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FRANCHISE FOUNDED
[http://www.vikings.com/team/history/timeline.html](http://.com/team/history/timeline.html)Minnesota was granted an NFL franchise at the league owners’ meetings in Miami on Jan. 28, 1960. The team began play in 1961. The founding group consisted of Max Winter, E. William Boyer, H.P Skoglund, Ole Haugsrud and Bernard H. Ridder, Jr. -
ROSE NAMED GENERAL MANAGER
In late summer, 1960, former Los Angeles Rams Public Relations Director Bert Rose was named the team’s first General Manager. -
TEAM NICKNAMED
In one of his first moves with the team, Bert Rose recommended the nickname “Vikings” to the Board of Directors. The name was selected because it represented both an aggressive person with the will to win and the Nordic tradition in the northern Midwest. -
FIRST HEAD COACH
Norm Van Brocklin was selected as the first head coach in franchise history. He retired as a player in 1960 after 12 seasons in the NFL as a Hall of Fame QB. -
FIRST COLLEGE DRAFT
On Dec. 27, 1960, RB Tommy Mason of Tulane was taken with the 1st overall choice and the first-ever draft pick utilized by the Vikings. Also selected that year were QB Fran Tarkenton (3rd round) and DB Ed Sharockman (5th round). -
ASSIGNED CONFERENCE
On April 12, 1961, the NFL assigned the Vikings to the Western Conference. Minnesota joined Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Los Angeles and San Francisco in the conference. -
EXPANSION DRAFT
Following the 1960 season, the Vikings were allowed to select 3 players from the roster of each team after each team was allowed to protect 30 of their 38 players. Dallas was exempt from this process. Among the players selected were OL Grady Alderman (Detroit) and RB Hugh McElhenny (San Francisco). -
FIRST GAME
In the first game in franchise history, the Vikings played the Dallas Cowboys in a preseason game in Sioux Falls, SD, on Aug. 5, 1961. The Cowboys defeated the Vikings, 38- 13. -
FIRST REGULAR-SEASON GAME
In a stunning upset, the Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears, 37-13, at Metropolitan Stadium in the Vikings’ first NFL regular-season game on Sept. 17, 1961. Kicker Mike Mercer scored the first points in team history with a 12-yard field goal. Bob Schnelker scored the team’s first touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton. In his NFL debut Tarkenton came off the bench to complete 17-of-23 passes for 250 yards and 4 touchdowns. -
FIRST PRO BOWLERS
On Jan. 14, 1962, RB Hugh McElhenny and WR Jerry Reichow became the first Vikings to compete in the Pro Bowl. They were part of the Western Conference All-Stars who beat the Eastern Conference squad, 31-30, at the Los Angeles Coliseum. -
FIRST ALL-PRO
In 1963 RB Tommy Mason, who was the team’s first ever draft choice, was the first Vikings player to earn All-Pro recognition. He was a consensus pick after rushing for 763 yards and 7 touchdowns on 166 carries (4.6 avg.). -
FIRST WINNING SEASON
Minnesota won its final 3 regular-season games in 1964 to achieve the first winning season in team history with an 8-5-1 record. The Vikings tied for 2nd in the NFL Western Conference behind Baltimore. -
FINKS HIRED
In September, 1964, Jim Finks was named the team’s second general manager, succeeding Bert Rose, who resigned in June, 1964. Finks previously had served as general manager for Calgary of the Canadian Football League for 7 years. -
MET EXPANDED
A new grandstand was constructed on the east side of Metropolitan Stadium that increased capacity from 41,200 to 47,200. The new seats were formally dedicated on Aug. 20, 1965, when Minnesota played Philadelphia in a preseason ga -
NFL RE-ALIGNED
On Dec. 2, 1966, Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit and Green Bay were chosen to make up the newly-formed Central Division of the Western Conference of the NFL. -
VAN BROCKLIN RESIGNS
After compiling a 29-51-4 record while leading the Vikings in their first six years of existence, Head Coach Norm Van Brocklin resigned in February, 1967. His best season was 1964, when he led the team to a tie for 2nd place in the NFL Western Conference with an 8-5-1 record. -
TARKENTON TRADED
On March 7, 1967, QB Fran Tarkenton is traded to the NY Giants for a 1st and 2nd-round choice in 1967, a 1st-round choice in ‘68 and a 2nd-round choice in ‘69. With the picks Minnesota selected Clinton Jones and Bob Grim in ‘67, Ron Yary in ‘68 and Ed White in ‘69. -
GRANT NAMED HEAD COACH
Bud Grant was named the second head coach in Vikings history on March 10, 1967. He came to Minnesota after leading the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to 4 Grey Cup Championships in 10 years as head coach. -
FIRST DIVISION TITLE
On Dec. 15, 1968 the Vikings defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24- 17, at Franklin Field then retired to the dressing room to listen to the Chicago-Green Bay game on the radio. Minnesota needed the Bears to lose to clinch the Vikings’ 1st Division title. Chicago tried to rally from a 28-10 4th quarter deficit but eventually fell 28 -
FIRST PLAYOFF GAME
On Dec. 22, 1968, in the first playoff game in franchise history, the Colts defeated the Vikings, 24-14, in the Western Conference Championship Game at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. Minnesota trailed 21-0 in the 4th quarter but a late rally fell short. -
SECOND DIVISION TITLE
On Dec. 22, 1968, in the first playoff game in franchise history, the Colts defeated the Vikings, 24-14, in the Western Conference Championship Game at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. Minnesota trailed 21-0 in the 4th quarter but a late rally fell short. -
FIRST PLAYOFF WIN
http://www.fanbase.com/photo/586413On Dec. 27, 1969, in the first NFL playoff game in Minnesota, the Vikings came from behind to defeat the LA Rams, 23-20, in the Western Conference Championship Game. Minnesota overcame deficits of 17-7 at halftime and 20-14 in the 4th quarter for the franchise’s 1st postseason win. FIRST NFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME — The Vikings defeated the Browns, 27-7, in the NFL Championship Game on Jan. 4, 1970, at Metro - politan Stadium. Minnesota became the 1st modern NFL expansion team to win an NFL Champions
