Congratulations, Mick!
Pro Football HOF Class of 2015. http://t.co/7pry8MGcFr pic.twitter.com/D7hlaofQId
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) February 1, 2015
The long wait is over for Vikings great Mick Tingelhoff. The veteran of the 1960s and ’70s who helped the Vikings get to the Super Bowl four times was named to the NFL Hall of Fame Saturday night, in his 32nd year of eligibility.
17 seasons, not a single game missed- http://t.co/3c1AJlgzvS pic.twitter.com/eB7kSV1JPH
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) February 1, 2015
Tingelhoff joined the Vikings in 1962 and never missed a start in 240 regular season games and 19 playoff games during his 17-year NFL career, according to the Vikings.
From 1962-1978, Tingelhoff played a crucial role in helping the Vikings to their 10 divisional titles and four Super Bowl appearances. He was the center who snapped the ball to Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton for years.
Mick is a Hall of Famer. pic.twitter.com/kps1io8vv5
— Mark Craig (@markcraignfl) February 1, 2015
“I’m happier about Mick getting into the Hall of Fame than I was when I went into the Hall of Fame,” Tarkenton told Mark Craig of the Star Tribune. “I haven’t been back to the Hall of Fame since I went in back in 1986. But with Mick going in, I’ll be the first one there this year.”
“Mick was a catalyst for our team and one of the most respected players on those teams,” said former Vikings head coach Bud Grant, according to Vikings.com. “Mick’s intangibles were the thing that made him so great. He was a captain the whole time I coached him and guys looked at him as an example of how to do things.”
Tingelhoff earned All-Pro honors seven consecutive seasons (1964-1970) and was a Pro Bowl selection six consecutive years (1964-1969).
Here’s a video recounting Tingelhoff’s career with the Vikings.
Craig served on the Hall of Fame selection committee and described the process for choosing Tingelhoff and the other seven honorees.
Tingelhoff will make an appearance at Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday and be measured for his Hall of Fame gold jacket on Monday, Craig said. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is in August.
