EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings on Sunday wrapped up their first 10 seasons at U.S. Bank Stadium with the venue's 81^st regular-season game, a 16-3 win against the division-rival Packers.

Minnesota recently secured its 50^th regular-season victory in the iconic stadium, shutting out the Commanders 31-0 in Week 14, starting a five-game win streak to finish a roller-coaster 2025 campaign.

More than 66,000 fans played crucial roles in such moments as the Minneapolis Miracle in January 2018 and the NFL's greatest comeback in December 2022.

From the Vikings inaugural game — a Border Battle win — and Danielle Hunter becoming the league's youngest player to ever reach 50 sacks, to Harrison "The Hitman" Smith playing his 200^th NFL game, here are photos and recaps from top moments through U.S. Bank Stadium's first 10 seasons. Note: The list is in chronological order and is not a ranking.

Sept. 16, 2016

Inaugural regular-season game, 17-14 win over the Packers

The Vikings christened U.S. Bank Stadium with a home-opener Border Battle, ahead of which they showed off the fire-breathing dragon "guarding" the entrance of the home team tunnel.

The dragon spewed a massive stream of fire against the backdrop of the revolutionary ETFE roof, which allows natural light inside the stadium while creating a climate-controlled environment, until the NFL banned on-field pyrotechnics in September 2019 after an incident at Tennessee.

The Vikings debuted their new game-day tradition, the SKOL Chant for a Sunday Night Football audience with the help of the famed Purple People Eaters, and Hall of Fame Head Coach Bud Grant sounded the Gjallarhorn to signal, "The Vikings are coming."

Just as electric as the Prince-tribute halftime show was Minnesota's first official touchdown scored inside U.S. Bank Stadium, a gold-gloved grab by Kyle Rudolph. The tight end caught an 8-yard touchdown from Sam Bradford on third-and-4, tying the game at 7-7. Blair Walsh later kicked a 46-yard field goal, and Bradford connected with Stefon Diggs for a 25-yard score en route to the Vikings win.

Dec. 17, 2017

Clinching the NFC North as Teddy Bridgewater takes first snaps since 2016 injury

Case Keenum had taken over for an injured Sam Bradford early in the season and helped lead Minnesota on an eight-game win streak before suffering a Week 14 loss at Carolina. The Vikings bounced back at home the following week, trouncing the Bengals 34-7 to win the NFC North.

Kai Forbath made three field goals, Stefon Diggs scored a touchdown, and Eric Kendricks recorded a pick six. Terence Newman also snagged an impressive interception (photo below) to bring his career total to 42. That pick ended up being Newman's last of his 15-season run.

With a victory in the bag and just over 6 minutes on the clock, Keenum took the bench and handed the reins to Teddy Bridgewater, who hadn't taken a snap since suffering a devastating leg injury during the 2016 preseason.

Bridgewater received a tremendous reaction from the fans as he finished out the game for Minnesota.

Jan. 14, 2018

Minneapolis Miracle

You know the game, and then the play — THE PLAY — by heart.

The Vikings faced a critical moment after losing a 17-point lead in the Divisional Round Game against the Saints.

With 10 seconds on the clock and time for one final play, Case Keenum heaved the ball deep for Stefon Diggs, who leaped to make the catch, twisted his body as he came down to land in-bounds, pivoted and sprinted to the end zone for a 61-yard walk-off touchdown.

Dubbed a "Minneapolis Miracle" in real time by "Voice of the Vikings" Paul Allen, the play will forever live in franchise lore.

Nov. 17, 2019

Overcoming a 20-0 halftime deficit to defeat the Broncos

Minnesota's Week 11 game just didn't seem to be going its way.

Everything that could go badly did throughout the first two quarters, and the Vikings entered the locker room at halftime trailing 20-0.

The team came out with a refreshed determination in the second half, however, perhaps fueled by incredibly special guests.

Halftime honored WWII veterans in a ceremony; afterward, the veterans watched from the Vikings tunnel. Game Presentation showed the group on the videoboard, and the crowd went wild, aiding in the team's comeback effort.

Kirk Cousins found Irv Smith, Jr., for a 10-yard touchdown early in the third quarter; the Broncos added a field goal on the following drive, but Minnesota never let them score again.

The Vikings entered the fourth quarter still down 23-7 but didn't lose hope.

Dalvin Cook scored a 3-yard touchdown just inside the start of the quarter, and the Vikings forced a three-and-punt by Denver on the next series.

Cousins found Diggs for a 54-yard touchdown, then Kyle Rudolph for the 32-yard, go-ahead score a few minutes later.

Dec. 8, 2019

Danielle Hunter records 3.0 sacks to become NFL's youngest to reach 50

Danielle Hunter needed one-half sack against the Lions to set an NFL record.

For good measure, he got 3.0.

After back-to-back pass deflections by Shamar Stephen and Harrison Smith to start the game, Hunter smelled blood in the water on third-and-10.

Rookie quarterback David Blough took the snap but never had a chance. With Hunter and Everson Griffen set to work around the edges, Hunter ended up with a 1-on-1 against Lions tight end Jesse James.

Needless to say, Hunter won that battle and took down Blough for a loss of 6.

The defensive end leapt into the air and "kicked the door down," joined in his signature celebration by Griffen and linebacker Eric Kendricks.

With the early takedown of Blough, Hunter — who had celebrated his 25^th birthday in October — became the youngest player in NFL history to record 50 career sacks.

He finished the day with 52.5 to his name.

