Vikings Hall of Famers

Carter gained a lot of attention in college at Ohio State where he became known for his acrobatic one-handed catches and his keen ability to keep his feet inbounds when it counted. He received the opportunity to continue his on field antics when the Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the 4th round of the supplemental draft in 1987. He stayed there until 1989, when he was claimed off waivers by the Vikings. Carter played for 16 seasons in 234 career NFL games with the most notable portion in a purple jersey (1990-01).

Doleman was selected by the Vikings with the fourth overall pick in the 1985 draft as a LB out of Pittsburgh. He made the move to DE toward the end of his second NFL season and went on to lead the Vikings in sacks six times. Doleman had 10 or more sacks eight times in his career and his total of 150.5 sacks ranks fourth all-time in league history. In 1989, he led the NFL with 21.0 sacks, the fourth-most in a single season in NFL history. Doleman’s ability to strip the football was legendary, as he notched 45 career forced fumbles and recovered 24 fumbles.

Eller was selected as the 6th overall pick in the 1964 NFL Draft by the Vikings from the University of Minnesota. The majority of his 225 NFL game career was with the Vikings (1964-78) but he did play for the Seahawks (1979).  He became a vital member of the Purple People Eaters, the team won the NFC Central title in 10 of his 11 seasons as a Viking. He also started at left defensive end in all four of the Vikings Super Bowl Appearances (IV, VIII, IX, XI).

Finks served as the Vikings General Manager and Vice President from 1964-1973. He had a knack for developing teams with losing records into winners. He did this for the Bears (1974-1982), Saints (1986-1993) and the Vikings. During his time with the Vikings, the team posted a 42-14 record. He hired the notorious Bud Grant from the CFL in 1967. The team also appeared in Super Bowls IV and VIII under his guidance. In 1973, he was named as the NFL Executive of the Year. He passed away on May 8, 1994 and was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 29, 1995. The Vikings inducted him into the Ring of Honor on October 18, 1998.

Bud Grant was the Head Coach for the Vikings from 1967-1983 and in 1985. He came to the Vikings after a 10-year tenure (102-56-2) with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League. He led the Blue Bombers to 6 Western Conference championships and to 6 Grey Cups. Prior to coaching, he played 6 years of professional football, 2 with Philadelphia Eagles (1951-52) and 4 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1953-1956).

Krause was selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the Redskins (1964-1967) in 1964. He led the NFL in interceptions with 12 as a rookie and was named 1st Team All Pro. He played the majority of his career for the Vikings (1968-1979). In his first season as a Viking, he intercepted passes in 6 consecutive games. His 10 interceptions in 1975 remains a club record and he still holds the NFL record for career interceptions with 81.

Guard…6’ 4” 313 lbs…Michigan...12 seasons: Seattle Seahawks (2001-05), Minnesota Vikings (2006-11), Tennessee Titans (2012)...Played in 169 career regular season games and 8 playoff contests (177 total), starting them all, including 89 regular season and 3 playoffs with the Vikings...Blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in 11 of 12 seasons, only missing it in 2011 when Adrian Peterson ran for 970 yards in 12 games…Blocked for NFL’s leading rusher twice- Shaun Alexander in 2005 (1,880 yards) and Peterson in 2008 (1,760 yards)

Randall McDaniel was drafted by the Vikings out of Arizona State as the 19th overall pick in 1988. The fierce Guard played in the NFL for 14 seasons with a streak of 202 consecutive starts during his career. He played the majority of his career for the Vikings (1988-99) but ended it with the Buccaneers (2000-01).

Moss was selected in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft with the 21st overall pick and made an immediate impact on the NFL with a rookie-record 17 touchdown receptions. Moss spent seven-plus of his 14 NFL seasons with the Vikings and instilled fear into opposing coaches and defensive backs. He ranks second in NFL history with 156 receiving touchdowns and third with 15,292 receiving yards.

Page was selected in the first round of the 1967 draft out of Norte Dame by the Vikings (1967-1978). He played in 236 straight games at Defensive Tackle, including 4 Super Bowls (IV, VIII, IX, XI) and 9 Pro Bowls. He was named NFL MVP in 1971, NFC Defensive Player of the Year 4 times, and All NFL/NFC 9 times. His career stats include 23 opponent fumble recoveries, 28 blocked kicks, and 148.5 sacks.

Randle’s fierce style of play and emotional leadership were hallmarks of his 11 seasons with the Vikings (1990-2000). He played 14 NFL seasons, ending his career with Seattle from 2001-03. One of the most popular Vikings during his playing days, Randle’s high-energy style earned him the respect of teammates and opponents across the NFL. His play redefined the DT position during his era and his game-changing ability made pass rushing from the DT spot a premium.

Fran Tarkenton was selected in the third round of the NFL draft in 1961 by the Vikings (1961-1966, 1972-1978). He was an instant star quarterback with 4 TD passes after coming off the bench to beat the Bears 37- 13 in the 1st game in franchise history vs. Chicago (9/17/61). He was dealt to New York in 1967 and back to the Vikings in 1972 in stunning trades. He was named the MVP of the NFL is 1975.

Tingelhoff was picked up by the Vikings as a free agent in 1962. He earned the starting Center position his Rookie year and started 240 consecutive games, never missing a start in his 17 season career until he retired in 1978.

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.

Zimmerman was originally selected in the 1st round of the 1984 Supplemental Draft by NY Giants and in 1984 USFL Draft by LA Express where he spent 1984 and ‘85 seasons. In 1986, the dominant Tackle came to the Vikings via trade with the New York Giants. He made an immediate impact and helped the Vikings to the 1987 NFC Championship game.  After he was traded during the 1993 preseason, he finished out his career as a Denver Bronco (1993-97) where he helped his team win Super Bowl XXXII.