| The Minnesota Vikings are a professional
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| | 36-24, at Candlestick Park. During that
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| American football team based in
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| | game Anthony Carter (football) set the
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| Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are
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| | all-time record for most receiving yards
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| currently members of the North Division
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| | in a playoff game with 227 yards. The
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| of the National Football Conference (NFC)
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| | Vikings played the Washington Redskins in
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| in the National Football League (NFL).
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| | the NFC Championship Game on January 17,
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| Originally, the ownership group was to
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| | 1988, at RFK Stadium. Trailing 17-10, the
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| have a team in the American Football
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| | Vikings drove to the Redskins' 6-yard
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| League, but withdrew from the AFL and
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| | line with a little over a minute left in
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| agreed to join the NFL as a 1961
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| | the game but failed to get the ball into
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| expansion team.
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| | the end zone.
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| The Vikings have won their division 16
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| | The Vikings would make what would be
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| times, and became the first team to
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| | considered its biggest personnel blunder
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| appear in four Super Bowls, but the club
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| | in team history. On October 12, 1989, the
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| also became the first one to lose four
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| | Vikings acquired Herschel Walker from
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| Super Bowls.
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| | Dallas. The final result of the trade
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| The Vikings are currently owned by a Zygi
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| | gave the Vikings Walker, a 3rd (Mike
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| Wilf, Mark Wilf, Jeffrey Wilf, Leonard
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| | Jones), 5th (Reggie Thornton) and
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| Wilf, David Mandelbaum, Alan Landis and
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| | 10th-round choice (Pat Newman) in 1990
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| Reggie Fowler. The Vikings conduct summer
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| | and a 3rd-round choice in 1991 (Jake
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| training camp at Minnesota State
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| | Reed), while Dallas received Issiac Holt,
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| University, Mankato.
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| | David Howard, Darrin Nelson, Jesse
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| The pro football saga in the Twin Cities
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| | Solomon, Alex Stewart, a 1st, 2nd and
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| began in August 1959, when three
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| | 6th-round choice in 1990, a 1st and
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| Minneapolis businessmen Bill Boyer, H. P.
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| | 2nd-round choice in 1991 and a 1st, 2nd
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| Skoglund and Max Winter were awarded a
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| | and 3rd-round choice in 1992. Two of
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| franchise in the new American Football
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| | those selections turned into Emmitt Smith
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| League. Five months later in January
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| | and Darren Woodson. Herschel's
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| 1960, the ownership group along with
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| | performance fell short of expectations in
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| Bernie Ridder first forfeited its AFL
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| | his 3 seasons with the Vikings, while the
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| membership and then was awarded the
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| | Cowboys rode their draft picks to 3 Super
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| National Football League's 14th franchise
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| | Bowl victories in the early to mid 1990s.
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| that was to begin play in 1961. Ole
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| | 1990s On December 3, 1991, Jerry Burns
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| Haugsrud was added to the NFL team
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| | announced his retirement. In 6 seasons as
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| ownership because of an agreement he had
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| | Head Coach of the Vikings, Burns compiled
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| with the NFL since the 1920s when he sold
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| | a career record of 52-43 (.547).
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| his Duluth Eskimos team back to the
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| | He also led Minnesota to 3 playoff
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| league. The agreement allowed him 10 % of
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| | appearances, including a division title
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| any future Minnesota team.
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| | and an NFC Championship Game.
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| 1960s Minnesota's first management team
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| | On January 10, 1992, Dennis Green was
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| was led by general manager Bert Rose and
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| | named the 5th Head Coach in team history.
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| head coach Norm Van Brocklin. From the
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| | He came to Minnesota after turning around
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| start, the Vikings embraced an energetic
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| | a struggling Stanford University football
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| marketing program that produced a
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| | program as head coach from 1989-91.
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| first-year season ticket sale of nearly
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| | In his 10 seasons as the coach of the
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| 26,000 and an average home attendance of
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| | Vikings, he won 4 NFC Central division
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| 34,586, about 85 percent of the capacity
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| | titles, had 8 playoff appearances, 2 NFC
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| of 40,800 Metropolitan Stadium.
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| | Championship game appearances and an
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| Eventually the stadium capacity was
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| | all-time record of 97-62.
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| increased to 47,900. The Vikings won
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| | In 1998, with an offense led by Randall
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| their first regular season game as they
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| | Cunningham, who had his best season ever,
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| beat the Chicago Bears 37-13 on Opening
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| | Cris Carter, and explosive rookie Randy
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| Day 1961. Rose resigned from his position
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| | Moss, the Vikings set an NFL record by
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| in 1964 and Van Brocklin quit abruptly in
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| | scoring a total of 556 points, never
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| the spring of 1967. The Vikings went to
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| | scoring fewer than 24 in a game. The
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| Canada to get their replacements. Jim
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| | Vikings finished the season 15-1, their
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| Finks, then general manager of the
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| | only loss by 3 points to the Tampa Bay
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| Calgary Stampeders, was named as the new
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| | Buccaneers. In the playoffs, the Vikings
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| general manager. Bud Grant, head coach of
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| | rolled past the Arizona Cardinals and
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| the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, became the new
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| | came into the Metrodome heavily favored
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| Vikings field leader.
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| | for their NFC title showdown with the
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| On March 7, 1967, quarterback Fran
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| | Atlanta Falcons, who had finished 14-2.
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| Tarkenton was traded to the New York
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| | However, Gary Anderson, who had not
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| Giants for a 1st and 2nd-round choice in
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| | missed a field goal all season, missed a
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| 1967, a 1st-round choice in '68 and a
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| | 38-yard attempt with less than 2 minutes
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| 2nd-round choice in '69. With the picks
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| | remaining. That allowed the Falcons to
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| Minnesota selected Clinton Jones and Bob
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| | tie the game and then win it 30-27 in
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| Grim in '67, Ron Yary in '68 and Ed White
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| | overtime on Morten Andersen's field goal,
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| in '69.
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| | which was ironically, also a 38-yarder.
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| During the late 1960's, the Vikings we're
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| | The Vikings became the first 15-1 team to
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| building a powerful defense known as the
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| | fail to reach the Super Bowl.
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| Purple People Eaters, led by Alan Page,
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| | Led by first-year starting quarterback
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| Carl Eller, Gary Larson, and Jim
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| | Daunte Culpepper, the Vikings would
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| Marshall, in 1968, their stingy defense
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| | return to the NFC Championship Game again
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| earned the Vikings their fist Central
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| | in 2000, but lost again as they were
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| Division Title and their first playoff
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| | humiliated 41-0 by the New York Giants in
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| berth.
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| | the Meadowlands.
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| The Vikings defeated the Cleveland
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| | 2000s Tragedy struck the Minnesota
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| Browns, 27-7, in the NFL Championship
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| | Vikings in the summer of 2001, when
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| Game on Jan. 4, 1970, at Metropolitan
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| | Offensive Lineman Korey Stringer died of
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| Stadium. Minnesota became the 1st modern
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| | heat stroke in training camp in Mankato,
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| NFL expansion team to win an NFL
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| | Minnesota. Although Minnesota has a
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| Championship Game, which gave them a
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| | reputation for cold weather, in late July
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| berth to the Super Bowl which the heavily
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| | and early August it can be brutally hot.
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| favored Vikings dropped to the Kansas
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| | That same year, Dennis Green, who had
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| City Chiefs 23-7.
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| | become a polarizing force in the Viking
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| 1970s The team continue to shine in 1970
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| | fan base despite his successful coaching
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| and 1971 as their Purple People Eater
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| | tenure with the team, had his contract
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| defense led them back to the playoffs, in
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| | bought out after a 5-10 season. Mike Tice
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| 1971, the defense was so impressive that
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| | coached the final game of 2001.
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| Alan Page became the first defensive
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| | 2002-2003 On January 10, 2002, Mike Tice
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| player to win the NFL Most Valuable
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| | was named the sixth Head Coach in Vikings
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| Player.
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| | history.
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| In 1972 the Vikings traded Norm Snead,
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| | Tice was the third of the six Vikings
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| Bob Grim, Vince Clements and a 1st-round
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| | Head Coaches to be promoted from within
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| choice in '72 and '73 to the New York
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| | the team's coaching ranks but was the
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| Giants to reacquire the popular
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| | first to have actually played for the
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| Tarkenton.
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| | Vikings.
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| On January 13, 1974, the Vikings played
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| | In Tice's first season, the Vikings had a
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| in the 2nd Super Bowl in franchise
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| | dismal 6-10 record, which he turned
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| history against the Miami Dolphins at
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| | around in 2003 with a fast 6-0 start.
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| Rice Stadium in Houston, TX. The Dolphins
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| | However, the Vikings ended up going 3-7
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| prevailed, 24-7. Minnesota earned the
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| | the rest of the season, missing the
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| trip to Super Bowl VIII by defeating
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| | playoffs with a last second touchdown
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| Dallas, 27-10, in the NFC Championship
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| | reception by the Arizona Cardinals'
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| game.
