Minnesota Vikings

• 1. Founding And Early Struggles

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  On the 27th of September 1960, Minnesota businessmen Bill Boyer, H. P. Skoglund, and Max Winter officially named their new franchise the Vikings. This group had initially secured an American Football League franchise in August 1959 but switched to the National Football League five months later under significant pressure from league officials. The team began play in 1961 with a first overall draft pick that selected running back Tommy Mason of Tulane University. They also drafted quarterback Fran Tarkenton in the third round, though he would be traded away just six years later. The expansion team won its opening game against the Chicago Bears 37, 13 on the 4th of October 1961, with Tarkenton throwing four touchdown passes off the bench. Reality set in quickly as the Vikings lost their next seven games to finish with a 3, 11 record. The losing continued throughout much of the 1960s, resulting in a combined record of 32 wins, 59 losses, and 7 ties over the first seven seasons. Only one winning season occurred during this period, an 8, 5, 1 campaign in 1964. On the 7th of March 1967, the organization traded Tarkenton to the New York Giants for multiple future draft picks. That same month, they hired Bud Grant from the Canadian Football League to replace Norm Van Brocklin, who had resigned earlier that year. Grant brought stability to the franchise after years of instability at the quarterback position.

• 2. The Purple People Eaters Era

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  In the late 1960s, the Vikings built a defensive line known as the Purple People Eaters featuring Alan Page, Carl Eller, Gary Larsen, and Jim Marshall. This unit earned the team its first Central Division title and playoff berth in 1968. By 1969, the squad secured a 12, 2 record and won the last pre-merger NFL Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns 27, 7 on the 4th of January 1970. The victory sent them to Super Bowl IV where they lost 23, 7 to the Kansas City Chiefs despite being heavily favored. Quarterback Joe Kapp threw for seven touchdowns against the Baltimore Colts that season, setting an all-time NFL record. Kapp refused to accept the MVP award stating there were forty most valuable Vikings rather than one. The defense continued to dominate through 1971 when Alan Page became the first defensive player to win the Associated Press Most Valuable Player Award. In 1972, the organization traded Norm Snead and Bob Grim back to the Giants to reacquire Fran Tarkenton. Although the passing attack improved with Tarkenton and John Gilliam, the running game remained inconsistent leading to a disappointing 7, 7 finish. The team addressed this by drafting Chuck Foreman with their first pick in 1973. They won twelve games that year and advanced to Super Bowl VIII against the Miami Dolphins at Rice Stadium in Houston. The Dolphins prevailed 24, 7 ending another championship run.

• 3. Stadium Transitions And Relocations

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  From 1961 until 1981, the franchise called Metropolitan Stadium in suburban Bloomington home while conducting summer training camps at Bemidji State University from 1961 to 1965. In 1966, they moved their training camp to Minnesota State University in Mankato where it ran for decades as one of the longest continuously running events in NFL history. On the 15th of May 1981, the Vikings moved into Winter Park, a new facility in Eden Prairie housing offices and practice fields named after co-founder Max Winter. Their final game at Metropolitan Stadium occurred on the 20th of December 1981, resulting in a 10, 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The team played its first regular-season game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on the 12th of September 1982, defeating Tampa Bay 17, 10. Rickey Young scored the first touchdown there with a three-yard run in the second quarter. The Vikings played their last game at the Metrodome on the 29th of December 2013, winning 14, 13 against the Detroit Lions. Ground had been broken for the Metrodome construction in December 1979 before its completion. A winter storm caused roof damage in December 2010 forcing games to be relocated to Ford Field in Detroit and TCF Bank Stadium. The franchise eventually moved to U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis beginning play there in 2016.

• 4. Modern Playoff Contention Cycles

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  The 1998 season stands as a singular year of dominance when the Vikings set an NFL record by scoring 556 points while never scoring fewer than twenty-four in any single game. They finished 15, 1 losing only to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, 24 in Week 9. In the playoffs they defeated the Arizona Cardinals 41, 21 before facing the Atlanta Falcons who had gone 14, 2 during the regular season. Kicker Gary Anderson missed a thirty-eight yard field goal with two minutes remaining allowing Atlanta to tie the game. Head coach Dennis Green chose to run out the clock rather than attempt another kick leading to overtime where Morten Andersen kicked a forty-yard field goal for a 30, 27 victory. This made them the first fifteen-win team to fail reaching the Super Bowl. Quarterback Randall Cunningham replaced injured starter Brad Johnson that year while running back Robert Smith and wide receiver Cris Carter formed key offensive pieces. Rookie Randy Moss joined the roster adding explosive speed to the unit. In 2009, Brett Favre signed a two-year deal worth $25 million after playing sixteen years for division rival Green Bay Packers. He became the first quarterback to defeat all thirty-two current teams as a starter. The Vikings won twelve games that season advancing to the NFC Championship Game against New Orleans Saints. Despite outgaining the Saints on offense by nearly double the margin, five turnovers including a final-minute interception led to an overtime loss 31, 28. Adrian Peterson rushed for one thousand seven hundred sixty yards in 2009 breaking the franchise record.

• 5. Uniform Evolution And Brand Identity

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  The trademark horned helmet and purple-and-gold uniforms were designed by Los Angeles Examiner cartoonist Karl Hubenthal who also created the original Norseman logo. From 1961 through 1995 logos and uniforms remained essentially unchanged reflecting Minnesota's Scandinavian cultural heritage. One primary logo showed a profile of a blond Norseman while another featured a white Viking horn. Each horn was outlined in gold on a purple helmet. The original design included white pants with gold trim and either purple or white jerseys featuring Northwestern stripe patterns. Between 1962 and 1964 the team wore purple pants with white jerseys before switching back to white pants later. In 1969 the white uniform design changed to include shoulder stripes worn only during Super Bowl appearances. Minor changes occurred throughout decades such as face mask color shifting from gray to white in 1980 then to purple in 1985. The Norseman logo appeared on sleeves starting in 1996 while TV numbers moved up to shoulders that same year. Black shoes were worn until Les Steckel became head coach in 1984 making them the last NFL team to switch to white footwear. On the 25th of April 2013, new uniforms were unveiled including updated shading and brighter gold tones. A significant redesign came in 2006 adding trim lines to shoulders and sides while defining the horn more clearly. All-purple uniforms debuted accidentally in 1964 when Detroit Lions forgot their jerseys but were intentionally worn again in 2007 against Chicago Bears.

• 6. Cultural Impact And Fan Traditions

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  Fans dress in Helga hats which are purple caps with white horns and blonde braids mimicking helmets popularly believed worn by Viking warriors. These original hats remain hand-assembled in the Twin Cities area today. During home games since 2007 the Gjallarhorn is played before ceremonies honoring past greats like Randy Moss or local teams like Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The first horn broke right before a playoff game versus Seattle Seahawks due to below-zero temperatures cracking the instrument. Both horns were created by Todd Johnson who worked as general manager at a music store. Fans also participate in the Skol Chant involving clapping hands above heads while yelling Skol in response to drum beats. This modified version of the Viking War Cry was popularized by Iceland supporters during UEFA Euro 2016. Skol translates from Danish-Norwegian-Swedish to mean cheers or good health serving as a toast to admired groups. Prince recorded Purple and Gold for the team in 2010 and his Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit Let's Go Crazy became the touchdown song after his passing in 2016. Viktor the Viking served as mascot starting in 2007 wearing an oversized helmet with protruding horns. Before him truck driver Hub Meeds dressed as a Viking from 1970 to 1992 after accidentally entering the field during Super Bowl IV.