Thomas Francis Kramer is an American former professional football player who played as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) from 1977 to 1990. He played college football at Rice University and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft after being named MVP of the 1977 Senior Bowl. He was inducted with the 2012 class into the College Football Hall of Fame.
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team but caught by a player of the team on defense, who thereby usually gains possession of the ball for their team. It is commonly seen in football, including American and Canadian football, as well as association football, rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, as well as any sport by which a loose object is passed between players toward a goal. In basketball, a pick is called a steal.
The Purple People Eaters was a nickname for the defensive line of the Minnesota Vikings from 1968 to 1977, consisting mainly of Alan Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, Gary Larsen, and Doug Sutherland.
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, and also played for the Chicago Bears from 2010 through 2013 and the Green Bay Packers from 2014 to 2016. After rejoining the Panthers for the 2017 season, he retired after the 2018 NFL season.
James Bradley Johnson is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 17 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), Johnson played for the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Dallas Cowboys. He is best known for his time with the Buccaneers, whom he led to their Super Bowl XXXVII title over the Oakland Raiders.
Bobby Bryant is an American former professional football cornerback who played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Chad Greenway is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 11-year career as a linebacker with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was selected by the Vikings in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
Vencie Leonard Glenn is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He starred in college football at Indiana State. He was a two-year starter at Kennedy High in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Patrick Carl Shurmur is an American football coach who serves as an offensive analyst and assistant coach at the University of Colorado Boulder. Prior to joining the staff at CU, he most recently served as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 2020 to 2021. A 32-year coaching veteran, Shurmur has 21 seasons of NFL experience, including the last 11 years as a head coach or offensive coordinator. Shurmur has four years of experience as a head coach, working in that role with the New York Giants from 2018 to 2019 and with the Cleveland Browns from 2011 to 2012. He also served as interim head coach for Philadelphia Eagles at the end of the 2015 season. He has been an offensive coordinator for seven seasons, previously coaching in that role with the Minnesota Vikings (2016–2017), Philadelphia Eagles (2013–2015) and the St. Louis Rams (2009–2010).
The 1969 season was the Minnesota Vikings' ninth season in the National Football League (NFL) and their third under head coach Bud Grant. With a 12–2 record, the best in the league, the Vikings won the NFL Central division title, to qualify for the playoffs for the second year in a row. This was the first of three consecutive seasons as the best team in the NFL for the Vikings. They beat the Los Angeles Rams in the Western Conference Championship Game, and the Cleveland Browns in the final NFL Championship Game before the merger with the American Football League. With these wins, the Vikings became the last team to possess the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy, introduced 35 years earlier in 1934.
Everson Griffen is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. A graduate of Agua Fria High School, Griffen attended and played college football at USC. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft and played for them for 10 seasons before signing with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. He was traded to the Detroit Lions later that year, then re-signed with the Vikings in August 2021.
Captain Lesean Munnerlyn is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at South Carolina for three years. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round, 216th overall of the 2009 NFL Draft. Munnerlyn also played for the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills.
Kirk Daniel Cousins is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan State and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft as a backup to fellow rookie Robert Griffin III. Cousins occasionally appeared in games during his first three seasons before replacing Griffin following an injury in 2015, where he remained the team's starter until 2017. With the Redskins, Cousins set numerous franchise records and was named to the 2017 Pro Bowl.
Xavier Rhodes is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Florida State, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. With the Vikings, Rhodes made three Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro selection.
Harrison Smith is an American football safety for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame and was drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft with the 29th overall pick.
John Bradley Morris was an American professional football player who was a defensive back for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Minnesota Vikings from 1958 to 1961, having earlier played college football at the University of Oregon.
Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American football player for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, return specialist, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football at Hutchinson Community College before transferring to Tennessee, where he earned First-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots with whom he won Super Bowl LIII, and the Chicago Bears.
Anthony Harris is an American football free safety for the National Football League (NFL) who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Virginia, and was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2015.
Minkah Annane Fitzpatrick Jr. is an American football free safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft before being traded to the Steelers during the 2019 season.
Jeffery Flynn Jordan was an American professional football player who was a defensive back for three seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
