best vikings safeties of all time
Some changes have been in an effort to reduce the number of hard hits and potentially career-ending injuries that come along with some of the NFL's roughness. Last week, we covered the tight ends. Smith told media members he largely felt symptom-free, but the protocols at the time dictated that he remain away from the team for 10 days. He detailed the play for media members, noting that the defense was in middle-open coverage, so he expected Baltimore to try attacking the middle of the field. He finished his career with 37 interceptions, fourth in team history. https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/2017/07/05/vikings-have-2-of-the-top-safeties-of-all-time/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Not including a player from the modern era felt painful. NFL Best Safeties in the NFL 2022: Derwin James, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Antoine Winfield Prove Value of Versatility Modern NFL defenses rely on coverage, and the best defenses have the top safeties in the NFL. Certain players, such as Mike Morris and Scott Studwell, would have fit perfectly in that era. The goal: assemble the most explosive offensive powerhouse possible with the great Vikings throughout history. For Bush, the NFL journey has been full of backup time and special teams, a role that is more valuable than the respect it receives. When it comes to the greatest Vikings quarterback, Fran Tarkenton tops just about every list.He is considered the best quarterback the franchise has ever seen, and he led the team to three Super Bowls during his latter seven years with them. Either way, safeties are usually the last line of defense. Demand for cruises on Viking reached all time highs last month when the cruise line had their best booking month ever and recorded 18 of their top 20 sales . Karl Kassulke may be best known for the tragic motorcycle accident he suffered on his way to training camp in 1973. Over his fourteen-season career, he had a 202-game starting streak, was selected for the Pro Bowl twelve consecutive times, and was nominated to the 1990s All-Decade Team. No pair of safeties has performed better or lifted their defense higher than the Vikings' tandem of Harris and Smith. For his outstanding performance throughout most of the '80s and his high rankings in the Vikings record books, Joey Browner outdistances Robert Griffith for second place on the list of great Minnesota safeties. 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Gil Brandt of NFL Network continued his breakdown of the top players all-time at every position on Wednesday when he rolled out a list of the best safeties to ever lace up their chinstrap.. Studwell didnt receive many accolades for his play, but the tape suggests that was a mistake. He played with the Vikings from 2007 to 2016, barring a brief suspension in 2014 when he pleaded no contest to a charge of misdemeanor reckless assault against his then-four-year-old son. The organization ranked 7th in support of players families, with the NFLPA citing that the Vikings offered a family room and daycare. He made a name for himself immediately, setting the NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296) in his very first season, earning himself Rookie of the Year in 2007. Speak your mind in the comments section below. A Super Bowl winner, Reed is a name that can be overlooked when discussing the best safeties of all-time. On Halloween night and the prime-time stage, he had a spook-tacular outing against his former team. King of Denmark, Norway, and England. Its early in his career, but its worth keeping an eye on current Vikings safety Harrison Smith. That isn't due to the lack of great players. The Raiders and Texans were the only two in the top five to finish with a losing record, while the Vikings, Dolphins, and Cowboys all made the . The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. The Dolphins led the league in 2021 with a 38% blitz rate, and were top five in 2020 under Brian Flores. 98% of players also said there is enough hot and cold tub space. As a result, he was selected for the second-team All-NFC for his performance. 15 Gary . The Best Minnesota Vikings Cornerbacks Of All Time. Browner, a 1983 first-round pick, played nine seasons with the Vikings and one with Tampa Bay. If anyone can get past that nasty defensive line, they wont get much farther. Peppers recorded 97 sacks in black and blue and forced more than 30 fumbles, both of which are by far team records. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Bush spent some time in Chicago with Minnesotas current safeties coach Roy Anderson. Of course there was a number of other players considered, but no one popped on the film quite like Barr. The team has had a lot of success, making the Super Bowl in 1969 along with 25 playoff berths since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. He has 37 career interceptions, 1,118 tackles and is a six-time All-Pro. But, this time Im ranking best safety duos in Vikings history. On other plays, they need to display elite coverage skills to stop the pass. Doing so could mean some hard decisions on key contributors from last season like Dalvin Cook, Eric Kendricks, Za . It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The turnover unfortunately didn't result in any points for Minnesota but did stop the Cowboys drive. Maybe one day Smith will join Browner and Krause as one of the all-time great safeties. Browner forced 18 fumbles over his career and recovered 16 of them. He played for the Vikings from 1961 to 1966 and then again from 1972 to 1978 and was a dominant force in both stints. For his intense field presence, his contributions to some of the best defenses in history and his longevity with the club, Karl Kassulke moves past Orlando Thomas into the No. Justin Bergman carom off three rails for hide and distance, against Niels Feijen [10:43]: https://youtu.be/aNZJURtAflE?t=161010. 7 bold predictions for the Minnesota Vikings 2019 season. Picking a highest high proved challenging because a number of the safeties' big plays occurred mostly in games Minnesota ultimately lost. Brian Dawkins 5. He was drafted in the first round by the Vikings in 1988 as an offensive guard. Regarding staff, 95% of players felt the Vikings had enough athletic trainers (ATCs), and 92% said they had enough physical therapists (PTs). Bryant always excelled in coverage, and his tape shows his incredible knack for reading the eyes of the quarterback, even while matching receivers step for step. Adrian Wilson snubbed from list of best all-time safeties Schedule Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Steelers Ravens AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans. Krause not only tops the Vikings franchise record for career interceptions with 53, but he also owns the NFL record with 81 career picks. Smith also wears the same number that belongs to the best safety in Vikings historyPaul Krause. Ken Houston 6. He was voted AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, selected for six Pro Bowls, and chosen for the 2000s NFL All-Decade Team. He played this position immaculately but was also so versatile a player that he was utilized in unconventional ways. Born August 7, 1945, in Canton, Ohio, Alan Page was a first-round draft pick from Notre Dame in 1967.His philosophy was that a defensive player should think of himself as an aggressor, not as a defender. He was a key element of the notorious Purple People Eaters defensive line and a nightmare for opposing teams. For his longevity and his record-breaking thievery, Paul Krause barely slips past Joey Browner as the best safety in Minnesota Vikings history. He played in eight consecutive Pro Bowls and was selected for the 1990s All-Decade team.In 2002, at the time of his retirement, he was the NFLs second all-time leading receiver, held 19 team records for the Vikings, 1,101 receptions for 13,899 yards, and 130 touchdowns.His career is not only a testament to his skill but the gratification of hard work and discipline. He had 51 interceptions in 13 years and had four defensive touchdowns. Top 50 Washington Redskins Players of All Time By Clark Boinis | Aug 28, 2021, 12:32pm 1. The Vikings had several Hall of Famers suit up for them during their Super Bowl years like Fran Tarkenton, Alan Page and Ron Yary. In 1990 the Minnesota Vikings signed Carter off waivers for $100 and offered him the opportunity to get sober and redeem his NFL career. In the 1996 Pro Bowl, he made history as the first guard to catch a touchdown pass. Off the field, however, he was troubled and faced child abuse charges in 2014. Minnesota Vikings: Greatest All-Time Defense From the Purple People Eaters to Purple Reign, the Minnesota Vikings have struck fear into opposing offenses for over 50 years. The best in the business need to be athletically gifted: fast,. In his first year in Minnesota, he picked off passes in six straight games, which is still a team record. It's all about being a Viking. That record has lasted over 37 years. Smith's previous career high had been 104, which he recorded as a rookie in 2012. In 2021 Peterson set another record when he scored a rushing touchdown with the Seattle Seahawks, making him the first player in history to score a rushing touchdown with six different NFL teams.Peterson has cemented himself as one of the greatest running backs of all time, and his career with the Vikings is a crucial part of his legacy. Jackson had one of the best seasons we have ever seen at the safety position back in 2018, earning an overall PFF grade of 93.2 and a coverage grade of 94.7, but since Vic Fangio left town to coach the Broncos, Jackson's elite play has evaporated and he has posted seasons of 67.0 and 59.5 in terms of PFF grade. Charley Taylor 7. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Eric Rowe, (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) Deon Bush. 2022 Team: Kansas City Chiefs Deon Bush has made a nice role for himself as a backup safety in the NFL since 2016 and has some ties to the Vikings in place if he decides to leave Kansas City.. Matt Blair leads all Minnesota Vikings linebackers with 16 career interceptions from the outside linebacker spot. These lists are filled with players who epitomize what it means to be a Viking. INDIANAPOLIS (AP)The Minnesota Vikings treat their players best, according to a new NFL Players Association survey. Ron Yary was born on July 16, 1946, in Chicago Illinois, and was the first player selected by the Vikings in the 1968 AFL-NFL draft. In his time with thee Vikings, he was named to six-straight Pro Bowls from 1985-1990, including three All-Pro nods. In 1990, the team successfully claimed Cris Carter off waivers. The offense once again failed to capitalize, though, and the Vikings ultimately fell 20-16. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Ken Houston 15. Sean Taylor 6. Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings. What College Football Team Did John Wayne Play For? Please rank the players based only on their time with the Vikings, The Best Quarterbacks to Never Win a Super Bowl, The Best Notre Dame Football Players of All Time. By Arif Hasan December 24, 2022 Jump Around This Article Click to show (Photo By JUDY GRIESEDIECK/Star Tribune via Getty Images) Orlando Thomas and Robert Griffith, (Photo By Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images) Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo. Tarkentons eventual return to the Vikings in 1972 brought even more success.He played another seven years and led the Vikings to six NFC Central Division titles and three of their four Super Bowls. Charles Mann 16. Those are true Vikings. While he managed 19 interceptions over his career, his ferocious tackling made him a vital component of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. AncientPages.com - For many years, archaeologists and historians have provided an increasingly informed insight into the dynamic world of the vikings, chipping away at the clichs of a crazed, capricious people preoccupied with beards and bloodshed.One particular approach to understanding viking activity has been to study the encampments they set up along the coasts and rivers of western . The criteria used includes games started, interceptions and fumble recoveries, touchdowns scored, and their approximate value (AV) assigned by Pro Football Reference. These are the top 15 hardest hitters to ever come through the NFL. Browner made six straight Pro Bowl appearances, beginning in 1985. 114 tackles (83 solo), 3.0 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 7 passes defensed, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble; started all 15 games he played; on field for 1,049 of Minnesota's 1,280 defensive snaps (86.8 percent), 108 tackles (72 solo), 1.0 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 3 interceptions, 10 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles; started all 17 games he played; on field for all 1,280 defensive snaps (100 percent), 28 tackles (20 solo), 1.0 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 3 passes defensed; started 3 of 14 games he played; on field for 211 defensive snaps (17.5 percent), 13 tackles (8 solo), 1 pass defensed; played in 16 games (0 starts); on field for 54 defensive snaps (4.5 percent), 3 special teams tackles (1 solo), played in 9 games (0 starts); did not play any defensive snaps. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Part two of the Greatest Minnesota Vikings of all time focuses on the defense. Bynum answered the bell after finding out the morning of the Ravens game that he'd need to make his first NFL start. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. There's a certain feel to those classic Vikings standing on the sideline at Met Stadium in freezing conditions with steam coming out of their face masks. If he played at that level at a 17-game pace, Peppers would have . The Vikings received glowing reviews from players on how they treated their families. Especially intriguing is Metellus, who received more opportunities this past year, including in the nickel when Mackensie Alexander missed the regular-season finale. He was second on the team's all-time sack list with 92.5 and played in 191 consecutive games every game for 12 consecutive seasons. Randle led the Vikings in sacks in nine of his 11 seasons, and strung together eight seasons in a row with over 10 sacks. Chris Doleman tallied 45 forced fumbles in his career. In addition to his prowess at intercepting passes, he proved his nose for the ball by recovering 19 fumbles, including 11 as a Viking). His fierce hits caused receivers to think twice about going across the middle of the secondary. The safety earned a Profootballfocus grade of 66.7, 39th in the NFL among all safeties. Krause played 16 seasons in the NFL, the last 12 with the Vikings. Monte Coleman 14. He returned two of the interceptions for touchdowns, demonstrating his knack for making big plays. For years, the Purple People Eaters, the nickname for the Vikings defensive line, were one of the most intimidating in the league. With 148 career sacks (as an interior linemanI cant stress that enough), four Super Bowl appearances, and four defensive player of the year honors, Page was one of the most impactful players of the era. Led the Vikings to three of their four Superbowls in 1974, 1975, and 1977, Became the first defensive player to receive the NFLs MVP award, Part of the legendary Vikings defensive line known as The Purple People Eaters, Set a record when he was selected twelve times consecutively for the Pro Bowl, Regarded as the real muscle behind the notorious Purple People Eaters, Selected for the Vikings 40th and 50th Anniversary teams, NFL 1,000-Yard Clubs Top Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1969, Selected for the NFLs All-Decade Team for the 1990s, Widely considered the Vikings greatest. Support of players families, with the NFLPA citing that the Vikings received glowing reviews from on. Their defense higher than the Vikings in 1988 as an offensive guard 2000s NFL All-Decade team with a %! Appearances, beginning in 1985 past Joey browner as the best safeties of all-time ; tandem of Harris Smith! 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