Minnesota Vikings
Hall of Fame Inductees

Carl Eller Enshrined in 2004 (Minnesota) DEFENSIVE END, 6-8, 247 1964-1978 Minnesota Vikings 1979 Seattle Seahawks
First-round draft pick of both the NFL's Minnesota Vikings and AFL's Buffalo Bills ... Consensus All-America out of Minnesota ... Played in 225 regular-season NFL games ... Won 1969 NFL championship and NFC crowns in 1973, 1974 and 1976 and played in four Super Bowls ... Recorded 44 sacks from 1975 to 1977 and recovered 23 fumbles during his career ... Credited with a Vikings career-record 130 sacks; 766 tackles and 202 assists ... Named first- or second-team All-Pro every year from 1967 to 1973 ... Was All-NFC or All-NFL from 1968 to 1973 ... Won George Halas Award as the NFL's leading defensive player in 1971 ... Selected to play in six Pro Bowls ... Born Jan. 25, 1942 in Winston-Salem, N.C. [ Return to the top ]
	Jim Finks Enshrined in 1995 ADMINISTRATOR 1964-1973 Minnesota Vikings 1974-1982 Chicago Bears 1986-1993 New Orleans Saints
Top-flight administrator ... Developed Vikings, Bears, Saints — all teams with losing records — into winners ... Worked with NFL Management Council during 1974 strike ... Long-time member of NFL competition committee ... Serious NFL Commissioner candidate, 1989 ... Also played defensive back, quarterback for Steelers, 1949-1955 ... Born August 31, 1927, in St. Louis, Mo. ... Died May 8, 1994, at age of 66. [ Return to the top ]
Bud Grant Enshrined in 1994 (Minnesota) COACH 1967-1983, 1985 Minnesota Vikings
NFL coaching tenure began in 1967 ... 168-108-5 NFL record makes him eighth winningest coach ever ... Led Vikings to 11 divisional championships in 1968 through 1971, 1973 through 1978, 1981 ... Won 1969 NFL championship, NFC titles in 1973, 1974, 1976 ... Nine-letter athlete at Minnesota ... Played in NBA, NFL, CFL before embarking on coaching career in Winnipeg ... Born May 20, 1927, in Superior, Wis. [ Return to the top ]
	Paul Krause Enshrined in 1998 (Iowa) FREE SAFETY 6-3, 200 1968-1979 Minnesota Vikings 1964-1967 Washington Redskins
Redskins' No. 2 draft pick, 1964 ... Outstanding rookie year, led league with 12 interceptions, named All-Pro ... Retired as history's all-time interception leader with 81 ... Traded to Vikings for player and draft pick, 1968 ... Played in eight Pro Bowls ... All-NFL four times ... All-Eastern Conference 1964, 1965 ... All-NFC five times ... Started at free safety in four Super Bowls, five NFL/NFC championship games ... Born February 19, 1942, in Flint, Mich. [ Return to the top ]
Alan Page Enshrined in 1988 (Notre Dame) DEFENSIVE TACKLE 6-4, 225 1967-1978 Minnesota Vikings 1978-1981 Chicago Bears
Consensus All-America, 1966 ... First-round pick, 1967 ... Extremely fast, strong with cat-like reflexes ... Played in 236 straight games, including four Super Bowls ... Named NFL Most Valuable Player, 1971 ... Four-time NFC Defensive Player of Year ... All NFL/NFC nine years, in nine Pro Bowls ... Career marks: 23 opponent fumble recoveries, 28 blocked kicks, 173 sacks ... Born August 7, 1945, in Canton, Ohio. [ Return to the top ]
	Fran Tarkenton Enshrined in 1986 (Georgia) QUARTERBACK 6-0, 185 1961-1966, 1972-1978 Minnesota Vikings 1967-1971 New York Giants
Almost an instant star with four TD passes in first game, 1961 ... Moved to New York (1967), back to Vikings (1972) in stunning trades ... At retirement led lifetime passers in attempts (6,467), completions (3,686), yards (47,003), touchdowns (342) ... Exciting, elusive scrambler ... Rushed for 3,674 yards, 32 TDs ... Led Vikings to three Super Bowls ... Four-time All-NFL ... Pro Bowl selection nine times ... Born February 3, 1940, in Richmond, Va. [ Return to the top ]
Ron Yary Enshrined in 2001 (Southern California) OFFENSIVE TACKLE 1968-81 Minnesota Vikings 1982 Los Angeles Rams
Vikings used bonus pick acquired in Fran Tarkenton trade with New York Giants to select Yary first in 1968 draft ... Two-year consensus All-America at USC ... 1967 winner of Outland Trophy, Knute Rockne Award that goes to the nation's top college lineman ... Possessed speed, agility, intelligence, aggressiveness, hard work ethic ... Durable, missed only two games with injuries (broken ankle, 1980) ... Continued to play with broken foot same year ... Military duty forced him to miss first three games, 1969 ... Took over as regular right tackle in midseason, 1969 ... All-Pro in 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 ... All-NFC eight straight years, 1970-77 ... Played in seven Pro Bowls, 1972-1978 ... Starting right tackle in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, XI and 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977 NFL/NFC championships ... Traded to Rams for 10th-round draft pick, 1982 ... Played eight games in final season with Rams. [ Return to the top ]