL Pro Bowl, a 17-3 NFC victory on February 6, 1994, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman (56) in action during the Vikings 24 - 10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 12, 1989 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chris Doleman (56) tackles a New York Giants ball carrier during a 17-10 loss in the 1993 NFC Wild Card Playoff Game on Jan. 9, 1994 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young (8) tires to escape the grasp of Minnesota Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman (56) and pass to San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig (33) during an NFL game against the on Sunday, Oct. 30, 1988, in San Francisco. The 49ers won the game, 24-21. (AP Photo/Greg Trott)
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman (56) rushes Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar deep in the Browns end of the field during the second quarter of exhibition game in Cleveland, Aug. 19, 1990. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Former Minnesota Vikings' Chris Doleman prepares to blow a Vikings horn before an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Detroit Lions quarterback Rodney Peets (9) is tackled for a loss by Minnesota Vikings Chris Doleman (56) in the third quarter,Sunday, Dec. 5, 1993, in Pontiac, Mich. Peets was sacked seven times in the game, while throwing for four interceptions, in the 13-0 loss to the Vikings. (AP Photo/John Discher)
San Francisco 49ers vs Minnesota Vikings at Candlestick Park Saturday, January 9, 1988. Vikings beat 49ers 36-24. Minnesota Vikings Linebacker Chris Doleman (56) sacks San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Joe Montana (16). (AP Photo/Al Golub)
The 21 sacks in one season are tied with fellow Hall of Famer Reggie White's output in 1987 for the fifth-most by a player in a single campaign and 1.5 shy of the record of 22.5 set by Michael Strahan in 2001.
"He had that one-arm technique that he came up with," said Vikings Hall of Fame guard Randall McDaniel. "He was one-of-a-kind. I got to watch him play and watch the year he had 21 sacks. He was phenomenal on the field. We're losing a good one today."
Coleman recalled how Doleman eventually flourished as a defensive end.
"In the beginning, he struggled a little bit because going from linebacker to defensive line was a little adjustment," Coleman said. "But we still rode him pretty good because we knew the potential that he had. Once he figured it out of how good and disruptive he could be as a D-lineman, the sky was the limit.
"He would do whatever you asked. I remember once I had him on my punt team as a right tackle. He missed a couple blocks and I said, 'Doleman, I don't care if you're a first-round pick or not, if you don't pick up your blocks, you're getting off my damn punt team.' That was Chris," Coleman added. "He busted his butt and cared about his teammates, and he wanted to be the best. He worked his tail off. Those are some of the memories I'm thinking about right now."
Doleman recorded eight double-digit sack seasons, and he compiled 11 years in which he recorded at least 8.0 sacks.
Former Vikings defensive end Jared Allen set the Vikings single-season sack record in 2011 with 22 sacks when he passed Doleman's record of 21.
Allen on Wednesday said he looked up to Doleman and studied his impressive skill set throughout the years.
"I watched a lot of tape on him. There are players in sports who seem to be ahead of the curve," Allen said. "Chris played at a time when you didn't really see a true speed rusher. You had Derrick Thomas, but he was before D.T. even. Chris' ability to get off the ball and turn the corner and bend and use his body like that was honestly ahead of his time. He set the pace for that style of rushing.
"You look at older guys and it was more physical, a lot of bull fights … Chris had those techniques, but he was just more athletic than people," Allen added. "He was faster, quicker and knew how to use his body. You watched how he could duck and bend, and you just didn't get guys doing that. He was a stud, man."
Vikings co-Defensive Coordinator and defensive line coach Andre Patterson was Minnesota's defensive line coach in 1999, which was Doleman's final season in the league.
Yet even though Doleman would retire after that 1999 season, Patterson said it was evident that Doleman could still play. The defensive end recorded 8.0 sacks with the Vikings in 1999.
"How smart Chris was as a player is the first thing that jumped out at me. I think having the experience to coach Chris is one of the things that helped me with Danielle [Hunter], because both are long, athletic players," Patterson said. "Being able to see the things Chris could do with his body as a pass rusher, I was able to steal ideas that I learned from him that I've used along the way.
"We've lost one of the all-time greats in Vikings history. It's always been a goal for me to get our players to understand the history of the Vikings defensive line," Patterson added. "All of the young guys in that room, they know who Chris Doleman is and what he meant to the Vikings organization and what kind of player and human being he was."
