List of Minnesota Vikings seasons

The Vikings played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome from 1982 to 2013.

The Minnesota Vikings are an American football team playing in the National Football League (NFL). The Vikings compete in the NFL as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The team was established in 1959, when three Minneapolis businessmen – Bill Boyer, H. P. Skoglund and Max Winter – were awarded a franchise in the new American Football League (AFL).^[1] In January 1960, the ownership group, along with Bernie Ridder, forfeited its AFL membership and was awarded the NFL's 14th franchise, with play to begin in 1961.^[1]

Since the franchise's inception, the Vikings have completed 54 seasons of play in the NFL. The team won one NFL Championship in 1969, and was the last team crowned NFL champions before the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. The franchise has been conference champions three times since the merger, but has never won the Super Bowl. The Vikings have been divisional champions 19 times, most among current members of their division. Minnesota has played 804 regular and post-season games and has appeared in the post-season 28 times.^[2]

The team's worst season was 1962, when it won two games, lost eleven, and tied one (a .179 winning percentage).^[3] Their worst season since the NFL changed to a 16-game schedule was in 1984 and 2011, when they could only manage a 3–13 record.^[4] The best regular-season record was achieved in 1998, when the Vikings went 15–1, but kicker Gary Anderson, who had gone 35-for-35 in field goal attempts during the regular season, missed a 38-yard attempt with less than three minutes remaining in the NFC Championship Game.^[5] With an overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings became the first 15–1 team in NFL history not to reach the Super Bowl.^[6]

Key

BBA	Bert Bell Award
COY	NFL Coach of the Year Award
CPY	NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
DPY	NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
GSH	George S. Halas Trophy
MOY	Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
MVP	NFL Most Valuable Player Award
OPY	NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award
OROY	NFL Rookie of the Year Award
PBMVP	Pro Bowl Most Valuable Player Award
ROY	UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year
UPINFC	UPI NFC Player of the Year

Seasons

NFL champions (1920–1969)^†

Super Bowl champions (1967–present)^‡

Conference champions (1967–present)°

Division champions (1967–present)*

Wild card berth (1970–present)^§

Franchise records according to Pro-Football Reference.com^[7]

