The Minnesota Vikings are an American football team playing in the National Football League (NFL). The Vikings compete in the NFL as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The team was established in 1959, when three Minneapolis businessmen – Bill Boyer, H. P. Skoglund and Max Winter – were awarded a franchise in the new American Football League (AFL).[1] In January 1960, the ownership group forfeited its AFL membership and, along with Bernie Ridder and Ole Haugsrud, was awarded the NFL's 14th franchise, with play to begin in 1961.[1]
Since the franchise's inception, the Vikings have completed 64 seasons of play in the NFL. The team won one NFL Championship in 1969, and was the last team crowned NFL champions before the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. The franchise has been conference champions three times since the merger, but has never won the Super Bowl. The Vikings have been divisional champions 21 times, most among current members of their division. Minnesota has played 1039 regular and postseason games and has appeared in the postseason 32 times.[2]
The team's worst season was 1962, when they won two games, lost eleven, and tied one (a 0.154 winning percentage).[3] Their worst seasons since the NFL changed to a 16-game schedule were in 1984 and 2011, when they could only manage a 3–13 record.[4] The best regular-season record was achieved in 1998, when the Vikings went 15–1, but kicker Gary Anderson, who had gone 35-for-35 in field goal attempts during the regular season, missed a 38-yard attempt with less than three minutes remaining in the NFC Championship Game.[5] With an overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings became the first 15–1 team in NFL history to not reach the Super Bowl.[6]
Key
| BBA | Bert Bell Award |
| COY | NFL Coach of the Year Award |
| CPY | NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award |
| DPY | NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award |
| GH | George Halas Trophy |
| MOY | Walter Payton Man of the Year Award |
| MVP | NFL Most Valuable Player Award |
| OPY | NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award |
| OROY | NFL Rookie of the Year Award |
| PBMVP | Pro Bowl Most Valuable Player Award |
| ROY | UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year |
| UPINFC | UPI NFC Player of the Year |
Seasons
| NFL champions (1920–1969)† | Super Bowl champions (1966–present)‡ | Conference champions (1967–present)° | Division champions (1967–present)* | Wild card berth (1970–present)§ |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | Awards | Head coach | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | W | L | T | ||||||||
| 1961 | 1961 | NFL | Western | 7th | 3 | 11 | 0 | Norm Van Brocklin | |||
| 1962 | 1962 | NFL | Western | 6th | 2 | 11 | 1 | ||||
| 1963 | 1963 | NFL | Western | T-4th | 5 | 8 | 1 | Paul Flatley (ROY)[8] | |||
| 1964 | 1964 | NFL | Western | T-2nd | 8 | 5 | 1 | Fran Tarkenton (PBMVP)[9][10] | |||
| 1965 | 1965 | NFL | Western | 5th | 7 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 1966 | 1966 | NFL | Western | T-6th | 4 | 9 | 1 | ||||
| 1967 | 1967 | NFL | Western | Central | 4th | 3 | 8 | 3 | Bud Grant | ||
| 1968 | 1968 | NFL | Western | Central* | 1st* | 8 | 6 | 0 | Lost Conference Playoffs (at Colts) 14–24 | ||
| 1969 | 1969 | NFL† | Western° | Central* | 1st* | 12 | 2 | 0 | Won Conference Playoffs (Rams) 23–20 Won NFL Championship (Browns) 27–7† Lost Super Bowl IV (vs. Chiefs) 7–23 | Bud Grant (COY)[11] | |
| 1970 | 1970 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 12 | 2 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (49ers) 14–17 | ||
| 1971 | 1971 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 11 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 12–20 | Carl Eller (GH)[12] Alan Page (MVP, DPY, UPINFC)[13][14] | |
| 1972 | 1972 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 7 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 1973 | 1973 | NFL | NFC° | Central* | 1st* | 12 | 2 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Redskins) 27–20 Won Conference Championship (at Cowboys) 27–10 Lost Super Bowl VIII (vs. Dolphins) 7–24 | Chuck Foreman (OROY)[15] Alan Page (GH)[16] Jim Finks (EOY)[17] | |
| 1974 | 1974 | NFL | NFC° | Central* | 1st* | 10 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Cardinals) 30–14 Won Conference Championship (Rams) 14–10 Lost Super Bowl IX (vs. Steelers) 6–16 | ||
| 1975 | 1975 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 12 | 2 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs[a] (Cowboys) 14–17 | Fran Tarkenton (MVP, BBA, UPINFC, OPY)[13] | |
| 1976 | 1976 | NFL | NFC° | Central* | 1st* | 11 | 2 | 1 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Redskins) 35–20 Won Conference Championship (Rams) 24–13 Lost Super Bowl XI (vs. Raiders) 14–32 | Chuck Foreman (UPINFC)[18] Sammy White (ROY, OROY)[15] | |
| 1977 | 1977 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 9 | 5 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (at Rams) 14–7 Lost Conference Championship (at Cowboys) 6–23 | ||
