1976 Minnesota Vikings season

1976 Minnesota Vikings season
Head coach Bud Grant
General manager Mike Lynn
Owner Max Winter
Home field Metropolitan Stadium
Results
Record 11–2–1
Division place 1st NFC Central
Playoff finish Won NFC Divisional Playoff (Redskins) 35–20
Won NFC Championship Game (Rams) 24–13
Lost Super Bowl XI (vs. Raiders) 14–32

The 1976 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 16th in the National Football League. The Vikings finished with an 11–2–1 record to give them their eighth NFC Central division title. They beat the Washington Redskins 35–20 in the divisional round of the playoffs, followed by a 24–13 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship, before losing 32–14 to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XI. As of 2018, this was the last Super Bowl appearance by the franchise.

Offseason

1976 Draft

Pro Bowler
1976 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order Player name Position College Notes
Round Overall
125James WhiteDefensive tackleOklahoma State
254Sammy WhiteWide receiverGrambling
385Wes HamiltonGuardTulsa
4118Leonard WillisWide receiverOhio State
5133Steve WagnerDefensive backWisconsinfrom Falcons[a]
149Keith BernetteRunning backBoston College
6180Terry EgerdahlDefensive backMinnesota-Duluth
7206Larry BruneDefensive backRice
8235Traded to the New England Patriots[b]
9262Isaac HaginsWide receiverSouthern
10289Bill SalmonQuarterbackNorthern Iowa
11316Steve KracherRunning backMontana State
12345Robert SparksDefensive backSan Francisco State
13372Gary PaulsonDefensive endColorado State
14401Jeff StapletonOffensive tacklePurdue
15428Ron GroceRunning backMacalester
16457Randy HickelDefensive backMontana State
17484Dick LukowskiDefensive tackleWest Virginia
^[a] The Vikings traded running back Oscar Reed to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Atlanta's fifth-round selection (133rd overall).
^[b] The Vikings traded their eighth-round selection (235th overall) and 1977 sixth-round selection (166th overall) to the New England Patriots in exchange for offensive lineman Doug Dumler.

Personnel

Staff

1976 Minnesota Vikings staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches
  • Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line – Buddy Ryan

[1]

Roster

1976 Minnesota Vikings final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists

None.


Practice squad None.


Rookies in italics
 {{{active}}} Active, {{{inactive}}} Inactive, {{{PS}}} Practice squad

Preseason

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance[2]
1July 31at Miami DolphinsL 3–160–1Miami Orange Bowl39,939
2August 7at Kansas City ChiefsW 13–101–1Arrowhead Stadium32,851
3August 16at Cleveland BrownsL 7–311–2Cleveland Stadium44,336
4August 22Cincinnati BengalsW 23–172–2Metropolitan Stadium43,784
5August 28Philadelphia EaglesW 20–163–2Metropolitan Stadium46,512
6September 5at Denver BroncosL 17–303–3Mile High Stadium52,129

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 12 at New Orleans Saints W 40–9 1–0 Louisiana Superdome 58,156
2 September 19 Los Angeles Rams T 10–10 (OT) 1–0–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,310
3 September 26 at Detroit Lions W 10–9 2–0–1 Silverdome 77,292
4 October 4 Pittsburgh Steelers W 17–6 3–0–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,809
5 October 10 Chicago Bears W 20–19 4–0–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,614
6 October 17 New York Giants W 24–7 5–0–1 Metropolitan Stadium 46,508
7 October 24 at Philadelphia Eagles W 31–12 6–0–1 Veterans Stadium 56,233
8 October 31 at Chicago Bears L 13–14 6–1–1 Soldier Field 53,602
9 November 7 Detroit Lions W 31–23 7–1–1 Metropolitan Stadium 46,735
10 November 14 Seattle Seahawks W 27–21 8–1–1 Metropolitan Stadium 45,087
11 November 21 at Green Bay Packers W 17–10 9–1–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 53,104
12 November 29 at San Francisco 49ers L 16–20 9–2–1 Candlestick Park 56,775
13 December 5 Green Bay Packers W 20–9 10–2–1 Metropolitan Stadium 43,700
14 December 11 at Miami Dolphins W 29–7 11–2–1 Orange Bowl 46,543

Game summaries

Week 1

Week 1: Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Vikings 13 17 7340
Saints 0 3 609

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information
First quarter

Second quarter

  • NO – Rich Szaro 45-yard field goal. Vikings 13–3.
  • MIN – Brent McClanahan 5-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 20–3.
  • MIN – Fred Cox 24-yard field goal. Vikings 23–3.
  • MIN – Sammy White 47-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 30–3.