Sept. 11, 2022

Kevin O'Connell's first game at the helm

The 2022 season ushered in the Kevin O'Connell era of Vikings football.

The first-year head coach led Minnesota to a 23-7 win over Green Bay in the teams' season opener, which featured two Justin Jefferson receiving touchdowns from Kirk Cousins and three Greg Joseph field goals.

The Vikings went up 20-0 in the third quarter before allowing the Packers to get on the board; their sole points came on a 2-yard rushing TD by AJ Dillon late in that period.

O'Connell went on to win eight of his first nine games with Minnesota, including an overtime thriller in Buffalo in Week 10, and finished his debut season 13-4. The Vikings went 8-1 at U.S. Bank Stadium in the regular season. They hosted a Wild Card matchup against the Giants on Jan. 15, 2023, but fell 31-24.

Oct. 30, 2022

Jared Allen rides a horse onto the field

It wouldn't be Jared Allen if there wasn't a little extra fanfare.

During halftime of their Week 8 game against the Cardinals (which Minnesota would win 34-26), the Vikings inducted Allen into the team's Ring of Honor. The former defensive end followed a tribute video by riding out through the Vikings tunnel on a jet-black Friesian gelding named Coolio.

(In case you're wondering, yes, Coolio was given an extra-large stadium credential.)

Allen's tailored Purple Jacket, one of the three hallmarks of becoming a Vikings Ring of Honor member, cloaked a Western-style white button up, and that mullet flowed below his black cowboy hat. He also wore a signature belt buckle that had been presented to him the night before by the Vikings — a one-of-a-kind item for one of a kind.

Allen spent six seasons with Minnesota and racked up 85.5 sacks, nearly breaking the NFL record in 2011 with a whopping 22. He also totaled four interceptions, 329 tackles, 104 tackles for loss, 155 QB hits, 16 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, 25 passes defensed and four safeties.

Dec. 17, 2022

Recording NFL-record 33-point comeback against Colts for overtime win

Similar to their 2019 matchup against the Colts, the Vikings didn't see things go their way to start this one.

Things actually got worse than they did three seasons prior, and Minnesota entered the locker room trailing Indianapolis 33-0. The team didn't give up, though. Patrick Peterson reminded his teammates they "only" needed to score five touchdowns, and the locker room got behind the veteran cornerback's confidence.

The ship wasn't righted immediately.

It wasn't until midway through the third quarter that K.J. Osborn scored on a 2-yard pass from Kirk Cousins. Then 7 minutes later, Cousins handed off to fullback C.J. Ham for a 1-yard TD, bringing the score to 36-14.

The Vikings scored three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter: an 8-yard catch by Justin Jefferson, a 1-yard catch by Adam Thielen and then Cousins hitting Dalvin Cook for a screen pass that the running back turned into a 64-yard TD. The flurry of scoring was enough to tie the game and send it into overtime, where Greg Joseph knocked through a 40-yard field goal with just 3 seconds remaining to seal an electrifying win.

Never say never.

Dec. 16, 2024

Jake Reed & Cris Carter honor Randy Moss

Days before the Vikings hosted Chicago for a Week 15 divisional matchup, Vikings Legend and Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss announced to the world he'd undergone a medical procedure to treat a cancer diagnosis.

Fellow Legends and the other two-thirds of "Three Deep" Jake Reed and Cris Carter (also in the HOF) served as honorary team captains for the game; when they walked to midfield for the coin toss, Reed and Carter — wearing Winter Warrior jerseys — held a Vikings throwback purple Moss jersey between them, honoring their former teammate's battle.

Moss responded to the viral moment via social media, posting "LUV U ALL! #letsmosscancer"

Nov. 16, 2025

Harrison Smith plays 200^th career regular-season game

Not many people can say they've played 200 NFL games.

Harrison Smith accomplished that feat during his 14^th season in Purple, suiting up to face the Bears for his 200^th regular-season contest.

Smith's wife Madison and the couple's two young children, Eleanor and Pierce, of course were in attendance, as were his parents. Madison sounded the Gjallarhorn to signal "The Vikings are coming" at the start of the game, and Smith was congratulated by Vikings Legends Carl Eller and Scott Studwell, both of whom also reached the significant benchmark during their careers in Minnesota.

Only six Vikings have been part of the exclusive club: Smith, Eller, Studwell, Jim Marshall, Fred Cox and Mick Tingelhoff.

Jan. 4, 2026

Vikings offer special tributes to Harrison Smith & C.J. Ham

We couldn't stop at just 10 moments after Minnesota capped its 10^th season at U.S. Bank Stadium with such meaningful tributes to C.J. Ham and Harrison Smith.

In their 10^th (ninth accrued) and 14^th seasons with the Vikings, respectively, Ham and Smith took the field against the Packers for what could be their final NFL games.

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell made sure to honor the longtime teammates in multiple ways throughout the afternoon, including sending Ham out as the lone team captain for the coin toss.

The Vikings introduced defensive starters ahead of the game, and Smith's name was the final one to be announced. Videoboards showed The Hitman standing in the team's tunnel, filtered purple light and fog swirling around him, before sprinting out onto the field.

O'Connell dialed up a play specifically to get Ham in the end zone, and with just 3:32 remaining in the game, he used a charged timeout to honor Smith. Both Ham and Smith (along with their families) received ample time on the in-stadium videoboards and even the CBS broadcast, and they helped lead the Vikings to a 16-3 defeat of Green Bay.

Following the game, Smith and Ham each were given game balls and enjoyed special moments with their teammates and coaches, after which they shared an embrace.