NFL · NFC North
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Minnesota Vikings history & legends
The Minnesota Vikings joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1961. Known for their purple uniforms, the “Skol” chant and decades of tough, winning football, the Vikings compete in the NFC North.
Championship history
Minnesota won the 1969 NFL Championship, the last title game before the AFL-NFL merger, and went on to Super Bowl IV. Coach Bud Grant and the famed “Purple People Eaters” defense led the Vikings to four Super Bowls in eight seasons, including Super Bowl VIII, Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl XI, but the franchise lost all four and is still chasing its first Super Bowl title.
Best players in Vikings history
- Fran Tarkenton – Hall of Fame scrambling quarterback and 1975 NFL MVP.
- Alan Page – Hall of Famer who in 1971 became the first defensive player to win NFL MVP.
- Carl Eller – Hall of Fame defensive end on the Purple People Eaters line.
- Randy Moss – Hall of Fame receiver who set a rookie touchdown record in 1998.
- Adrian Peterson – 2012 NFL MVP after rushing for 2,097 yards.
- Cris Carter – Hall of Fame receiver famous for his sure hands.
- Paul Krause – Hall of Fame safety and the NFL’s all-time interceptions leader.
- John Randle and Randall McDaniel – Hall of Fame linemen from the 1990s.
- Justin Jefferson – Record-setting receiver and the face of the modern Vikings.
Biggest rivalries
The Green Bay Packers are Minnesota’s biggest rival, a border battle that dates to 1961. The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions round out the NFC North.