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| | receiver Nate Poole. Green Bay won the
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| The Vikings played in their 2nd straight
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| | division at 10-6, while the Vikings were
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| Super Bowl (3rd overall), losing to the
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| | 9-7. Ironically, the following season the
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| Pittsburgh Steelers, 16-6, at Tulane
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| | Cardinals hired Dennis Green as their
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| Stadium in New Orleans on January 12,
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| | Head Coach.
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| 1975. Minnesota earned a trip to Super
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| | 2004 History repeated itself in 2004 as
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| Bowl IX by defeating the Los Angeles
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| | the Vikings went 3-7 over the last 10
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| Rams, 14-10, at Metropolitan Stadium on
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| | weeks, but this time they made the
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| December 29, 1974.
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| | playoffs despite only going 8-8. Daunte
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| In 1975, the Vikings, led by Tarkenton
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| | Culpepper had a MVP-like season, amassing
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| and running back Chuck Foreman, got off
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| | 4,717 passing yards (which led the NFL),
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| to a 10-0 start and easily won another
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| | 39 passing touchdowns (a Viking record),
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| division title. Some Viking historians
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| | and 5,123 total yards, breaking Dan
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| called those 1975 Vikings as the best
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| | Marino's mark. The Vikings made history
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| Viking team ever.[citation needed]
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| | in the playoffs by beating their rivals,
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| However, the Vikings lost to the Dallas
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| | the Green Bay Packers, in their first
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| Cowboys in the playoffs, 17-14, on a
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| | ever playoff meeting. They also became
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| controversial touchdown pass from the
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| | the second team in NFL history to go .500
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| Cowboys' quarterback Roger Staubach to
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| | (8-8) in the regular season and then win
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| wide receiver Drew Pearson that became
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| | a playoff game, one day after the St.
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| known as the Hail Mary.
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| | Louis Rams accomplished the feat. In that
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| The Vikings played in their 3rd Super
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| | game, wide receiver Randy Moss pretended
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| Bowl (4th overall) in 4 years against the
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| | to moon a crowd of Packers fans after a
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| Oakland Raiders at the Rose Bowl in
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| | touchdown and was fined $10,000. They
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| Pasadena, California, on January 9, 1977.
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| | would lose to the eventual NFC Champion
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| The Vikings however, couldn't break its
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| | Philadelphia Eagles the following week
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| bad luck in the Super Bowl. Minnesota
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| | 27-14.
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| lost, 32-14. The Vikings earned a trip to
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| | 2005 The following offseason, Minnesota
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| Super Bowl XI by defeating the Rams,
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| | traded the hero of that Green Bay game
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| 24-13, at Metropolitan Stadium on
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| | (and arguably their best player), WR
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| December 26, 1976, in what ended up being
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| | Randy Moss, to the Oakland Raiders for
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| the last Vikings playoff game at the Met.
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| | linebacker Napoleon Harris and the
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| On January 1, 1978, the Vikings played
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| | Raiders' first and seventh round picks of
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| Dallas Cowboys in their 4th NFC
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| | the 2005 NFL Draft. With the first round
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| Championship Game in 5 years at Texas
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| | pick (number 7) they selected WR Troy
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| Stadium. Minnesota lost to the eventual
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| | Williamson of South Carolina. With the
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| Super Bowl Champs, 23-6.
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| | salary cap now freed, the Vikings also
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| 1980s On May 15, 1981, the Vikings moved
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| | signed 5 new defensive starters to shore
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| into a new facility in Eden Prairie that
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| | up their previously 28th ranked defense.
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| houses the team's offices, locker room
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| | The Vikings fan base wondered if this was
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| and practice fields. The complex was
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| | the franchise's biggest blunder in team
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| named "Winter Park" after Max Winter, one
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| | history or one of their greatest moves.
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| of the Vikings founders who served as the
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| | At first, the move looked like a blunder.
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| team's president from 1965-87.
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| | The Vikings started off by losing their
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| The Vikings played their 1st game at the
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| | first two games to the Tampa Bay
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| Metrodome in a preseason matchup against
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| | Buccaneers (24-13) and the Cincinnati
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| Seattle on Aug. 21, 1982. Minnesota
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| | Bengals (37-8). They would win in Week 3
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| prevailed, 7-3. The 1st touchdown in the
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| | against the New Orleans Saints (33-16),
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| new facility was scored by Joe Senser on
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| | but then they would go on to lose their
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| an 11-yard pass from Tommy Kramer. The
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| | next two road games to the Atlanta
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| 1st regular-season game in the Metrodome
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| | Falcons (30-10) and their division rival
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| was the 1982 opener on September 12, when
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| | Chicago Bears (28-3). The Vikings would
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| the Vikings defeated Tampa Bay, 17-10.
