History of Minnesota Vikings in Timeline
The Minnesota Vikings are an NFL team based in Minneapolis, founded in 1960 and beginning play in 1961. They are part of the NFC North division. Their name reflects the Scandinavian heritage of Minnesota. The Vikings play their home games at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
January 1960: Franchise Awarded in NFL
In January 1960, the ownership group reneged on its agreement with the AFL and was awarded the National Football League's 14th franchise.
1960: Team Founded
In 1960, the Minnesota Vikings were founded as an expansion team in Minneapolis, later joining the NFL. The name reflects the Scandinavian American culture of Minnesota.
January 18, 1961: Norm Van Brocklin Hired as Head Coach
On January 18, 1961, Norm Van Brocklin was hired as the Vikings' first head coach.
1961: Vikings-Lions Rivalry Begins
In 1961, the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions began playing twice annually after the Vikings joined the league's Western Conference.
1961: First NFL Draft and Regular Season Game
In 1961, the Vikings drafted Tommy Mason and Fran Tarkenton. They won their first regular-season game against the Chicago Bears 37-13, but finished with a 3–11 record.
1962: Won less than 3 games
Except in 1962, as of 2022, the Vikings have won at least three games every season.
1962: Vikings wear purple pants with white jerseys
From 1962 to 1964, the Vikings wore purple pants with their white jerseys.
October 11, 1964: Vikings first time wearing all purple
On October 11, 1964, for a home game against the Detroit Lions, the Vikings wore all-purple for the first time after a mix-up with the Lions' jerseys.
1964: Vikings wear purple pants with white jerseys
From 1962 to 1964, the Vikings wore purple pants with their white jerseys.
1964: First Winning Season
In 1964, the Vikings had their first winning season, with a record of 8–5–1.
1964: Vikings game on December 28, 2010, was the first Tuesday NFL game since 1964
On December 28, 2010, the Vikings game versus the Philadelphia Eagles marked the first NFL game played on a Tuesday since 1964 due to blizzard conditions.
February 11, 1967: Van Brocklin Resigns
On February 11, 1967, Vikings head coach Van Brocklin resigned from his position.
March 7, 1967: Fran Tarkenton Traded to Giants
On March 7, 1967, quarterback Fran Tarkenton was traded to the New York Giants for draft picks.
1968: First Central Division Title and Playoff Berth
In 1968, the Vikings earned their first Central Division title and their first playoff berth due to their defense.
1969: Previous playoff Matchups
By 1978, age was taking its toll on the Vikings, but they still made the playoffs with an 8–7–1 record, losing to the Rams after they previously lost in the playoffs in 1969, '74, '76 and '77.
1969: Alternate purple jersey introduced
From 1969 through 1973, the Vikings had an alternate purple jersey without stripes for warm-weather games.
1969: Draft Picks Selected
In 1969, the Vikings used draft picks acquired in the Fran Tarkenton trade to select Ed White.
1969: NFL 50th anniversary patches worn
In 1969, the Vikings, like other teams, wore NFL 50th-anniversary patches.
1969: New stripe pattern on white uniforms
In 1969, the design for the white uniforms had changed to a completely different stripe pattern, which was over the shoulders, then the purple ones, which were around the sleeve cuff.
January 4, 1970: NFL Championship Victory and Super Bowl Berth
On January 4, 1970, the Vikings defeated the Cleveland Browns to win the last pre-merger NFL Championship Game, earning a Super Bowl IV berth.
1970: Hub Meeds becomes team mascot
From 1970 to 1992, truck driver Hub Meeds dressed as a Viking and served as the team mascot.
1970: Teams move to NFC Central
In 1970, after the AFL-NFL merger, the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions moved to the NFC Central.
1970: Continued Dominance
In 1970, the Vikings continued to dominate, moving into the newly formed NFC Central and reaching the playoffs.
1970: AFL/NFL Merger
Since the 1970 merger of the AFL and NFL, the Vikings have qualified for the playoffs 28 times.
1971: Alan Page Wins MVP
In 1971, Alan Page won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the first defensive player to win the award.
