The Minnesota Vikings have been really good in the 21st century having made three NFC Championship Games, but they have yet to get over the hump and make the Super Bowl. In fact, they have shockingly not made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 2008 and 2009, which is a wild stat.
With the peak of the offseason in full effect, it's a great time to take a look at the first 25 years of the 21st century, and that means a quarter century team. Here's how I went about the team:
- Offense: 12/21 personnel, as that was the norm for the Vikings starting lineup
- Defense: Nickel defense, as three linebackers became much less common over the years
- Flex: One flex player on offense and defense
- Special teams: Kicker, punter, and long snapper, along with a special teamer, kick returner, and punt returner
Quarterback: Daunte Culpepper
The Vikings don't have the best history at quarterback. The original Vikings quarterback, Fran Tarkenton, is in the Hall of Fame, but haven't had a true constant plus player since then. The closest they came was with Culpepper, who was the 11th overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. Unlike his contemporaries like Kirk Cousins, Culpepper was a dominant force who was a legitimate MVP candidate in 2004 when he threw for 39 touchdowns and broke Dan Marino's total yardage in a single season record. He was tremendous for the Vikings until a knee injury in 2005 became an unfortunate turning point in his career.
Running back: Adrian Peterson and Jim Kleinsasser (FB)
This one is pretty easy at running back, as Peterson is going to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, one day. Dalvin Cook is still a good player and deserving of consideration, but this list is only going for a starting lineup and one flex. We won't be leaving Peterson out like ESPN did.
Kleinsasser was a more difficult choice at fullback, especially since the Vikings have had some really good ones. Being more of a TE hybrid and his ability to be a bonus offensive tackle gets him on the list over someone like Jermaine Felton.
Wide receiver: Randy Moss and Justin Jefferson
Were there going to be any other names that made the list? Moss and Jefferson aren't just tremendous players, but they are arguably two of the best wide receivers to have ever played the position. If this list was based off of 11 personnel, this would be a very interesting discussion with players like Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Percy Harvin.
Tight end: Kyle Rudolph
This is where the discussion gets interesting. Rudolph isn't the best tight end on the team in the last 25 years, but he has the best resume, including winning Pro Bowl Most Valuable Player honors. In a couple of years, T.J. Hockenson likely takes his place, but his resume right now isn't strong enough to surpass Rudolph.
Flex: Percy Harvin (WR)
If you needed a play from 2009-2012, you could rely on Harvin to get it done. What makes his selection as the flex interesting is a couple of details. He may have been a wide receiver by definition, but Harvin could also play running back and nearly made the list as a kick returner with five touchdowns as a member of the Vikings. Don't forget that Harvin was a legitimate MVP candidate before a hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve and essentially forced a trade to the Seattle Seahawks.
Offensive line: Bryant McKinnie (LT), Steve Hutchinson (LG), Matt Birk (C), David Dixon (RG), and Brian O'Neill (RT)
There isn't a ton of discussion about the best offensive lineman. The only spot where there is a real discussion is at left tackle, as Christian Darrisaw has a good argument to be the starter here. Right now, the resume for Darrisaw isn't up to par with McKinnie, and, just like with Hockenson, that could change quickly.
Defensive line: Jared Allen (EDGE), Everson Griffen (EDGE), Kevin Williams (DT), and Pat Williams (DT)
The Vikings have had a wealth of talent here. There are a lot of intriguing fringe players like Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, and Lance Johnstone, but only three serious contenders at edge rusher. All of them made the list with Hungter as the defensive flex.
At defensive tackle, only one other player garnered serious consideration and that was Linval Joseph. It's a tough discussion between him and Pat Williams, but the latter was half of the Williams Wall, and that ends up being the difference maker.
Linebacker: Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks
This group isn't the most flush with talent over the last 25 years. E.J. Henderson's run in the mid-00s deserved serious consideration, but the longevity and high-level play from both Barr and Kendricks land them on the list.
Cornerback: Antoine Winfield, Xavier Rhodes, and Cedric Griffin
Only one of these was a sure things, as Winfield is arguably the best cornerback in team history. In fact, Winfield's resume is very close to being worthy of enshriment in Canton, but it's missing the necessary Pro Bowl and All Pro selections.
The other two are much more difficult. The likes of Trae Waynes, Terrance Newman, Captain Munnerlyn, and even Byron Murphy Jr. could make a strong case to be on the list. The honors go to Rhodes, who was a 2017 All Pro and peaked higher than any cornerback in the last 25 years. Griffin was a very solid player for the Vikings after being a second-round pick out of Texas during his run, including the 2009 season.
Safety: Harrison Smith and Corey Chavous
The first one is easy, as Smith will end up in Canton one day. He is one of five players to have over 30 interceptions and 20 sacks in his career, plus he's been a dominant force for over a decade at safety.
Chavous is a more controversial selection. Darren Sharper was great during his time with the Vikings, but the off-field incidents have me going a different direction. A former cornerback, Chavous transitioned well to safety after just one season with the Vikings at cornerback. He had a whopping 14 interceptions with the Vikings, including a career-high eight in 2003, while his teammate Brian Russell had nine.
Defensive flex: Danielle Hunter (EDGE)
Was there going to be any other player as the flex than Hunter? He was a dominant force for the Vikings during his nine seasons in the purple and gold. Hunter made the Pro Bowl four times in his Vikings career and amassed 87.5 sacks. He had 18.5 sacks as a rotational player in his first two years before earning the starting job. The Vikings weren't able to get a deal done after the 2023 season, but his career was still excellent.
Specialists: Blair Walsh (K), Chris Kluwe (P), Andrew DePaola (LS), and Heath Farwell (ST)
There won't be much debate on the final three, especially at long snapper and special teamer. However, kicker is going to be contentious. Ryan Longwell and Kai Forbath are both really good choices, but the peak of Blair Walsh is something that we likely again. As a rookie, Walsh was a perfect 10/10 on 50+ yard field goals and was a first-team All Pro. Thinks didn't end well, but the peak gets him on the list, as none of the other candidates have an extensive resume.
Returners: Cordarrelle Patterson (KR) and Marcus Sherrels (PR)
These are the two best returners in Vikings history. Patterson is arguably the best kick returner in NFL history, as Devin Hester is the best punt returner. Both Patterson and Sherrels had five return touchdowns each as members of the Vikings, and nobody else comes close.
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