Who are the greatest Minnesota Vikings ever? That’s a really tough question and one that usually gets debated this time of year, as the NFL tries to keep fans thinking about football.
We are in that odd time of the off-season right now. We’ve heard everything we can handle on the draft (which is still seven days away), there’s really nothing fresh or new happening in free agency and the schedules have already been released.
So on Wednesday afternoon NFL.com was talking about the Minnesota Vikings – the top five Minnesota Vikings ever.
While the list is quite subjective and open to argument, here is who made it.
- 5. OG – Randall McDaniel (1988-2000)
- 4. RB – Adrian Peterson (2007-current)
- 3. WR – Cris Carter (1990-2002)
- 2. DT – Alan Page (1967-78)
- 1. QB – Fran Tarkenton (1962-66, 72-78)
Peterson was the only current Viking to make the team’s top five list. He won his third NFL rushing title last season when he ran for 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s also a seven-time Pro Bowler and a four-time first-team All Pro.
Peterson has been so special that former Vikings quarterback and current Seahawks radio analyst Warren Moon described him as being in a class by himself in an interview with Vikings.com this week.
“There’s no question he’s one of the top two or three in the league still, at his age,” Moon said. “The guy is just a physical specimen.”
Noticeable omissions
Certainly with any list like this there are going to be some who feel differently. So here’s a list of a few others who could have been considered.
- DE – Carl Eller (1964-78) On all four Vikings Super Bowl teams.
- DE – Jim Marshall (1961-79) On all four Vikings Super Bowl teams.
- S – Paul Krause (1968-79) Intercepted 81 passes in 16 NFL seasons.
- WR – Randy Moss (1998-2004, 2010)
