Top 50 Minnesota Vikings Players of All-Time

Of the top 10 NFL teams with the highest winning percentage in team history, only the Vikings remain without a Super Bowl title on their resume. Despite this, there exists a long list of historical greats in the team’s history. I acquired a list of every Vikings player in history and filtered them according to the following criteria (and in the following order): Are they in the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor? Are they in the NFL Hall of Fame? How many games did they start for the Vikings? How many games did they appear in for the Vikings? How many postseasons did they appear in for the Vikings? How many first-team All-Pros were they selected to? How many Pro Bowls were they selected to? What was their average winning percentage while with the team? Here are the results.

1. Mick Tingelhoff | C

Tingelhoff earned the starting role as a rookie and proceeded to start every single game at center for the Vikings over the next 17 years (including 19 playoff games, four of which were Super Bowls). He’s third all-time in consecutive starts. Tingelhoff is a member of the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame, recipient of the NCAA Gerald R. Ford Award, and had his number 53 retired by Minnesota.

2. Carl Eller | DE

The first of the Purple People Eaters to make the list. Eller played all but the last of his 16-year career in Minnesota, almost never missing a game, and appeared in all four of the Vikings’ Super Bowl appearances. He joins Tingelhoff as the only other Vikings to start 200 games for the Vikings. Unofficially, Eller is the Vikings’ all-time sack leader.

3. Randall McDaniel | G

I really wanted McDaniel to end up first. He dominated for the Vikings for a very long time. Not to mention he caught a touchdown pass both in the regular season and in the Pro Bowl. To cap it off, he immediately became an elementary educator upon retiring. In the words of fellow Hall of Fame Viking Cris Carter, “He was the ultimate professional and unbelievable competitor.”

4. Ron Yary | OT

Yary started on the offensive line in every single game the Vikings played in the 1970s (and ultimately only missed two games due to injury during his career). He was another mainstay in the great Vikings teams of the 1970s.

5. Cris Carter | WR

Before there was Randy Moss, there was Cris Carter. After 12 years catching passes for the Vikings, Cris Carter is first all-time in team receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

6. Fran Tarkenton | QB

Tarkenton quarterbacked three of the four Super Bowl appearances (‘74, ‘75, ‘77) for the Vikings during his 13 seasons with Minnesota. Tarkenton is the team’s all-time leader in completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns. At the time of his retirement he held the NFL career record in the same categories as well. Tarkenton was ahead of his time, racking up almost 4,000 yards rushing during his career as well.

7. Alan Page | DT

Another warrior and the second Purple People Eater on the list, Alan Page appeared in every single game of his 15 year NFL career and started all but three. Over 11 of those seasons were with the Vikings. Perhaps his most notable accomplishment in football is being awarded the NFL MVP honors in 1971. Page is also a retired jurist and former associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

8. John Randle | DE

Since the dawn of the sack being recorded, nobody has had more in a Vikings uniform than John Randle. From 1993 to 1998, Randle didn’t miss a single game and was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro for six straight seasons.

9. Paul Krause | S

The NFL’s all-time leader in interceptions spent 12 of his 16 years in Minnesota. Behind the Purple People Eaters of the 70s was one of the best safeties the league has ever seen. In the words of Vikings’ head coaching legend Bud Grant, “Paul personified the term free safety.”

10. Chris Doleman | DE

Chris Doleman was initially a linebacker when the Vikings drafted him fourth overall in the 1985 draft before moving to defensive end. Doleman then proceeded to spend 15 years in the league (10 with Minnesota), is fifth all-time in career sacks, and is second all-time in team official sacks, and third all-time in team solo tackles.

11. Randy Moss | WR

In the first quarter of his first ever game, Randy Moss initially bobbled before ultimately securing a 48-yard bomb from Brad Johnson. After watching him celebrate, the broadcaster said “There are going to be nightmares for cornerbacks in the NFL.” He was right. Randy Moss is second all-time in touchdown receptions, 15th all-time in receptions, and fourth all-time in receiving yards.

12. Jim Marshall | DE

Marshall was the best player from the Purple People Eaters who has yet to be elected to the NFL Hall of Fame. Had he been in the HOF when this list was created, he would have catapulted to #1. Marshall was traded to the Vikings after his rookie season and proceeded to start every single game for 19 straight years. This lands Marshall second all-time in consecutive starts in the NFL behind only Brett Favre.

13. Scott Studwell | LB

Studwell played all 14 years of his career for the Vikings after being drafted in the ninth round of the 1977 draft. He is the all-time team leader in tackles and holds the official record for a single season in tackles at 230.

14. Steve Jordan | TE

Behind two of the best receivers to ever play (Moss and Carter) on the team’s all-time receptions list lies Steve Jordan. Jordan racked up 498 receptions for the Vikings over his 13-year career (all with Minnesota). He’s also sixth on the team’s receiving yards list and ninth in receiving touchdowns. Jordan, a graduate of Brown University, became a civil engineer in Minneapolis upon retiring after the 1994 season.

15. Matt Blair | LB

Another member of the 1970’s Vikings defense. Matt Blair spent his entire 12-year career in Minnesota and was elected to six straight Pro Bowls from 1977-1982. In addition to his contribution on defense, Blair was known as a tenacious special teams player as well.

