When Hurricane Ian hit land last September, it caused $112 billion worth of damage. While it was the third-costliest Hurricane in U.S. history, some of the damage was priceless for former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Speilman.
Spielman’s house in Sanibel, Fla. was a direct hit in the path of the hurricane last fall and he revealed last February that a 12-foot wave had crashed through his home and wiped out all of his possessions inside including 31 years worth of game balls.
While not all of his memorabilia can be recovered, the Vikings made a simple gesture last week, re-issuing the game balls that Spielman had earned throughout his time in Minnesota and sending them to his home.
I wish I could put into words how special the Wilf family is. I lost all my Viking Game Balls during Hurricane Ian. To my surprise, I received a box today replacing all those game balls. I was truly blessed to work for the Wilf family and thank you from the bottom of my heart. pic.twitter.com/RRC3NzQC4E
— Rick Spielman (@spielman_rick) June 8, 2023
“I opened up the package and I was at a loss for words,” Spielman said in an interview with The 33rd Team. “…Everybody looks at this business and how harsh it can be [and] how cutthroat it can be, but this is just an example of how special the Wilf family is [and] how special the Minnesota Vikings are and how special the NFL family is.”
Spielman spent 16 years with the Vikings including 10 seasons as the team’s general manager, leading the Vikings to six playoff appearances, four NFC North titles and two NFC Championship game appearances.
While Spielman was fired along with head coach Mike Zimmer following the 2021 season, his impact on the organization has not been lost on the Wilfs, who bought the team one year before Spielman’s arrival in 2006.
“While we can not make up for the devastation you and your family are experiencing, we hope that this can restore some of the happy memories you have of your many accomplishments for the Minnesota Vikings,” The Wilfs said in a hand-written note to Spielman. “We appreciate everything you did for our organization and continue to think about you, [Spielman’s wife] Michelle and the rest of the kids as long as you rebuild your life in Florida.”
The gesture meant a lot to Spielman and is another example of how the Wilfs have transformed the Vikings into a top-tier franchise that also ranked first in the NFLPA’s report cards last May that graded several aspects including treatment of families, facilities and training staff.
“I am very appreciative to have been able to be the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, “Spielman said. “I hope this shows you that it’s just not all a cutthroat business, that people do care and love for each other. This was a gesture from the Wilf family to show me and my family how much they care and love us.”