NFL season	Team season	League	Conference	Division	Regular season				Post-season results	Awards	Head coaches
					Finish	Wins	Losses	Ties
1961	1961	NFL	Western	—	7th	3	11	0	—	—	Norm Van Brocklin
1962	1962	NFL	Western	—	6th	2	11	1	—	—	Norm Van Brocklin
1963	1963	NFL	Western	—	T-4th	5	8	1	—	Paul Flatley (ROY)[8]	Norm Van Brocklin
1964	1964	NFL	Western	—	T-2nd	8	5	1	—	Fran Tarkenton (PBMVP)[9]	Norm Van Brocklin
1965	1965	NFL	Western	—	5th	7	7	0	—	—	Norm Van Brocklin
1966	1966	NFL	Western	—	T-6th	4	9	1	—	—	Norm Van Brocklin
1967	1967	NFL	Western	Central	4th	3	8	3	—	—	Bud Grant
1968	1968	NFL	Western	Central*	1st*	8	6	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 14–24	—	Bud Grant
1969	1969	NFL^†	Western°	Central*	1st*	12	2	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Rams) 23–20 Won NFL Championship (Browns) 27–7^† Lost Super Bowl IV (vs. Chiefs) 7–23	Bud Grant (COY)[10]	Bud Grant
1970	1970	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	12	2	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs (49ers) 14–17	—	Bud Grant
1971	1971	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	11	3	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 12–20	Carl Eller (GSH)[11] Alan Page (MVP, DPY, UPINFC)[12][13]	Bud Grant
1972	1972	NFL	NFC	Central	3rd	7	7	0	—	—	Bud Grant
1973	1973	NFL	NFC°	Central*	1st*	12	2	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Redskins) 27–20 Won Conference Championship (at Cowboys) 27–10 Lost Super Bowl VIII (vs. Dolphins) 7–24	Chuck Foreman (OROY)[14] Alan Page (GSH)[15]	Bud Grant
1974	1974	NFL	NFC°	Central*	1st*	10	4	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Cardinals) 30–14 Won Conference Championship (Rams) 14–10 Lost Super Bowl IX (vs. Steelers) 6–16	—	Bud Grant
1975	1975	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	12	2	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs^[a] (Cowboys) 14–17	Fran Tarkenton (MVP, BBA, UPINFC, OPY)[12][16]	Bud Grant
1976	1976	NFL	NFC°	Central*	1st*	11	2	1	Won Divisional Playoffs (Redskins) 35–20 Won Conference Championship (Rams) 24–13 Lost Super Bowl XI (vs. Raiders) 14–32	Chuck Foreman (UPINFC)[17] Sammy White (ROY, OROY)[14]	Bud Grant
1977	1977	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	9	5	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (at Rams) 14–7 Lost Conference Championship (at Cowboys) 6–23	—	Bud Grant
1978^[b]	1978	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	8	7	1	Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Rams) 10–34	Ahmad Rashad (PBMVP)[9]	Bud Grant
1979	1979	NFL	NFC	Central	3rd	7	9	0	—	—	Bud Grant
1980	1980	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	9	7	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Eagles) 16–31	—	Bud Grant
1981	1981	NFL	NFC	Central	4th	7	9	0	—	—	Bud Grant
1982^[c]	1982	NFL	NFC	—	4th	5	4	0	Won First Round (Falcons) 30–24 Lost Second Round (at Redskins) 7–21	—	Bud Grant
1983	1983	NFL	NFC	Central	4th	8	8	0	—	—	Bud Grant
1984	1984	NFL	NFC	Central	5th	3	13	0	—	—	Les Steckel
1985	1985	NFL	NFC	Central	3rd	7	9	0	—	—	Bud Grant
1986	1986	NFL	NFC	Central	2nd	9	7	0	—	Tommy Kramer (CPY)[18]	Jerry Burns
1987^[d]	1987	NFL	NFC	Central	2nd^§	8	7	0	Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Saints) 44–10 Won Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 36–24 Lost Conference Championship (at Redskins) 10–17	—	Jerry Burns
1988	1988	NFL	NFC	Central	2nd^§	11	5	0	Won Wild Card Playoffs (Rams) 28–17 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 9–34		Jerry Burns
1989	1989	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	10	6	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 13–41	Keith Millard (DPY, UPINFC)[12]	Jerry Burns
1990	1990	NFL	NFC	Central	5th	6	10	0	—	—	Jerry Burns
1991	1991	NFL	NFC	Central	3rd	8	8	0	—	—	Jerry Burns
1992	1992	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	11	5	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Redskins) 7–24	Chris Doleman (UPINFC)[12] Dennis Green (COY)[19]	Dennis Green
1993	1993	NFL	NFC	Central	2nd^§	9	7	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Giants) 10–17	—	Dennis Green
1994	1994	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	10	6	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Bears) 18–35	—	Dennis Green
1995	1995	NFL	NFC	Central	4th	8	8	0	—	—	Dennis Green
1996	1996	NFL	NFC	Central	2nd^§	9	7	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Cowboys) 15–40	—	Dennis Green
1997	1997	NFL	NFC	Central	4th^§	9	7	0	Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Giants) 23–22 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 22–38	—	Dennis Green
1998	1998	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	15	1	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Cardinals) 41–21 Lost Conference Championship (Falcons) 27–30 (OT)	Randall Cunningham (BBA)[20] Dennis Green (COY)[19] Randy Moss (OROY)[14]	Dennis Green
1999	1999	NFL	NFC	Central	2nd^§	10	6	0	Won Wild Card Playoffs (Cowboys) 27–10 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Rams) 37–49	Cris Carter (MOY)[19] Randy Moss (PBMVP)[9]	Dennis Green
2000	2000	NFL	NFC	Central*	1st*	11	5	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Saints) 34–16 Lost Conference Championship (at Giants) 0–41	—	Dennis Green
2001	2001	NFL	NFC	Central	4th	5	11	0	—	—	Dennis Green (5–10) Mike Tice (0–1)
2002	2002	NFL	NFC	North	2nd	6	10	0	—	—	Mike Tice
2003	2003	NFL	NFC	North	2nd	9	7	0	—	—	Mike Tice
2004	2004	NFL	NFC	North	2nd^§	8	8	0	Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Packers) 31–17 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Eagles) 14–27	—	Mike Tice
2005	2005	NFL	NFC	North	2nd	9	7	0	—	—	Mike Tice
2006	2006	NFL	NFC	North	3rd	6	10	0	—	—	Brad Childress
2007	2007	NFL	NFC	North	2nd	8	8	0	—	Adrian Peterson (OROY,[14] PBMVP)[9]	Brad Childress
2008	2008	NFL	NFC	North*	1st*	10	6	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Eagles) 14–26	Adrian Peterson (BBA)	Brad Childress
2009	2009	NFL	NFC	North*	1st*	12	4	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 34–3 Lost Conference Championship (at Saints) 28–31 (OT)	Percy Harvin (OROY)	Brad Childress
2010	2010	NFL	NFC	North	4th	6	10	0	—	Madieu Williams (MOY)	Brad Childress (3–7) Leslie Frazier (3–3)
2011	2011	NFL	NFC	North	4th	3	13	0	—	—	Leslie Frazier
2012	2012	NFL	NFC	North	2nd^§	10	6	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Packers) 10–24	Kyle Rudolph (PBMVP) Adrian Peterson (BBA, MVP, OPY)	Leslie Frazier
2013	2013	NFL	NFC	North	4th	5	10	1	—	—	Leslie Frazier
2014	2014	NFL	NFC	North	3rd	7	9	0	—	—	Mike Zimmer
2015	2015	NFL	NFC	North*	1st*	11	5	0	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Seahawks) 9–10	—	Mike Zimmer
Total^[f]						449	379	10	Regular season record through 2015
						19	28	—	Playoff record through 2015
						468	407	10	Regular season and playoffs

Footnotes

• ^a The Vikings were defeated on a desperation touchdown pass thrown by Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach with less than a minute left in the game. Staubach coined the phrase "Hail Mary pass", referring to his toss, and the game itself became known as "The Hail Mary".^[21]
• ^b The NFL expanded from a 14-game regular season schedule to 16 beginning in 1978.^[22]
• ^c The 1982 NFL season was shortened from 16 regular season games to 9 due to a players' strike.^[23] For playoff seedings, division standings were ignored and the league used a 16-team tournament format for the season.^[24]
• ^d The 1987 NFL season was shortened from 16 regular season games to 15 due to a players' strike.^[25]
• ^f The "finish", "wins", "losses", and "ties" columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play. Regular and postseason records are combined only at the bottom of the list.

References

General

• "Minnesota Vikings History". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
• "Minnesota Vikings". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 26 March 2007.

Inline citations

1. Josza, Frank P.; Guthrie, John J. (30 August 1999). Relocating teams and expanding leagues in professional sports. Quorum Books. p. 51. ISBN 1-56720-193-8.
2. "Minnesota Vikings Team Encyclopedia". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
3. "1962 Minnesota Vikings".
4. "1964 Minnesota Vikings".
5. Freeman, Mike (18 January 1999). "N.F.L. Conference Championships; Belief Is the Margin of Victory As Falcons Dance Off to Miami". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
6. Wilner, Barry (26 September 1999). "Final Four of 1998 Losing At a Rapid Pace in 1999". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
7. "Minnesota Vikings". Pro-Football Reference.
8. Shrake, Edwin (September 28, 1964). "Now The Nfl's Toddlers Run With The Big Men". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
9. 2009 ESPN Sports Almanac. Ballantine Books. 2008. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-345-51172-0.
10. "AP NFL Coach of the Year". Associated Press. ESPN. January 4, 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
11. "Carl Eller Biography". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
12. 2009 ESPN Sports Almanac, p. 278.
13. "Alan Page Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
14. "Vikings' Peterson voted AP Offensive Rookie of the Year". Associated Press. National Football League. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
15. Olderman, Murray (January 11, 1974). "Page Takes Halas Trophy". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved August 8, 2009.
16. "Fran Tarkenton Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
17. 2009 ESPN Sports Almanac, pp. 278–279.
18. "Tommy Kramer Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 8, 2009.
19. "History: All-Time Honors". Minnesota Vikings. Retrieved August 8, 2009.
20. "Randall Cunningham Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
21. "Chat transcript with Roger Staubach". Pro Football Hall of Fame. 8 December 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
22. Pasquarelli, Len (18 May 2009). "Schedule expansion gaining momentum". ESPN. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
23. Forbes, Gordon (8 June 2001). "'82 strike changed salary dealings forever". USA Today. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
24. Wong, Glenn M. (2008). The Comprehensive Guide to Careers in Sports. Jones & Bartlett. p. 97. ISBN 0-7637-2884-5.
25. Staudohar, Paul D.; Mangan, J. A. (1991). The Business of Professional Sports. University of Illinois Press. p. 63. ISBN 0-252-06161-6. A major difference between this strike and the earlier one was that each team rostered a squad of strikebreakers so that only one regular season game had to be canceled.