16. Joey Browner | S

Browner helped anchor the secondary for the Vikings for nine years after being drafted 19th overall in the 1983 NFL draft out of USC. He’s fourth all-time in team interceptions and appeared in 6 straight Pro Bowls.

17. Bill Brown | RB

Bill Brown is the first running back to make the list (until Adrian Peterson is retired for five years in all likelihood). He spent 13 years with the Vikings and is second all-time in team carries, third all-time in team rushing yards and tied for second in rushing touchdowns.

18. Ahmad Rashad | WR

Rashad played seven seasons with the Vikings and is seventh all-time in team receptions and yards, and sixth in touchdown receptions. On top of his successful NFL career, Rashad was an All-American in College and was elected into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.

19. Korey Stringer | OT

Minnesota drafted the two-time Big 10 Offensive Lineman of the Year 24th overall in the 1995 draft. He played six seasons for the Vikings, rarely missed a game and was elected to the Pro Bowl in his final year. Tragically, Stringer died from complications caused by heat stroke during training camp in 2001.

20. Chuck Foreman | RB

The Chuck Foreman era of the Vikings’ backfield began right as the Bill Brown era was fading. Minnesota drafted Foreman 12th overall in the 1973 draft. Foreman currently sits third all-time in team carries, second in rushing yards and tied with Brown for second in rushing touchdowns at 52. He was also considered one of the best pass catching backs of his time. He tallied 350 catches, 3156 receiving yards, and 23 receiving touchdowns in just eight years in the league.

21. Gary Zimmerman | OT

Gary Zimmerman played the first seven years of his 12-year career in Minnesota after beginning his career in the failed USFL. In 1987 and 1988 he was first-team All-Pro and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He even beat the Packers in the Super Bowl in his final season (while playing for Denver).

22. Steve Hutchinson | G

The Vikings shelled out big money to bring in Hutchinson during free agency in 2006. After five good seasons with Seattle, “Hutch” earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of his first four years with the team and received first-team All-Pro honors in three of those years. Look up highlights of Peterson’s record-breaking 296 yards against the Chargers in 2007 and you’ll see big #76 clearing paths for him.

23. Tim Irwin | OT

Another of the 14 offensive lineman to make the list. Irwin spent 13 years in the Minnesota starting lineup and missed only four games. Upon retiring, Irwin became a lawyer and eventually a judge. He founded a Catholic Youth Football League in Tennessee, a Bass Tournament fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club, and even played in a band called the Chilbillies that has opened for artists such as Hank Williams Jr. and Rodney Atkins.

24. Grady Alderman | OT

One of the longest lasting “original” Vikings members, Grady Alderman was a rock on the offensive line for Minnesota from their inauguration in 1961 until 1974. He played through the rough early years and was a member of an offensive line that gets a lot of credit for the team’s great years in the 1970s.

25. Kevin Williams | DT

Minnesota was the laughing stock of the NFL when they ran out of time in the 2003 draft and missed on their first-round pick and finally selecting DT Kevin Williams a few picks later. What followed was 11 years of dominance in Minnesota for Williams, leaving him tied for fifth all-time in team sacks (60) and 15th all-time in team solo tackles (334).

26. Roy Winston | LB

Winston was one of the 11 members of the Vikings to appear in all four Super Bowls in the 1970s. Despite not making any Pro Bowls or being selected to any All-Pro rosters, Winston was a rock on defense for fifteen years.

27. Carl Lee | CB

The first cornerback to make the list. A seventh-rounder in 1983, Lee spent 11 years suiting up for Minnesota. Between 1986 and 1993, Lee started all 122 games he appeared in and missed just five. That stretch included three straight Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro selection in 1988.

28. Chad Greenway | LB

The former Iowa Hawkeye did nothing short of prove his first-round worth after being taken 17th overall in 2006. Greenway spent 10 years in the league with the Vikings, retired at the age of 33, and is the team’s second all-time leader in solo tackles.

29. David Dixon | G

Now a member of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, Dave Dixon spent all 11 years of his NFL career with the Vikings. The New Zealand native helped pave the way for four straight 1000 yard rushing seasons at over 4 yards per carry in the late 90s for running back Robert Smith.

30. Bryant McKinnie | OT

Another contributor to the success of Adrian Peterson in Minnesota. The six-foot and eight-inch, 360-pound McKinnie was a dominating presence at left tackle for the Vikings for nearly 10 years. Despite the revolving door of starting quarterbacks for the Vikings in the 2000s, McKinnie was the epitome of consistency.

31. Jim Kleinsasser | TE/FB

During his 13-year NFL career with the Vikings, Kleinsasser was a mainstay in the Vikings’ offense at both the TE and the FB position. Kleinsasser gained a reputation for his hard work and dedication to the team and was known for his elite blocking ability. In the words of fellow Viking Chad Greenway, “He’s always been one of my heroes…just an unbelievable teammate.”

32. Bobby Bryant | CB

Bobby Bryant is the second cornerback to make the list and another member of the legendary 1970s squad. Bryant spent all 13 years of his career in Minnesota and is second all-time in team interceptions at 51.

