One of the veteran equipment managers in the NFL, Dennis Ryan enters his 32nd season of service with the Vikings. A lifetime resident of St. Paul, Ryan joined the Vikings in 1976 as an assistant to Jim "Stubby" Eason, who spent 20 years as the Vikings Equipment Manager. Ryan was elevated to equipment manager in June 1981. At 21- years-old, Ryan became the youngest equipment manager in the NFL. He is only the second person in Vikings history to hold the title of equipment manager.
In 1984 Ryan designed the first eye shield to be worn by a player in an NFL game, creating a shield to protect defensive tackle Mark Mullaney, who had suffered an eye injury in a previous game. In March 1995 Ryan received the Whitey Zimmerman Award, recognizing the NFL’s Equipment Manager of the Year.
Ryan attended the University of Minnesota (1978-79) and University of St. Thomas (1980-81). He and wife Laura, have three children, Ben, Maureen and Annie, and reside in St. Paul.