January 27, 1972: Fran Tarkenton Reacquired
On January 27, 1972, the Vikings traded players and draft picks to the New York Giants to reacquire Fran Tarkenton.
February 19, 1973: Bill Boyer's Death
On February 19, 1973, co-owner Bill Boyer died and was replaced on the team's board of directors by Jack Steele.
1973: Alternate purple jersey used through this year
From 1969 through 1973, the Vikings had an alternate purple jersey without stripes for warm-weather games.
1973: Super Bowl VIII Appearance
In 1973, the Vikings advanced to Super Bowl VIII after a 12-2 season, but lost to the Miami Dolphins.
1974: Central Division Title
In 1974, the Vikings won the Central Division again with a 10–4 record and advanced to Super Bowl IX.
January 12, 1975: Super Bowl IX Loss
On January 12, 1975, the Vikings played in Super Bowl IX but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
1975: "Hail Mary" Controversy
In 1975, the Vikings lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs due to the controversial "Hail Mary" touchdown pass. A "Corby's Whiskey" bottle hit an official.
January 9, 1977: Super Bowl XI Loss
On January 9, 1977, the Vikings played in Super Bowl XI but lost to the Oakland Raiders.
1977: NFC Championship Loss
In 1977, the Vikings again won the Central Division but were defeated by the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game.
1978: NFC Championship Game Losing Streak
As of 2022, the Vikings have lost their last six NFC Championship Game appearances, stretching back to 1978.
1978: Fran Tarkenton Retirement
In 1978, Quarterback Fran Tarkenton retired following the season holding league passer records in attempts (6,467), completions (3,686), yards (47,003), and touchdowns (342).
1978: Black armbands worn for Jack Nelson
In 1978, the team wore black armbands for the last four games in memory of Jack "Jocko" Nelson, an assistant coach who died during the season.
December 1979: Metrodome Construction Begins
In December 1979, construction began for the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis.
1980: Facemask color changed to white
In 1980, the color of the face mask was changed from gray to white.
May 15, 1981: Move to Winter Park
On May 15, 1981, the Vikings moved into their new facility in Eden Prairie, named "Winter Park" after Max Winter.
1982: Krazy George Henderson employed as a cheerleader
From 1982 to 1985, Krazy George Henderson was employed as a cheerleader.
1982: Move to the Metrodome
In 1982, the Minnesota Vikings began playing their home games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.
1983: Last season with black shoes
1983 was the Vikings' last season with black shoes before returning to them in 2006.
January 27, 1984: Bud Grant retires as Vikings head coach
On January 27, 1984, Bud Grant retired as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings after 17 seasons, during which he achieved a regular-season record of 151–87–5. He led the team to 12 playoff appearances, 11 division titles, and four Super Bowls.
1984: Les Steckel becomes head coach
In 1984, Les Steckel became head coach, and the Vikings changed from black to white shoes, making them the last NFL team to do so.
1985: Krazy George Henderson employed as a cheerleader
From 1982 to 1985, Krazy George Henderson was employed as a cheerleader.
1985: Facemask color changed to purple
In 1985, the face mask color changed to purple.
1985: 25 years patch worn on jerseys
In 1985, the team wore a 25 years patch on their jerseys.
January 7, 1986: Jerry Burns Named Head Coach
On January 7, 1986, Jerry Burns was named the fourth head coach in team history.
January 17, 1988: Vikings Lose NFC Championship Game
On January 17, 1988, the Vikings played the Washington Redskins in the NFC Championship Game at RFK Stadium. The Vikings lost 17-10 after failing to score on fourth down at the goal line with a little over a minute left in the game.
October 12, 1989: Vikings Acquire Herschel Walker
On October 12, 1989, the Vikings acquired Herschel Walker from Dallas in exchange for multiple draft picks and players.
1989: "40 for 60" patch worn
In 1989, they wore a "40 for 60" patch honoring the 1969 NFL championship team.
December 3, 1991: Jerry Burns announces his retirement
On December 3, 1991, Jerry Burns announced his retirement effective at the end of the 1991 season.
