The Minnesota Vikings had four opportunities early in the Super Bowl era to win professional football's championship. They failed in all four of those games — against the Chiefs, Dolphins, Steelers and Raiders — and have rarely been close to making another appearance in the ensuing 48 years.
While Vikings fans have had to endure their own special brand of pain, the team that has been playing in the NFL since the 1961 season has had its share of magnificent players. In this piece, we look at the 10 greatest Minnesota Vikings of all-time.
Vikings stalwarts who dominated opponents, 10 and 9
DT Keith Millard checks in at No. 10, and he would have been even higher had a severe knee injury not cut his Vikings career short.
Millard's peak seasons with the Vikings came in 1988 and 1989 when he was named first-team All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl in both years. His performance during the 1989 season, in which he recorded a then-record 18 sacks for a defensive tackle and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year, showcased his dominance and impact on the team's defensive success.
His ability to deliver pressure from the interior raised the play of the Vikings defense and made him one of the most feared players in the league.
FS Paul Krause is No. 9 and was one of the greatest players at his position throughout his run with the Vikings from 1968 through 1979. Krause spent the first four seasons of his career with Washington before he was traded to Minnesota.
Krause may have been the best ball hawk in NFL history. He intercepted 81 passes throughout his career, and that still stands as the league record. Krause played with intelligence and great instincts, as he appeared to be two or three steps ahead of opposing quarterbacks and head coaches. When it came to anticipating the next play, few players could compare with Krause.
He was named to six Pro Bowls and earned three first-team All-Pro selections and five second-team mentions during his time with the team.
A duo of Vikings greats, 8 and 7
RB Chuck Foreman ranks 8th among all-time Vikings and his versatility allowed him to become one of the most dangerous running backs in the NFL from 1973 through 1979. He also played one season at the end of his career with the New England Patriots.
Foreman combined his skills as a running back and a pass receiver to give the Vikings a major threat from anywhere on the field.
Foreman dominated the NFL in 1975 when he had a league-leading 73 receptions and also had 13 rushing touchdowns. He rushed for 1,070 yards and won NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors and gained his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
He was the Vikings' all-time leading rusher with 5,887 yards when his tenure with the team came to an end.
Defensive end Carl Eller was one of the key contributors to the development of the Vikings from expansion team to NFL powerhouse. His play as a pass rusher extraordinaire for the legendary Purple People Eaters put fear into the hearts of opposing quarterbacks throughout the NFL.
A draft choice from the University of Minnesota in 1964, Eller played with the Vikings from that season through 1978 before closing out his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 1979. Eller was brilliant against the run and he was a dominant pass rusher.
He earned six Pro Bowl invitations and was a first-team All-Pro five times in his career. He was a key performer on all four of Minnesota's Super Bowl teams.
In addition to his play on the field, he was a huge presence in the locker room. Eller was respected for dedication to his teammates and work ethic, and played a key role in setting the tone for the Vikings defense.
Two dominant and memorable Vikings at 6 and 5
No. 6 Randy Moss may have been the greatest of all Vikings wide receivers, and that's a huge statement because they have had talented stars like Cris Carter, Sammy White, Ahmad Rashad, Gene Washington and Stefon Diggs. They also have Justin Jefferson as he approaches his peak years, and holding off that receiver could be an issue in the team's all-time rankings.
But when it came to size, speed, hands, leaping and big-play ability, Moss ranks with the NFL's all-time greatest performers. Moss was the team's first-round selection from Marshall University in 1998, and he broke into the NFL as a gamebreaker. He caught 69 passes in his rookie season for 1,313 yards and a remarkable 17 TD receptions.
He was perhaps the most feared receiving weapon in the league from 1998 through 2004 because he won the battle for the ball on nearly every occasion. Moss finished his career ranking second in all-time receiving touchdowns with 156 to Jerry Rice's 197. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Randall McDaniel ranks as the No. 5 all-time Vikings player while dominating from the offensive guard position. He ranks with John Hannah of the New England Patriots as the best ever to play the position.
McDaniel was a first-team All-Pro seven times and was also named to 12 consecutive Pro Bowls. He combined athleticism, technique, and consistency to lead the Minnesota offensive line.
McDaniel was a brilliant technician who was able to execute complex blocking schemes in a flawless manner.
Sensational leaders and performers who helped define the Vikings, 4 and 3
Wrecking ball DT John Randle gave everything he had to the Vikings during his run with the team from 1990 through the 2000 season. Unlike many of the other greats on this list, Randle was an undrafted free agent from Texas A&M-Kingsville, but he made the Hall of Fame in 2010 despite that status.
Randle would prove to be a disruptive force throughout his career, but he went undrafted because he was considered undersized for the position and he was supposed to struggle against bigger offensive linemen. However, he had an incredibly quick first step and he rarely slowed down after that.
He had six first-team, All-Pro selections and he made the Pro Bowl seven times. Randle had nine double-digit sack seasons with the Vikings, including eight in a row. As a result, he was voted into the Hall of Fame.
Few offensive linemen have ever been as impactful at both the college and professional level as OT Ron Yary. The big blocker first came into the national consiousness while dominating opposing defensive linemen at USC, and then he made a smooth transition to the Vikings beginning with the 1968 season.
He was the No. 1 draft choice in the league that year and he quickly became an offensive lineman who rose to the top of the rankings.
Yary opened big holes for running backs like Chuck Foreman and did a sensational job of protecting quarterback Fran Tarkenton. Yary was a six-time first-team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowler. He made it to the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Fran Tarkenton and Alan Page, the best of the best, 2 and 1
QB Fran Tarkenton is among the greatest and most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history, and his name is all over the Vikings history books.
He had two stints with the Vikings, and he brought immediate respectability in the franchise's first year by demonstrating his ability to scramble away from the pass rush and make plays with feet and his arm. However, it was his second stint that saw him lead the team to three Super Bowls.
Undersized by today's standards at 6-0 and 180 pounds, Tarkenton never shied away from the competition or onrushing defensive linemen.
Tarkenton's legacy is one of innovation and consistent excellence. His leadership during the team's best era in the 1970s has made him an icon in Vikings history. He is the greatest quarterback in team history.
DT Alan Page was the team's best player shortly after he was selected with the 15th pick in the first round of the 1967 NFL Draft. He became one of the most disruptive defensive players in the NFL as he used his speed, strength, quickness and instincts to beat offensive lineman and get to the quarterback in an instant.
Page was incredibly consistent throughout his career, but he was at his best in 1971. He had 109 tackles, 9 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 safeties. Page won the league's MVP award and also gained Defensive Player of the Year honors.
After his remarkable career came to an end, Page was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. He went on to become an esteemed jurist on the Minnesota Supreme Court. Page served as an associate justice from 1993 through 2015.
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