Third quarter

  • MIN – Chuck Foreman 6-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 37–3.
  • NO – Tony Galbreath 1-yard run (kick failed). Vikings 37–9.

Fourth quarter

  • MIN – Fred Cox 35-yard field goal. Vikings 44–9.

Week 3

1 234Total
• Vikings 0 037 10
Lions 0 036 9
  • Date: September 26
  • Location: Pontiac Silverdome
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game attendance: 77,292
  • Game weather: Indoors (dome)

[3]

Week 4

1 234Total
Steelers 6 000 6
• Vikings 0 7010 17

[4]

Week 5

1 234Total
Bears 0 0136 19
• Vikings 7 1003 20
  • Date: October 10
  • Location: Metropolitan Stadium
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game attendance: 47,614
  • Game weather: 48°F; wind 8

[5]

Week 6

1 234Total
Giants 0 700 7
• Vikings 10 707 24
  • Date: October 17
  • Location: Metropolitan Stadium
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game attendance: 46,508
  • Game weather: 37°F; wind 6

[6]

Week 7

1 234Total
• Vikings 0 71014 31
Eagles 0 903 12
  • Date: October 24
  • Location: Veterans Stadium
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game attendance: 56,233
  • Game weather: 48°F; wind 8

[7]

Week 9

1 234Total
Lions 3 677 23
• Vikings 7 3714 31
  • Date: November 7
  • Location: Metropolitan Stadium
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 46,735
  • Game weather: 28°F; wind 16

[8]

Week 10

1 234Total
Seahawks 7 077 21
• Vikings 7 767 27
  • Date: November 14
  • Location: Metropolitan Stadium
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 45,087
  • Game weather: 24°F; wind 8

[9]

Week 11

1 234Total
• Vikings 3 707 17
Packers 3 070 10

[10]

Week 13

1 234Total
Packers 6 003 9
• Vikings 0 3314 20
  • Date: December 5
  • Location: Metropolitan Stadium
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 43,700
  • Game weather: 18°F; wind 7

[11]

Week 14

1 234Total
• Vikings 0 15140 29
Dolphins 0 007 7
  • Date: December 11
  • Location: Orange Bowl
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 46,543
  • Game weather: 77°F; wind 21

[12]

Standings

NFC Central
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Minnesota Vikings(2) 11 2 1 .821 5–1 9–2 305 176 W2
Chicago Bears 7 7 0 .500 4–2 7–5 253 216 L1
Detroit Lions 6 8 0 .429 2–4 5–7 262 220 L2
Green Bay Packers 5 9 0 .357 1–5 4–8 218 299 W1

Playoffs

Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance
Divisional December 18 Washington Redskins W 35–20 Metropolitan Stadium 47,221
Conference Championship December 26 Los Angeles Rams W 24–13 Metropolitan Stadium 47,191
Super Bowl XI January 9 Oakland Raiders L 14–32 Rose Bowl 100,421

Divisional

NFC Divisional Playoffs: (#4) Washington Redskins at (#1) Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Redskins 3 0 31420
Vikings 14 7 14035

at Metropolitan Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Game information

Conference Championship

1 234Total
Rams 0 0130 13
• Vikings 7 377 24
  • Date: December 26
  • Location: Metropolitan Stadium
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 47,191
  • Game weather: 19°F; wind 12
  • Television network: CBS

[13]

Super Bowl

1 234Total
• Raiders 0 16313 32
Vikings 0 077 14

[14]

Statistics

Team leaders

Category Player(s) Value
Passing yardsFran Tarkenton2,961
Passing touchdownsFran Tarkenton17
Rushing yardsChuck Foreman1,155
Rushing touchdownsChuck Foreman13
Receiving yardsSammy White906
Receiving touchdownsSammy White10
PointsFred Cox89
Kickoff return yardsLeonard Willis552
Punt return yardsLeonard Willis207
InterceptionsNate Wright7

League rankings

Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 28)
Passing offense2,855203.94th
Rushing offense2,003143.118th
Total offense4,858347.06th
Passing defense1,575112.51st
Rushing defense2,096149.717th
Total defense3,671262.26th

References

  1. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-03.
  4. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-03.
  5. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  6. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  7. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  8. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  9. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  10. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  11. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  12. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  13. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
  14. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-May-04.
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