For some time, it appeared that the NFL team from the Twin Cities was being punished per se for its Super Bowl failures. The Minnesota Vikings first took the field in 1961 under the guidance of head coach Norm Van Brocklin.
The franchise hired Bud Grant to be their new sideline leader in 1967. In his third season at the controls, the club made its first Super Bowl appearance. The Vikings would return to the "Big Game" in 1973, 1974 and '76 but fell short on all four occasions. In fact, the team failed to score a point in the first half of their Super Sunday setbacks to the Chiefs, Dolphins, Steelers, and Raiders, respectively.
What's more, the Purple Gang has not been back to the Super Bowl since. Still, those were some fantastic teams laced with talent but just couldn't get past some of the greatest squads in NFL history. Over the last 40-plus years, the franchise has seen its share of star performers who should perhaps get a closer look when it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Vikings that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration: 5. RB Bill Brown
He was a hard-nosed and versatile runner in the early days of the organization. Bill Brown was a second-round draft choice of the Chicago Bears in 1961, the same year that the Vikings took the field. The 5-foot-11, 228-pound prospect from the University of Illinois played in all 14 games for George Halas' club but wasn't much of a factor for that franchise. A year later, he was dealt to Minnesota.
Brown had a fairly quiet debut season with his new club but that would change in 1963, when he started 13-of-14 contests. He totaled 554 yards from scrimmage and scored seven touchdowns and also had a kickoff return for a score. A season later, he was named to his first Pro Bowl and totaled career highs in total yards from scrimmage (1,569) and total touchdowns (16).
If you include his one season with the Bears, Brown finished his 14-year NFL career with 9,339 total combined yards and 76 total touchdowns. He would be named to a total of four Pro Bowls, played in a dozen postseason contests for head coach Bud Grant and was part of Minnesota's first three Super Bowl teams, his final contest being Super Bowl IX vs. the Steelers. Brown was named to the Vikings' Ring of Honor in 2004.
Vikings that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration: 4. S Joey Browner
The early years of his NFL career weren't exactly the best of times for the franchise that drafted him. Former USC defensive back Joey Browner was the 19th overall pick in the fabled 1983 NFL Draft. To date, the 28 selections in the first round that year have seen a total of seven players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The 10-year NFL veteran doesn't appear to be on Canton's radar, at least at the moment. However, he was quite the playmaker for a team that had its issues winning during the early stages of his career. In his first four years with the franchise, the team combined for a dismal 27-37 record. The Vikings finally made the playoffs in his fifth NFL season, the start of three straight postseason appearances for Jerry Burns' squad.
All told, Browner spent his first nine campaigns with the Purple Gang and during that span, totaled 37 interceptions, three returned for scores, was credited with 17 fumble recoveries and racked up 9.5 sacks.
During the 1988 playoffs, he picked off three passes in the split with the Rams (2) and 49ers (1). From 1985-90, Browner was named to six consecutive Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro honors three times. He spent 1992 with the Buccaneers, playing in only seven contests.
Vikings that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration: 3. DT Kevin Williams
It was 20 years that confusion reigned in the early stages of the 2003 NFL Draft (via Kevin Seifert of ESPN). When it was all said and done, the talented Oklahoma State defender wound up with the Purple Gang.
"Ultimately, Red got what he wanted," said a member of the Vikings' organization (via Seifert). "He got Kevin Williams at a cheaper price, but we all got embarrassed."
Regardless of how it happened, the 6-foot-5, 311-pound performer and the ninth overall pick that year gave Minnesota 11 tremendous seasons before ending his pro football career with the Seahawks (2014) and Saints (2015), respectively. In his first eight campaigns, Williams was named to six Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro accolades five times. He is also a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
The star defensive lineman missed only five games in 11 years with the Vikings, making 171 starts. His 13-year NFL resume includes 63.0 sacks, five interceptions (2 returned for TDs), 13 fumble recoveries, and two taken back for scores. There were 10 forced fumbles while Williams knocked down a combined 73 passes.
Will Williams get any support in his fourth year of eligibility? The resume is indeed impressive, but will that be enough to get any consideration for the Class of 2024?
Vikings that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration: 2. RB Chuck Foreman
There was that signature spin move. Former University of Miami running back Chuck Foreman was the 12th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft, and he wasted little time making a big impression. In a dozen games, he racked up 1,163 total yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns. The former Hurricanes' standout was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, earned a Pro Bowl invitation and the Vikings reached Super Bowl VIII.
Over the next three seasons, Foreman put up imposing numbers. Minnesota was a playoff team in each of those years and went to two more Super Bowls (IX and XI). The versatile performer ran for 3,002 yards on 757 carries and totaled 35 scores, and added 181 catches for 1,844 yards and 16 touchdowns. That's a combined 4,846 yards from scrimmage and 51 total TDs in 41 regular-season contests. His 22-touchdown performance in 1975 earned him All-Pro accolades.
In his eight NFL campaigns, including a one-year stint with the Patriots in 1980, Foreman accumulated 9,106 total yards from scrimmage and 76 scores. The five-time Pro Bowler and 1975 All-Pro also played in 13 postseason games with Minnesota, including three Super Bowls, and added 1,307 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns.
Vikings that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration: 1. DE Jim Marshall
First things first. Where is Jared Allen on this list of Vikings' players who deserve more consideration when it comes to a bust in Canton? He's been a Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalist each of the past three years but he spent almost as many years with the Chiefs (4) as he did with the Vikings (6) and also played for the Bears and Panthers.
Meanwhile, there is an equally deserving candidate who played a team-record 270 regular-season games (all starts) with the franchise. There's a lot to be said for reliability and longevity, and few players in the trenches were as steady as defensive end Jim Marshall. Originally a fourth-round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns in 1960, he would play in 12 games during his rookie season. He spent the final 19 years of his impressive NFL career in the Twin Cities, where he played and started in 270 regular-season contests.
It all adds up to 282 regular-season games while being credited with 130.5 sacks (128.0 with the Vikings). Marshall is also co-owner of the NFL record for opponents' fumble recoveries (29), tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. He also appeared in 19 postseason games with the organization, including all four of the franchise's Super Bowl appearances.
Marshall was named to only two Pro Bowls during his 20-year career, so that may factor into his omission from the Hall. Of course, Bengals' cornerback Ken Riley earned one All-Pro nod and was never a Pro Bowler and was enshrined in Canton in 2023. Stay tuned.
