| Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League | | | | Cleveland Browns 27-7 in the NFL Championship |
| have one of the most interesting histories in all of | | | | Game, they became the first modern expansion |
| sports. They have regularly been a winning team | | | | team to win the NFL Championship and they |
| and have played in one of the league’s | | | | earned a berth into Super Bowl IV against the |
| toughest divisions and have gained a large fan | | | | Kansas City Chiefs. Despite being heavily favored, |
| base along the way. However, they have not | | | | Minnesota was handily beaten by a score of 23-7. |
| won a Super Bowl and last won an NFL | | | | In 1972, Minnesota brought Tarkenton back to |
| Championship in 1969. As a result, their fan base | | | | the team via trade and he again made immediate |
| is regarded as one of the most tortured fan | | | | contributions. They returned to the Super Bowl in |
| bases in professional sports. | | | | both the 1973 and 1974 seasons but lost to Miami |
| The seeds were planted for the Minnesota Vikings | | | | and Pittsburgh respectively. |
| in 1959 when three Minneapolis businessmen were | | | | In 1975, they got off to a 10-0 start and easily |
| awarded a franchise in the new American Football | | | | won another division title but ended up losing in |
| League. Five months later, however, they | | | | the playoffs to the Dallas Cowboys. The game |
| forfeited AFL membership and were awarded the | | | | was controversial, as Minnesota lost when |
| NFL’s 14th franchise with play to begin in | | | | Cowboys' quarterback Roger Staubach threw a |
| 1961. They were officially named the Minnesota | | | | Hail Mary touchdown pass to wide receiver |
| Vikings on September 27, 1960, partly to reflect | | | | Drew Pearson that ended up deciding the game. |
| the large number of Scandinavian Americans that | | | | The Minnesota fans believed Pearson committed a |
| lived in the area. | | | | pass interference, and when no foul was called, |
| With the first pick in the 1961 NFL Draft, | | | | they hurled debris to the field with one bottle |
| Minnesota selected running back Tommy Mason | | | | hitting an official and knocking him unconscious. |
| of Tulane. In the third round, they selected | | | | Minnesota would return to the Super Bowl the |
| quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who would go on to | | | | following season. It was the third time in four |
| become an icon for the Minnesota Vikings. | | | | years Minnesota would play in the Super Bowl. It |
| Tarkenton was one of the first mobile | | | | would also be the third time in four years that |
| quarterbacks, and his unconventional style | | | | Minnesota would lose in the Super Bowl, as the |
| sometimes clashed with head coach Norm Van | | | | Oakland Raiders walked away with a 32-14 |
| Brocklin. | | | | victory. |
| The Vikings surprised in their first game by | | | | In more recent years, Minnesota has had some |
| defeating the Chicago Bears 37-13. The bulk of | | | | memorable years that unfortunately ended |
| their points were scored after Tarkenton came | | | | without them achieving the ultimate goal. Notable |
| off the bench, as he threw for four touchdown | | | | examples include 1998, when their record-setting |
| passes and ran for another. The sweet taste of | | | | offense led them to a 15-1 record but a loss in |
| the win over Chicago was short-lived, however, | | | | the NFC Championship game to the Atlanta |
| as Minnesota struggled the rest of the season en | | | | Falcons, and 2009, when newly acquired |
| route to a 3-11 record. | | | | quarterback Brett Favre led them to the NFC |
| Tarkenton remained with the team until he was | | | | Championship game only to lose to New Orleans |
| traded to the New York Giants in 1967, and a | | | | on an overtime field goal. |
| year later the Vikings won their first Central | | | | The acquisition of Brett Favre is a particularly |
| Division title and made the playoffs for the first | | | | interesting aspect of Minnesota’s history. |
| time. They were powered by a tough defense | | | | They star quarterback won three MVP’s |
| known as the Purple People Eaters, led by Alan | | | | and a Super Bowl while a member of the division |
| Page, Carl Eller, Gary Larsen, and Jim Marshall. | | | | rival Green Bay Packers. With Favre at |
| The Vikings built off of their successful 1968 | | | | quarterback and Adrian Peterson at running back |
| season by having their most successful season | | | | and one of the strongest defenses in the NFL, |
| yet in 1969. They posted a 12-2 record which | | | | Minnesota is expected to contend again in 2010 |
| was the best in the NFL and had a 12-game win | | | | and will look to bring a Super Bowl title home to a |
| streak which was the longest single-season win | | | | fan base that has been hungry for one for |
| streak in five years. When they defeated the | | | | decades. |