1992: Hub Meeds' tenure as mascot ends
From 1970 to 1992, truck driver Hub Meeds dressed as a Viking and served as the team mascot.
1994: Ragnar becomes team mascot
From 1994 to 2015, the team mascot was Ragnar (played by Joseph Juranitch) and was based on the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok.
1994: Vikings-Bears Postseason Game
In 1994, the Chicago Bears defeated the Minnesota Vikings 35–18 in the Wild Card Round, marking their only postseason encounter.
1994: NFL 75th-anniversary patches worn
In 1994, the Vikings, like other teams, wore NFL 75th-anniversary patches.
1995: Vikadontis Rex takes part in Celebrity Mascot Olympics
In 1995, Vikadontis Rex took part in the Celebrity Mascot Olympics.
1995: Vikings Logo and Uniforms
Up to the year 1995, the Vikings' logos and uniforms essentially remained the same since the team's debut in 1961.
1996: Norseman logo added to sleeves
In 1996, the Norseman logo was added to the sleeves, and the purple jersey stripes were toned down.
1999: Patch worn for Chip Myers
In 1999, the Vikings wore patches for assistant coach Chip Myers who died in the offseason.
2000: Vikadontis Rex retired
Vikadontis Rex was retired starting with the 2000 season.
2001: Patch worn for Korey Stringer
In 2001, the Vikings wore patches for Korey Stringer.
2002: NFC North Realignment
In 2002, after the NFL's realignment, the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions became part of the NFC North.
2006: Horn logo revised and black shoes return
In 2006, the Viking horn logo was slightly revised, and the team returned to wearing black shoes for the first time since 1983.
2006: Uniforms redesigned
In 2006, the team's uniforms were redesigned, the first significant change in the franchise's 46-year history.
December 17, 2007: Vikings wear all-purple intentionally for the first time
On December 17, 2007, a Monday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears was the first time the Vikings again wore both purple jerseys and purple pants—the first time they wore all-purple intentionally.
2007: Purple pants not regularly used after this year
The purple pants have not been regularly used since 2007, but resurfaced twice in 2010.
2007: Viktor the Viking introduced
Viktor the Viking was introduced during the 2007 Vikings' season, with the intent to appeal to the team's younger fan base.
January 4, 2009: Vikings Lose Wild-Card Round to Eagles
On January 4, 2009, the Vikings hosted the Philadelphia Eagles for the wild-card round, their first home playoff game in eight years. The Eagles defeated the Vikings 26–14.
August 18, 2009: Brett Favre signs with the Vikings
On August 18, 2009, Brett Favre signed a two-year, $25 million deal with the Vikings.
October 5, 2009: Vikings defeat Packers on Monday Night Football
On October 5, 2009, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers 30-23 on Monday Night Football, marking Brett Favre's first game against his former team. This victory moved the Vikings to a 4-0 record and made Favre the first quarterback in NFL history to defeat all 32 current teams as a starter. The game attracted over 21.8 million viewers.
2009: NFC Championship Game
In 2009, the Minnesota Vikings played against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game, a notable playoff matchup.
January 17, 2010: Vikings defeat Cowboys in divisional round
On January 17, 2010, the Vikings defeated the Dallas Cowboys 34-3 in the divisional round of the playoffs, advancing to the NFC Championship game. This was the team's first NFC Championship game since the 2000 season.
November 7, 2010: Vikings wear all-purple intentionally again
On November 7, 2010, the Vikings repeated the wearing all-purple for the home game against the Arizona Cardinals.
December 28, 2010: Vikings upset Eagles after game is postponed
On December 28, 2010, the Vikings upset the Philadelphia Eagles 24-14 after the game was postponed from December 26 due to blizzard conditions. This marked the first NFL game played on a Tuesday since 1964.
2010: Vikings face ups and downs during the 2010 NFL season
In 2010, the Vikings started the NFL season with a loss to the Super Bowl champions, New Orleans Saints, and experienced a series of wins and losses. They acquired Randy Moss in a trade, but still struggled, leading to coaching changes and inconsistent performance throughout the season.
