The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They 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 gridiron 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.
Randy Gene Moss is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans and the San Francisco 49ers. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, he holds the NFL single-season touchdown reception record, as well as the NFL single-season touchdown reception record for a rookie. All-time, Moss ranks second in career touchdown receptions as well as fourth in career receiving yards. In addition to possessing extraordinary speed at his size and superior leaping ability, he was famously known for often securing spectacular contested catches in tight coverage by physically overpowering defenders. The term "mossed", referring to this ability, has since become a common term in the football lexicon.
Joey Matthew Browner is an American former football safety who played 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 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.
Gary Wayne Zimmerman is an American former football offensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL). Zimmerman played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1986 to 1992 and for the Denver Broncos from 1993 to 1997. He won Super Bowl XXXII with the Broncos against the Green Bay Packers. He was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and was an All-Pro selection eight times. He played college football for the Oregon Ducks whereby he was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Bryant Douglas McKinnie is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, twice earning All-American honors.
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 in the National Football League (NFL). Jackson played college football for both Alabama State and Arkansas. He played professionally for the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills.
Todd Edward Steussie is an American former professional football player who was a guard and 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 Buffalo's Henry Jones, with eight interceptions.
Todd Scott is a former American football player who played as a safety for four different National Football League (NFL) teams. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He went to the Pro Bowl after the 1992 season with the Minnesota Vikings.
Roy Barker is a former professional American football defensive end. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers. He was drafted by the Vikings in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. Barker played on the Central Islip, New York football Team in high school.
Paul J. McGowan is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings 237th overall in the 1988 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.
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 football coach and former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons.
Dalvin James Cook is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). 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 elder brother of Buffalo Bills running back James Cook.
Justin Jamal Jefferson is an American 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.
