Minnesota Vikings history

 

The pro football saga in Minnesota began in August 1959, when five Minnesota businessmen were awarded a franchise in the new American Football League.

Five months later the same ownership group first forfeited its AFL membership and then was awarded the National Football League’s 14th franchise that was to begin play in 1961.

The Vikings were led by general manager Bert Rose and head coach Norm Van Brocklin. No team in history ever had a more exciting debut than did the Minnesota Vikings in their first game ever on September 17, 1961.

Rookie quarterback Fran Tarkenton came off the bench to throw four touchdown passes and run for a fifth score to lead his Vikings to a 37-13 win over the Chicago Bears. Tarkenton later became the first Viking elected in the Hall of Fame.

The success of the Vikings over the next two decades will always be remembered by the image of hard nose Bud Grant on the sidelines of the frozen fields at the old Metropolitan Stadium.

In their second season under Grant, the Vikings began a stretch of 11 division titles in 13 years. They won the NFL championship in 1969 and NFC titles in 1973, 1974 and 1976. Grant’s record of 168-108-5 makes him the eighth winningest coach of all-time.

During the 1960′s, the Vikings built one of the best defensive units in NFL history, known as the Purple People Eaters that included Carl Eller, Alan Page, Jim Marshall, and Gary Larsen.

In 1969, the Vikings went 12-2, the best record in the NFL. The Vikings beat the Cleveland Browns to earn a berth in Super Bowl IV. The heavily favored Vikings lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 23-7.

In 1972, the Vikings reacquired Fran Tarkenton. With the return of Tarkenton and wide receiver John Gilliam, the Vikings had an improved passing attack, but the running game was inconsistent. The Vikings drafted running back Chuck Foreman in the first round in the 1973 draft, Foreman would become a very important player on the Viking roster.

The Vikings won their first 9 games of the 1973 season and finished with a 12-2 record. The Vikings then advanced to their second Super Bowl, Super Bowl VIII, against the Miami Dolphins at Rice Stadium, in Houston, Texas. The Dolphins would go on to defeat the Vikings 24-7.

The Vikings won the Central Division again in 1974 with a 10-4 record. In the playoffs they defeated both the St. Louis Cardinals 30-14 and the Los Angeles Rams 14-10. The Vikings advanced to their second straight Super Bowl, Super Bowl IX, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 16-6 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans on January 12, 1975.

The Vikings played in Super Bowl XI, their third Super Bowl in 4 years, against the Oakland Raiders at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on January 9, 1977. However, the Vikings couldn’t break their bad luck in the Super Bowl, losing 32-14.

In December of 1979, construction crews began building the Hurbert H.Humphrey Metrodome in Downtown Minneapolis.

The Vikings of the 1980′s and 1990′s were always in playoff contention with players such as defensive end Chris Doleman, defensive tackle John Randle, wide receivers Chris Carter and Jake Reed, guard Randall McDaniel, and running backs Terry Allen and Robert Smith.

The Vikings made the playoffs in 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999.

The 1998 season was one to remember, as the Vikings had an explosive offense led by quarterback Randall Cunningham, running back Robert Smith, veteran receiver Chris Carter and the spectacular rookie Randy Moss. The Vikings set an NFL record by scoring 556 points. At the end of the season the Vikings had the best record in the league with a 15-1 record.

In the playoffs, the Vikings rolled past the Arizona Cardinals 41-21 and came into the Metrodome heavily favored for their showdown with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC title game. Atlanta went on to upset the Vikings 30-27 in overtime and the Vikings became the first 15-1 team to fail to reach the Super Bowl.

In 2004, the Vikings quarterback, Donte Culpepper, had his best season as he threw for 4,717 passing yards, 39 touchdown passes (a Viking record), and 5,123 total yards( an NFL record). In the first round of the playoffs the Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers in their first ever playoff meeting, 31-17. In the divisional round the Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2007, the Vikings hired Leslie Frazier as the new head coach, who was a special assistant for Tony Dungy in Indianapolis.

The Vikings defense suffered in 2006, but in 2007, defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are going to make sure the opposing offense will respect the pass rush. Running backs Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson was brought in to carry the load on offense, while quarterback Tarvaris Jackson will try to lead the Vikings back in playoff contention.