2010: Purple pants resurfaced twice this year
In 2010, the purple pants resurfaced twice after not being regularly used since 2007.
2010: "Purple and Gold" recorded by Prince
In 2010, the song "Purple and Gold" was recorded by Minneapolis native Prince to be used as a fight song for the Minnesota Vikings.
2010: Vikings struggle during the 2010-11 season
The 2010 season was difficult for the Minnesota Vikings, who finished with a 6-10 record. They faced numerous distractions, including the acquisition and release of Randy Moss, an investigation into Brett Favre, venue changes due to the Metrodome's collapse, and the firing of head coach Brad Childress.
2011: KFAN Format Flip
In 2011, the Vikings' flagship radio station, KFXN-FM (100.3), rebranded as "KFAN" after a format flip between the AM and FM stations. 1130 AM continues to broadcast game play-by-play as KTLK.
2012: Vikings reach playoffs in 2012
In 2012, the Vikings made key draft selections and reached the playoffs for the 27th time in franchise history. Adrian Peterson was later named the league's MVP, after rushing for 2,097 yards.
February 14, 2013: Norseman logo tweaked
On February 14, 2013, the Vikings tweaked their Norseman logo, which involved updating the shading, altering the shape and base of the horns, thickening the mustache and face, making the gold tones brighter, and shortening the braid.
December 29, 2013: Last Game at the Metrodome
On December 29, 2013, the Vikings played their last game at the Metrodome, defeating the Detroit Lions 14–13.
2013: Vikings struggle in the 2013 season
During the 2013 season, the Vikings finished with a 5-10-1 record. The defense allowed a league-worst 480 points. This was the last season played at the Metrodome. Leslie Frazier was fired after the season.
2014: Last winning season until 2020
The year 2014 was the last time the Vikings had a winning season, until 2020.
April 16, 2015: NFL announces Adrian Peterson's reinstatement
On April 16, 2015, the NFL released a statement announcing Adrian Peterson's reinstatement to occur on April 17, 2015, following his child abuse trial.
April 17, 2015: Adrian Peterson reinstated to the NFL
Adrian Peterson was reinstated to the NFL on April 17, 2015, following his child abuse trial.
2015: Ragnar released by the Vikings
In 2015, the Vikings announced that they were not able to reach a new contract agreement with Joseph Juranitch, who played Ragnar, and released him.
January 3, 2016: Vikings win NFC North
On January 3, 2016, the Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers 20-13 to win the NFC North for the first time since 2009.
2016: Color Rush uniforms introduced
In 2016, the NFL introduced "Color Rush" uniforms for all 32 teams, and the Vikings had an all-purple uniform with gold numbers and stripes on the pants.
2016: Skol Chant Popularized
In 2016, the Skol Chant, a modified version of the Viking War Cry, became popular among Iceland supporters at UEFA Euro 2016 and is now used in U.S. Bank Stadium for Minnesota Vikings games.
2016: Vikings trade for Sam Bradford and select Moritz Böhringer in the 2016 NFL Draft
In the 2016 NFL Draft, the Vikings selected Moritz Böhringer, the first European player drafted without playing in North America. After Teddy Bridgewater's injury in the preseason of 2016, the Vikings traded for Sam Bradford.
February 28, 2017: Vikings decline Adrian Peterson's contract option
On February 28, 2017, the Vikings announced they would not exercise Adrian Peterson's 2017 contract option, making him a free agent.
April 25, 2017: Adrian Peterson signed with New Orleans Saints
On April 25, 2017, Adrian Peterson signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, ending his tenure with the Vikings since his debut in 2007.
2017: NFC Divisional Round Game
In 2017, the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints played in the NFC Divisional Round game, adding to their heated NFC rivalry.
2017: Vikings win NFC North and 'Minneapolis Miracle' occurs in playoffs
In 2017, the Vikings won the NFC North with a 13-3 record. In the divisional round against the New Orleans Saints, Stefon Diggs scored a walk-off touchdown known as the 'Minneapolis Miracle.'
2017: Vikings end annual training camp tradition in Mankato
In the summer of 2017, the Vikings announced the end of their 52-year tradition of holding summer training camp in Mankato at Minnesota State University, Mankato. They are building a new headquarters, training facility and area property development in Eagan.
March 15, 2018: Kirk Cousins signs with the Vikings
On March 15, 2018, Kirk Cousins signed a three-year, fully guaranteed $84 million contract with the Vikings, making him the highest-paid football player at the time.
2018: Color Rush program discontinued
In 2018, the NFL discontinued the "Color Rush" program, but the Vikings' uniforms became the team's primary alternate and are now known under the name "Primetime Purple".
2018: "TS" decals worn for Tony Sparano
In the 2018 NFL season, the Vikings wore "TS" decals on their helmets in memory of Tony Sparano, their offensive-line coach who died before the season started.
September 22, 2019: Vikings achieve their 500th win as a franchise
On September 22, 2019, the Vikings defeated the Oakland Raiders for their 500th win as a franchise, holding an overall record of 500-427-11 at that point.
2019: "Primetime Purple" debut
In 2019, the Vikings wore the uniforms under the Primetime Purple name for the first time during a game against the Washington Redskins. In the team's Wild Card game against the New Orleans Saints, the Vikings wore all purple again; however, instead of the regular alternates, they wore the regular home uniforms with the away purple pants.
2020: All-purple combination worn against the Saints
Following the Vikings' win in the 2019 Wild Card game, they have worn this all-purple combination in two subsequent games against the Saints, which took place in 2020 and 2022.
2020: "Primetime Purple" uniforms appear against the Cowboys
In 2020, the "Primetime Purple" uniforms made an appearance for a late-afternoon game against the Cowboys, despite the Vikings not having a Thursday Night game scheduled.
2020: Vikings draft Justin Jefferson and miss playoffs
In 2020, the Vikings drafted Justin Jefferson and finished with a 7-9 record, missing the playoffs after losing to the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Day. This marked their first losing season since 2014.
2021: Vikings miss playoffs, Zimmer and Spielman fired
In 2021, the Vikings missed the playoffs for the second straight season. Following an 8-9 finish, head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman were fired on January 10, 2022.
January 10, 2022: Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman fired
On January 10, 2022, the Vikings fired head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman after the team missed the playoffs for the second straight season.
January 26, 2022: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah hired as general manager
On January 26, 2022, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was hired as the Vikings' new general manager.
February 13, 2022: Rams win Super Bowl LVI
On February 13, 2022, the Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl LVI.
December 24, 2022: Vikings wear all-white uniforms for "Winter Whiteout"
On December 24, 2022, in a Week 16 game against the New York Giants, the Vikings wore all-white uniforms at home in the regular season for the first time as part of the "Winter Whiteout" event.
2022: All-purple combination worn against the Saints
Following the Vikings' win in the 2019 Wild Card game, they have worn this all-purple combination in two subsequent games against the Saints, which took place in 2020 and 2022.
2022: "Primetime Purple" uniforms worn for Thanksgiving game
The most recent appearance for these uniforms came during a Thanksgiving Day game against the New England Patriots in 2022.
December 24, 2023: Vikings wear all-white uniforms for "Winter Whiteout"
On December 24, 2023, the Vikings again wore the all-white uniforms at home against the Detroit Lions.
2023: Vikings finish with losing record, Cousins departs
In 2023, the Vikings lost Kirk Cousins to an Achilles injury and finished with a 7-10 record. In the offseason, Cousins left for the Atlanta Falcons.
2023: Throwback uniforms unveiled
In 2023, the Vikings unveiled throwback uniforms based on the 1960s purple uniforms, which had gold trim on the numbers.
June 6, 2024: Vikings unveil "Winter Warrior" uniform
On June 6, 2024, the Vikings unveiled a new alternate "Winter Warrior" uniform, which is all-white with purple and silver stripes and a new Vikings wordmark.
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