33. Steve Riley | OT

After winning a National Championship with USC, Steve Riley had an 11-year NFL career with the Vikings. Once again, a member of the 1970’s teams. Are you noticing a trend amongst historical Vikings players? We look back fondly on the Vikings of the 1970s.

34. Anthony Carter | WR

Carter is fourth all-time in team receptions, third in receiving yards, and third in touchdown receptions. He modeled consistency despite playing with six different quarterbacks over nine years.

35. Ed Sharockman | CB

Sharockman is third all-time in team interceptions behind Krause and Bobby Bryant and is a member of the “original” Vikings. Despite also being drafted in the 1961 AFL Draft, Sharockman chose to play for the Vikings and spent twelve years with the team.

36. Jeff Siemon | LB

Yet another member of Bud Grant’s dominating defenses in the 1970s, Siemon was around for three of their four Super Bowl appearances. Siemon had an interception off Terry Bradshaw called back in Super Bowl IX and was credited for 15 tackles in their loss to the Raiders in Super Bowl XI.

37. Matt Birk | C

Birk played 10 seasons with the Vikings. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in six of those seasons and didn’t miss a single start in seven of them. Birk is a Minnesota native, attended Harvard, and won a Walter Payton Man of the Year Award during his NFL career.

38. Fred McNeill | LB

The Vikings were reloading the defense with more ammunition when they drafted Fred McNeill 17th overall in the 1974 NFL Draft. Just like his teammate Jeff Siemon, McNeill stood out in Super Bowl XI. He blocked a punt in the first quarter with the game tied 0-0 and recovered it at Oakland’s three yard line.

39. Kyle Rudolph | TE

“Big Red” is fifth all-time in team receptions, ninth in receiving yards, and fifth in touchdown receptions. Undoubtedly one of the best overall tight ends in team history and a true ambassador to the league, Rudolph has been the epitome of a professional.

40. Sammy White | WR

As a rookie in the 1976 season, Sammy White caught two touchdowns in the divisional round and then another in the Super Bowl a few weeks later. White spent 10 years in the NFL with Minnesota and is top 10 in the team’s receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns all-time list.

41. Wally Hilgenberg | LB

Hilgenberg spent 12 years with the Vikings and is one of the 11 team members to appear in all four Super Bowls in the 1970s in which he averaged six and a half tackles per game. In 1998, his daughter won Miss Minnesota Teen USA.

42. Adrian Peterson | RB

When Peterson took a screen pass 60 yards to the house in week one of his rookie season, fans knew the Vikings had landed a generational talent. That marked the beginning of a dominant run in Minnesota for one of the game’s all-time greats. He’s first in team rushing yards and fifth all-time in the NFL. When I marked him as a yes for Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor just for fun, he jumped up to #11 on this list.

43. Henry Thomas | DT

Henry Thomas played his first eight seasons of his 14-year NFL career in Minnesota and is officially number seven on the team’s all-time sack leader list and is number four on the team’s all-time solo tackles list.

44. Antoine Winfield | CB

Watching Antoine Winfield Jr. get drafted out of the University of Minnesota in April reminded Vikings fans of how wonderful his father was when playing for the Vikings. Winfield Sr. was as sure a tackler at the corner position as they come. He finished fifth all-time in team solo tackles and 10th in interceptions.

45. Gary Larsen | DT

Larsen is one of the lesser known members of the Purple People Eaters. He was born in Fargo (which is in North Dakota, not Minnesota), attended college in Minnesota, and started every game for the Vikings from 1968-1972 (along with Page, Eller, and Marshall).

46. Harrison Smith | S

Smith is in his eighth season in the league (all with Minnesota) and has been elected to five straight Pro Bowls. He’s anchored many of the recent great Mike Zimmer defenses and has been worth every ounce of the 29th overall pick they used to draft him in 2012. Smith is seventh all-time in team interceptions and ninth all-time in team solo tackles.

47. Milt Sunde | G

It’s hard to be a Minnesota sports fan without appreciating Milt Sunde. Sunde was born in Minneapolis, played for the University of Minnesota, and played for the Vikings for 11 seasons.

48. Todd Steussie | OT

Minnesota drafted Steussie 19th overall in the 1994 NFL draft and started every single game of his seven years with Minnesota except for one. He’s the last offensive lineman on our list and was a huge part of the great Vikings offenses of the late 90s and early 00s.

49. Tommy Kramer | QB

Kramer is second all-time in team completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. His claim to fame came from his game-winning Hail Mary touchdown pass to Ahmad Rashad against the Browns in the Vikings’ final home game of 1980, nicknamed “Miracle at the Met.”

50. Ed McDaniel | LB

Ed McDaniel was a fifth-round pick out of Clemson and spent his entire 10 year career with the Vikings. McDaniel’s lone Pro Bowl nomination came in the legendary 15-1 1998 season. The offense gets most of the recognition for that season, but McDaniel was a part of the defense that gave up the sixth fewest points in the league.

Top 50 Minnesota Vikings Players of All-Time FAQ

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• Who were the Purple People Eaters?