| 1978[b] | 1978 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 8 | 7 | 1 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Rams) 10–34 | Ahmad Rashad (PBMVP)[9] | |
| 1979 | 1979 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 1980 | 1980 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Eagles) 16–31 | ||
| 1981 | 1981 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 1982[c] | 1982 | NFL | NFC | 4th | 5 | 4 | 0 | Won First round (Falcons) 30–24 Lost Second round (at Redskins) 7–21 | |||
| 1983 | 1983 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 1984 | 1984 | NFL | NFC | Central | 5th | 3 | 13 | 0 | Les Steckel | ||
| 1985 | 1985 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | Bud Grant | ||
| 1986 | 1986 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | Tommy Kramer (CPY)[19] | Jerry Burns | |
| 1987[d] | 1987 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd§ | 8 | 7 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Saints) 44–10 Won Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 36–24 Lost Conference Championship (at Redskins) 10–17 | ||
| 1988 | 1988 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd§ | 11 | 5 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Rams) 28–17 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 9–34 | ||
| 1989 | 1989 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 13–41 | Keith Millard (DPY, UPINFC)[13] | |
| 1990 | 1990 | NFL | NFC | Central | 5th | 6 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 1991 | 1991 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 1992 | 1992 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Redskins) 7–24 | Chris Doleman (UPINFC)[13] Dennis Green (COY)[20] | Dennis Green |
| 1993 | 1993 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd§ | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Giants) 10–17 | ||
| 1994 | 1994 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Bears) 18–35 | ||
| 1995 | 1995 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 1996 | 1996 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd§ | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Cowboys) 15–40 | ||
| 1997 | 1997 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th§ | 9 | 7 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Giants) 23–22 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 22–38 | ||
| 1998 | 1998 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 15 | 1 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Cardinals) 41–21 Lost Conference Championship (Falcons) 27–30 (OT) | Randall Cunningham (BBA)[21] Dennis Green (COY)[20] Randy Moss (OROY)[15] | |
| 1999 | 1999 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd§ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Cowboys) 27–10 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Rams) 37–49 | Cris Carter (MOY)[20] Randy Moss (PBMVP)[9] | |
| 2000 | 2000 | NFL | NFC | Central* | 1st* | 11 | 5 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Saints) 34–16 Lost Conference Championship (at Giants) 0–41 | ||
| 2001 | 2001 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | Dennis Green (5–10) Mike Tice (0–1) | ||
| 2002 | 2002 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd | 6 | 10 | 0 | Mike Tice | ||
| 2003 | 2003 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2004 | 2004 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd§ | 8 | 8 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Packers) 31–17 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Eagles) 14–27 | ||
| 2005 | 2005 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2006 | 2006 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 6 | 10 | 0 | Brad Childress | ||
| 2007 | 2007 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | Adrian Peterson (OROY,[15] PBMVP)[9] | ||
| 2008 | 2008 | NFL | NFC | North* | 1st* | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Eagles) 14–26 | Adrian Peterson (BBA) | |
| 2009 | 2009 | NFL | NFC | North* | 1st* | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 34–3 Lost Conference Championship (at Saints) 28–31 (OT) | Percy Harvin (OROY) | |
| 2010 | 2010 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 6 | 10 | 0 | Madieu Williams (MOY) | Brad Childress (3–7) Leslie Frazier (3–3) | |
| 2011 | 2011 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 3 | 13 | 0 | Leslie Frazier | ||
| 2012 | 2012 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd§ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Packers) 10–24 | Kyle Rudolph (PBMVP) Adrian Peterson (BBA, MVP, OPY) | |
| 2013 | 2013 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 5 | 10 | 1 | |||
| 2014 | 2014 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | Mike Zimmer | ||
| 2015 | 2015 | NFL | NFC | North* | 1st* | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Seahawks) 9–10 | ||
| 2016 | 2016 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2017 | 2017 | NFL | NFC | North* | 1st* | 13 | 3 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Saints) 29–24 Lost Conference Championship (at Eagles) 7–38 | ||
| 2018 | 2018 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd | 8 | 7 | 1 | |||
| 2019 | 2019 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd§ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Saints) 26–20 (OT) Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 10–27 | ||
| 2020 | 2020 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2021 | 2021 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd | 8 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | 2022 | NFL | NFC | North* | 1st* | 13 | 4 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Giants) 24–31 | Justin Jefferson (OPY) | Kevin O'Connell |
| 2023 | 2023 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2024 | 2024 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd§ | 14 | 3 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Rams) 9–27 | Kevin O'Connell (COY) | |
| 2025 | 2025 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 9 | 8 | 0 | |||
| Total[f] | 546 | 446 | 11 | Regular season record through 2025 | |||||||
| 21 | 32 | 0 | Playoff record through 2025 | ||||||||
| 567 | 478 | 11 | Regular season and playoff record through 2025 | ||||||||
Footnotes
- a The Vikings were defeated on a desperation touchdown pass thrown by Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach with less than a minute left in the game. Staubach coined the phrase "Hail Mary pass", referring to his toss, and the game itself became known as "The Hail Mary".[22]
- b The NFL expanded from a 14-game regular season schedule to 16 beginning in 1978.[23]
- c The 1982 NFL season was shortened from 16 regular season games to 9 due to a players' strike.[24] For playoff seedings, division standings were ignored and the league used a 16-team tournament format for the season.[25]
- d The 1987 NFL season was shortened from 16 regular season games to 15 due to a players' strike.[26]
- f The "finish", "wins", "losses", and "ties" columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play. Regular and postseason records are combined only at the bottom of the list.
References
- General
- "Minnesota Vikings History". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2007.
- "Minnesota Vikings". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 16, 2007.
- Inline citations
- Josza, Frank P.; Guthrie, John J. (August 30, 1999). Relocating teams and expanding leagues in professional sports. Quorum Books. p. 51. ISBN 1-56720-193-8.
- "Minnesota Vikings Team Encyclopedia". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018.
- "1962 Minnesota Vikings". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018.
- "1964 Minnesota Vikings". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012.
- Freeman, Mike (January 18, 1999). "N.F.L. Conference Championships; Belief Is the Margin of Victory As Falcons Dance Off to Miami". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013.
- Wilner, Barry (September 26, 1999). "Final Four of 1998 Losing At a Rapid Pace in 1999". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012.
- "Minnesota Vikings". Pro-Football Reference. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018.
- Shrake, Edwin (September 28, 1964). "Now The Nfl's Toddlers Run With The Big Men". Sports Illustrated.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - 2009 ESPN Sports Almanac. Ballantine Books. 2008. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-345-51172-0.
- "Fran Tarkenton Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 4, 2023.
- "AP NFL Coach of the Year". ESPN. Associated Press. January 4, 2009. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012.
- "Carl Eller Biography". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 3, 2009.
- 2009 ESPN Sports Almanac, p. 278.
- "Alan Page Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021.
- "Vikings' Peterson voted AP Offensive Rookie of the Year". National Football League. Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 4, 2008.
- Olderman, Murray (January 11, 1974). "Page Takes Halas Trophy". Columbia Missourian.
- "PFWA Executive of the Year Winners". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference.
- 2009 ESPN Sports Almanac, pp. 278–279.
- "Tommy Kramer Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023.
- "History: All-Time Honors". Minnesota Vikings. Archived from the original on July 24, 2009.
- "Randall Cunningham Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009.
- "Chat transcript with Roger Staubach". Pro Football Hall of Fame. December 8, 2008. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013.
- Pasquarelli, Len (May 18, 2009). "Schedule expansion gaining momentum". ESPN. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
- Forbes, Gordon (June 8, 2001). "'82 strike changed salary dealings forever". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008.
- Wong, Glenn M. (2008). The Comprehensive Guide to Careers in Sports. Jones & Bartlett. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7637-2884-7.
- Staudohar, Paul D.; Mangan, J. A. (1991). The Business of Professional Sports. University of Illinois Press. p. 63. ISBN 0-252-06161-6.
A major difference between this strike and the earlier one was that each team rostered a squad of strikebreakers so that only one regular season game had to be canceled.