79 games/55 starts
Came to the Vikings in a 2006 draft day trade with Philadelphia in an exchange of draft picks after spending 4 seasons (2002-05) with the Eagles…Started 14 games in his 1st season with the Vikings in 2006…Started 41 of the 42 regular season games he has played in from 2004-06 and all 3 playoff contests, including Super Bowl XXXIX against New England…Part of Philadelphia’s rise to the top of the NFC during his tenure, winning NFC East titles in 2002, 2003 and 2004, advancing to the NFC Championship in each of those seasons and winning the title in 2004...Responded on short notice at the demanding LT spot on Monday Night Football at Miami (12/15/03) when Tra Thomas was sidelined by back spasms during the pregame and had to face All-Pro DE Jason Taylor.
2008 Started 6 games at LT and RT during the season...Started opening 4 games at LT in place of suspended regular starter Bryant McKinnie...Opened games at RT at Jacksonville (11/23) and at Detroit (12/7)...Helped Adrian Peterson rush for 100+ yards in 3 of the 6 games Hicks started and averaged 100.8 yards per game for the 6 contests...Paved the way for Peterson to set Vikings single-season rushing record and become the 1st Vikings RB to lead the NFL in rushing with 1,760 yards...Played on 4th division championship team of his career.
2007 Started the opening 4 games of the season at RG...Helped Adrian Peterson rush for 103 yards vs. Atlanta (9/9) in the opener, the 1st Vikings rookie to crack the century mark in their 1st game...Helped Vikings rank #1 in the NFL in rushing offense and help Peterson earn NFL Rookie of the Year honors...Played in 14 games.2006 Started all 14 games he played, matching his career high…Helped RB Chester Taylor rush for 1,216 yards, the 4th-highest total in franchise history…Started 1st game as a Viking in season opener at Washington (9/11)…Started vs. Carolina (9/17) and helped pave the way for Chester Taylor to rush for 113 yards, his 1st 100- yard day as a Viking…Started vs. Detroit (10/8) and helped Taylor run for 123 yards on the day…Started at Seattle (10/22) and helped write Vikings history as Taylor ran for a team-record 95-yard TD and tied the 6th-best rushing day in team history with 169 yards on the ground…Started at Miami (11/19) but left game in 2nd half with an ankle injury and was replaced by Jason Whittle…Inactive for games vs. Arizona (11/26) and at Chicago (12/3) with ankle injury…Returned to the starting lineup at Detroit (12/10) and helped block for RB Artose Pinner as he rushed for 125 yards, the first 100-yard game of his career in his 1st start as a Viking.2005 Started 14 games on the season, 12 at LG and the final 2 at LT...Started opening 10 games of season before knee injury kept him out of games vs. Green Bay (11/27) and vs. Seattle (12/5)...Stepped into LT spot during game at St. Louis (12/18) when starter Todd Herremans left game with injury...Started final 2 games at LT.2004 Became a full-time starter for the 1st time in his career...Helped team set franchise record with 13 wins and win NFC title for 1st time since 1980...Started 12 games at LG and started at LT at St. Louis (12/27)...Replaced Jermane Mayberry at LG after Mayberry moved to RG to take place of injured Shawn Andrews...Helped set a team record with 4,208 yards passing and score the 3rd-most points in team history with 386...Philadelphia ranked #9 in the NFL in total offense with 351.1 yards per game...Lined up alongside Pro Bowl LT Tra Thomas and helped McNabb post a career-best 31 TD passes, a 104.7 passer rating and set a team record with 3,875 yards passing.2003 Stepped into starting lineup for 1st time in his career, opening 4 games on the season...Made 1st career start vs. NY Giants (11/16) at LG...Started next 2 games, vs. New Orleans (11/23) and at Carolina (11/30) at LG...Tapped to start at LT on Monday Night Football at Miami (12/15) when Thomas could not play due to back injury and helped hold All-Pro Jason Taylor to a lone sack....Saw time in both playoff games.2002 Made roster after training camp as a rookie free agent...Inactive for regular season and playoffs.
Majored in business...Married to Jaivonna with daughters Rheagan and Rhian...The only boy in a family with 6 sisters...Grew up in a family of mechanics and has carried on his passion for classic muscle cars...Artis’ 2nd cousin, Sylvester Hicks, played DE for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1978-81...Avidly watches boxing and is a fan of Jermain Taylor...Made an appearance in the Campbell’s Chunky Soup commercial featuring Eagles QB Donovan McNabb in 2004...Works closely with a Memphis charity, “Angel”, that supports single mothers, a subject close to his heart because his mother was left alone with his siblings after his father passed away when he was young...Finds strength from his family in many ways, including his nephew Dalin, who was diagnosed with leukemia in June 2004, but has made a full recovery at St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis.