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Who are the top Minnesota Vikings of all time? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Jim Marshall: a stalwart on the defensive line, Marshall spent all but one season of his 20-year NFL career in Minnesota and is the franchise leader in career games played (270) while making a pair of Pro Bowls.
9. Ron Yary: a dominant offensive tackle, Yary played all but his final NFL season in Minnesota (14 years) and was a 7x Pro Bowler and 6x All-Pro.
8. Randy Moss: arguably the most talented wide receiver in NFL history, Moss played seven-plus seasons in Minnesota and earned five Pro Bowl and three All-Pro nods while scoring double-digit touchdowns 6x, including a rookie record 17 in 1998.
7. John Randle: despite being undrafted, Randle earned six consecutive Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections in his prime and accumulated 114.0 of his 137.5 career sacks across 11 seasons in Minnesota en route to the Hall of Fame.
6. Carl Eller: a key piece of the “Purple People Eaters” defense, Eller was a 6x Pro Bowl and 5x All-Pro defensive end during his 15 years in Minnesota; unofficially, he had 130.5 sacks as a Viking, including a league-high 15.0 in 1969.
5. Randall McDaniel: perhaps the best offensive guard of his generation, McDaniel spent 12 of his 14 NFL seasons anchoring Minnesota’s offensive line, in the process being named a Pro Bowler 11x and an All-Pro 7x.
4. Cris Carter: an 8x Pro Bowler and 2x All-Pro across 12 seasons as a Viking, Carter was known for his great hands and holds most of Minnesota’s career receiving records; notably, he set a then-single season record with 122 receptions in 1994 and ranked #2 in most career receiving categories (behind Jerry Rice) when he retired.
3. Adrian Peterson: with seven 1,000-yard seasons and three rushing titles (including a 2,097-yard campaign in his 2012 MVP season), Peterson earned seven Pro Bowl and four All-Pro nods during his decade in Minnesota and is far and away the Vikings’ all-time leading rusher.
2. Fran Tarkenton: across two separate stints with the Vikings (13 seasons total), Tarkenton was a 4x Pro Bowler and the 1975 MVP; a true dual-threat quarterback, he is the franchise’s all-time leading passer and led the Vikings to three Super Bowl appearances, though lost each time.
1. Alan Page: the first defensive player in NFL history to win MVP (during his 1971 Defensive Player of the Year season), Page was also a 9x Pro Bowl and 6x All-Pro selection during his dozen years as the defensive line anchor of the Vikings’ “Purple People Eaters” defense.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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