The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion team, the team began play the following year. They are named after the Vikings of medieval Scandinavia, reflecting the prominent Scandinavian American culture of Minnesota. The team plays its home games at U.S. Bank Stadium in the Downtown East section of Minneapolis.
Harry Peter "Bud" Grant Jr. was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). Grant was head coach of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for 18 seasons; he was the team's second (1967–83) and fourth (1985) head coach, leading them to four Super Bowl appearances, 11 division titles, one league championship and three National Football Conference championships. Before coaching the Vikings, he was the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for 10 seasons, winning the Grey Cup four times.
Francis Asbury Tarkenton, nicknamed "Scramblin' Fran", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he was recognized as a twice first-team All-SEC, and was selected by the Vikings in the third round of the 1961 NFL draft. After retiring from football, he became a media personality and computer software executive.
Joey Matthew Browner is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings from 1983 to 1991 and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1992. Browner played college football for the USC Trojans.
Christopher John Doleman was an American professional football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He spent the majority of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, and also played for the Atlanta Falcons and the San Francisco 49ers. Doleman was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and a twice first-team All-Pro, recording 150.5 career sacks. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2012.
Keenan Wayne McCardell is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the wide receivers coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the wide receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, University of Maryland, College Park and Washington Redskins.
Henry Louis Jones is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Buffalo Bills (1991–2000), the Minnesota Vikings (2001), and the Atlanta Falcons (2002).
Randall Cornell McDaniel is an American former football guard who played in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Minnesota Vikings and two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
Tarvaris D'Andre Jackson was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). Jackson played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Alabama State Hornets. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Todd Edward Steussie is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft with the 19th overall pick. Steussie played for the Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and St. Louis Rams.
Audray Glenn McMillian, is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) from 1985 to 1993 for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings. McMillian played college football for the Houston Cougars and was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 1985 NFL draft. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 1992 after leading the NFL, along with Henry Jones of the Buffalo Bills, with eight interceptions.
Everett Eric Lindsay is a former American college and professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for the University of Mississippi, and was recognized as an All-American. He played professionally for the Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns of the NFL.
Leonard Tyrone Wheeler is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 1992 NFL draft. He played college football at Lees-McRae College, Ole Miss, and Troy State.
Theodore Edmond Bridgewater Jr. is an American former football quarterback who played for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL).
Stefon Marsean Diggs is an American professional football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Maryland and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft.
Dalvin James Cook is an American professional football running back for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning unanimous All-American honors and finishing his career as the school's all-time leading rusher. Cook was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, and in six seasons with the team, he earned Pro Bowl honors four times. He is the older brother of Buffalo Bills running back James Cook.
Daniel Vilhelm Carlson is an American professional football placekicker for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn, where he became the SEC's all-time leading scorer and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft. Released by Minnesota during his rookie season, Carlson joined the Raiders and has twice led the league in scoring. He is currently the fifth most accurate kicker in the NFL.
Irvin Martin Smith Jr. is an American professional football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football at Alabama and was drafted in second round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Justin Jamal Jefferson is an American professional football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he won the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship as a junior before being drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
