Top Minnesota Vikings Moments in Team History

Before the ‘Minneapolis Miracle,’ there was the ‘Miracle at the Met.’ Many fans today probably aren’t aware, but for the ones lucky enough to witness Tommy Kramer and Ahmad Rashad connect on a last-second hail mary in 1980, it’s a moment they’ll never forget.

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There are several individual plays that could be considered. Another that sticks out is Brett Favre’s 2009 touchdown strike to Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone against the San Francisco 49ers.

Yet, the one that sticks out even more is the time Randy Moss completed an incredible on-the-fly lateral to Moe Williams, who just happened to be in the vicinity. It looked pre-planned; it looked perfect. The Moss to Williams lateral is still one of the most unique plays in Vikings history.

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There has never been a more valuable athlete in Minnesota sports history than Justin Jefferson. While he’s still very early in his career, Jefferson’s arrival set the Vikings on a new path, much like Randy Moss’ arrival in 1998 did. Selected 22nd overall, Jefferson wasn’t expected to be a superstar, but now he’s considered the greatest receiver in the NFL today. There’s no doubt that drafting Jefferson is one of the biggest wins in Vikings history.

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Back in 2009, the Minnesota Vikings seemingly had it all. But they didn’t really know what to expect from Brett Favre. Sure, he’s a Hall of Fame QB now, but this was a 40-year-old man who was coming off a disappointing 9-7 season with the New York Jets the year prior. Yet, once Favre touched down in Minnesota, it didn’t take long for the longtime leader of Lambeau Field to thaw the hearts of even the biggest Packers haters. Favre had an incredible season, finishing with the NFL’s lowest interception rate, but it all came crashing down when he threw a game-sealing INT against the Saints in the NFC Conference Championship.

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Somehow, Randy Moss slipped to the 21st pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. But it became apparent early on that this wasn’t your typical rookie. Once Week 13 arrived, Moss was already just 149 yards away from the first of several 1,000-yard seasons. But this time, he was playing the Dallas Cowboys, whom Moss had his “heart set” on joining. The Cowboys passed on Moss, but he got his vengeance with a 163-yard, three-touchdown performance on Thanksgiving as a rookie. Moss was already seen as a hero, but this was the moment he became a Vikings legend.

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If you’re a Vikings fan, then there aren’t many greater moments in team history than when Randy Moss mooned the Packers. Vikings fans hate the Packers, so when Moss got on board too, it just felt too good to be true, much like winning a Super Bowl. Moss paid the fine using “Straight Cash Homie,” and even Joe Buck feels remorse over his “disgusting act.” But not Vikings fans, we’re still celebrating.

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Running backs today just aren’t built like Adrian Peterson. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, ‘All Day’ never seemed to run out of juice, no matter how many defenders he bowled over or ran past. The last non-QB to win NFL MVP, Peterson’s best day as a Viking came in Week 8 of the 2007 season. AP used 30 carries to sprint for 296 rushing yards, which is still the NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game. Keep in mind, he was just a rookie; Peterson shouldn’t have even known what day it was yet.

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The Vikings couldn’t have started their 2022 Week 15 game against the Indianapolis Colts much worse. By the end of the first quarter, the Vikings trailed 17-0. By halftime, it was 33-0. Fans went home; some turned off their TVs, but the real ones? We stayed glued.

As Patrick Peterson said, “All we need is five touchdowns.” It seemed impossible at the time, yet that’s exactly what the Vikings did, scoring five touchdowns to set up overtime. But no one anticipated the day to end with Greg Joseph setting a new Vikings record with a 61-yard game-winning field goal. I still get chills about the Vikings completing the greatest comeback in NFL history.

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It may feel odd to put a loss at No. 2 of the best Vikings moments of all time, but since Minnesota is still in hot pursuit of their first Lombardi Trophy, this one feels pretty significant. Not even Bud Grant could coach the Vikings to their first Super Bowl win, but helping them make their first appearance should still be considered an accomplishment.

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Sure, other moments may have meant more in the grand scheme of things, but there hasn’t been a more memorable play than Stefon Diggs’ walk-off touchdown against the New Orleans Saints in overtime back in 2020. This play alone earned Diggs a special place in the hearts of Vikings fans, even if he was traded just months later. The Minneapolis Miracle? Good luck beating that.

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