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| | win at home against fellow division rival
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| Rickey Young scored the 1st
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| | Green Bay Packers 23-20 by winning the
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| regular-season touchdown in the facility
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| | same way the Packers did last season,
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| on a 3-yard run in the 2nd quarter.
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| | which was a last second field goal.
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| On January 27, 1984, Bud Grant retired as
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| | However, the Vikes had little to
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| Head Coach of the Vikings. In 17 seasons
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| | celebrate when in the next week, not only
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| Grant led Minnesota to 12 playoff
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| | did they lose to the Carolina Panthers
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| appearances, 11 division titles and 4
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| | 38-13 on the road, but they would also
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| Super Bowls. His career regular-season
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| | lose their star QB Daunte Culpepper for
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| record was 151-87-5 (.632). The person
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| | the season with a knee injury. Taking his
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| that would take his place would be Les
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| | place would be Brad Johnson (Viking from
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| Steckel.
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| | 1994-98 and quarterback of the Super Bowl
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| Les Steckel, who was an offensive
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| | XXXVII champion Buccaneers) and ever
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| assistant with the Vikings for 5 seasons,
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| | since he took over, he led the Vikings to
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| was named the 3rd head coach in franchise
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| | a six-game winning streak, including
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| history on January 29, 1984.
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| | victories over the Detroit Lions at home
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| Steckel, who came to the Vikings in 1979
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| | (27-14), the New York Giants (24-21), the
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| after working as an assistant with the
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| | Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field (20-17
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| 49ers, was the youngest head coach in the
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| | and also on a last second field goal),
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| NFL in 1984 at age 38.
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| | the Cleveland Browns (24-12), the Detroit
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| After Steckel's dismal season, he was
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| | Lions at Ford Field (21-16), and a 27-13
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| fired and on December 18, 1984, Bud Grant
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| | home victory over the St. Louis Rams. The
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| was re-hired as the head coach of the
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| | streak ended with an 18-3 loss to the
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| Vikings.
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| | Pittsburgh Steelers. Christmas Day 2005
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| On January 6, 1986, following the 1985
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| | will go down as a day Viking fans would
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| season, Bud Grant re-retired as head
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| | much rather forget. After having their
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| coach of the Vikings. At the time of his
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| | chances of winning the NFC North
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| retirement he was the 6th winningest
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| | extinguished when the Bears defeated the
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| coach in NFL history with 168 career
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| | Packers earlier in the day, the Vikings
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| wins, including playoffs. In 18 seasons
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| | were officially eliminated from NFC
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| he led the Vikings to a 158-96-5 regular
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| | playoff contention with a 30-23 loss to
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| season record.
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| | the Baltimore Ravens. The Vikings won
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| Longtime Vikings assistant coach Jerry
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| | their last game of the 2005 season
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| Burns was named the 4th head coach in
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| | against the Bears, with a 34-10 victory.
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| team history on January 7, 1986. He
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| | However, the Vikings fired head coach
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| served as the Vikings offensive
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| | Mike Tice immediately following the game.
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| coordinator from 1968-85, when the team
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| | On January 6th, 2006, the Vikings were
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| won 11 division titles and played in 4
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| | the first football organization to hire a
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| Super Bowls. In his first season, the
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| | new head coach during the 2006 offseason,
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| Vikings led by the NFL Comeback Player of
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| | Brad Childress. Childress previously held
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| the Year Tommy Kramer, went 9-7, their
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| | the offensive coordinator position at the
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| first winning record in 4 years. In his
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| | Philadelphia Eagles from 2002-2005 and at
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| second season, he led the Vikings to the
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| | the University of Wisconsin from
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| NFC championship game.
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| | 1993-1999 under Barry Alvarez.
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| Following the strike-shortened 1987
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| | 2006 In the 2006 NFL Draft, the Vikings
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| season, the 8-7 Vikings pulled two huge
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| | used their first pick on Iowa LB Chad
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| upsets in the playoffs by beating the two
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| | Greenway. They then used their next pick
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| teams with the best regular season
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| | on Texas CB Cedric Griffin. The rest of
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| records. They beat the 12-3 New Orleans
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| | their picks on New Mexico Center Ryan
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| Saints, 44-10, at the Superdome in the
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| | Cook, Alabama St. QB Tarvaris Jackson,
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| Wild Card Playoff game. The following
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| | Purdue DE Ray Edwards, and Georgia Safety
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| week, in the Divisional Playoff game,
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| | Greg Blue.
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| they beat the 13-2 San Francisco 49ers,
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