Ron Yary was the first overall pick in the 1968 NFL Draft; he was the first offensive lineman ever to be selected first overall. He remained with the Vikings from 1968-1981 and continued to dominate defensive lines with his blend of size, speed and strength that was unique at the time and ushered in a new era of offensive line play. He missed only 2 games in his career due to a broken ankle in 1980, but came back and played through the injury for the rest of the season.

Yary was named All-Pro 6 consecutive times, named All-NFC 8 straight seasons, and played in 7 Pro Bowls. He is one of the few Vikings players to play in all of the team's Super Bowl Appearances (IV, VII, I, and XI). He was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 2000 and enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.