Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are an NFLNFLThe NFL (National Football League) is a U.S. professional American football league of 32 clubs. Founded in 1920 as the APFA and renamed in 1922, it is organized into the AFC and NFC, with the season culminating in the Super Bowl.Open the full entry professional American football team awarded a franchise in 1960 and beginning play in 1961. An NFC North club, they won the 1969-season NFL championship and have appeared in four Super Bowls. A Wilf family-led ownership group owns the team, Kevin O’Connell is head coach, and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is its home.
Contents14 sections
Key facts
1960–1961Formation and an opening victory
The NFL awarded Minnesota a franchise on January 28, 1960, to a founding group including Max Winter, E. William Boyer, H.P. Skoglund, Ole Haugsrud and Bernard H. Ridder Jr. Norm Van Brocklin became the first coach. In their September 17, 1961 regular-season debut at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, the Vikings beat Chicago 37–13 as Fran Tarkenton threw four touchdown passes.[1]
1967–1969Bud Grant and an NFL championship
Bud Grant arrived from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as head coach in 1967. Minnesota won its first division title in 1968 and the NFL championship in the 1969 season, then lost Super Bowl IV to Kansas City 23–7.[2]
1971–1976Defensive strength and three NFC titles
Alan Page became the first defensive player named AP NFL Most Valuable Player in 1971. Tarkenton returned from the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are an NFL professional American football team founded in 1925 and competing in the NFC East. They have won eight league championships, including four Super Bowls, and have a long association with the Mara and Tisch families. The Giants share MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the New York Jets. John Harbaugh became head coach in 2026.Open the full entry in 1972, and Minnesota won NFC titles in the 1973, 1974 and 1976 seasons, reaching Super Bowls VIII, IX and XI without winning.[1]
1982–1986The Metrodome and coaching changes
The team moved into the Metrodome in Minneapolis in 1982. Grant retired after the 1983 season, returned for 1985 and retired again; longtime offensive coordinator Jerry Burns became head coach in 1986.[1]
1987–1992A conference final and Dennis Green
A Wild Card entrant in the 1987 season, Minnesota won at New Orleans and San Francisco before losing the NFC Championship Game to Washington. Dennis Green became head coach in 1992 and won the division in his first season.[1]
1998A 15-win season
The Vikings went 15–1 in 1998 and scored a then-NFL-record 556 points. Randy Moss was the season’s Rookie of the Year. Minnesota reached the NFC Championship Game but lost to Atlanta 30–27 in overtime.[1]
2005A Wilf family-led group buys the team
NFL owners unanimously approved the purchase by a group led by Zygi and Mark Wilf on May 25, 2005. The group took ownership from Red McCombs in June.[1]
2007–2009Peterson, Favre and a playoff run
As a rookie in 2007, Adrian Peterson set an NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards against the Chargers. Brett Favre joined in 2009, when the Vikings went 12–4 and repeated as NFC North champions before an overtime conference final loss to New Orleans.[1]
2012Peterson wins MVP
Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards in 2012 and won AP NFL Most Valuable Player. Minnesota improved from 3–13 the previous year to 10–6 and a Wild Card berth.[1]
2016–2017A new home and the Minneapolis Miracle
U.S. Bank Stadium opened in 2016. Mike Zimmer’s team went 13–3 in 2017 and beat New Orleans 29–24 in the playoffs on a final-play, 61-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs. Known as the Minneapolis Miracle, the victory sent Minnesota to the NFC Championship Game.[1]
2022–2024O’Connell takes charge
Kevin O’Connell was named head coach on February 16, 2022, and won 13 games and the NFC North in his first season. On December 17, 2022, Minnesota recovered from a 33-point halftime deficit to beat Indianapolis 39–36 in overtime. The Vikings won 14 regular-season games in 2024.[1]
Current home city
The Vikings play at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Their daily training and administrative headquarters are at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, a separate city.[1]
Related organizations, websites and public accounts
Minnesota Vikings: Official website: https://www.vikings.com/ (opens in a new window) .[3]
Minnesota Vikings: X: https://twitter.com/vikings (opens in a new window) .[3]
Minnesota Vikings: YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcsw_KrB_wg5lQ5nXWR_LFA (opens in a new window) .[3]
Minnesota Vikings: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry: https://www.linkedin.com/company/minnesotavikings/ (opens in a new window) .[4]