The 2000 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 40th in the National Football League (NFL). They won the NFC Central division title with an 11–5 record. After not retaining either Randall Cunningham or Jeff George, the team was led by first-year starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper and running back Robert Smith, who ran for a then team record 1,521 yards and seven touchdowns. The Vikings started out 7–0 and were 11–2 after 14 weeks, but slumped briefly, losing their last three to the St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts while Culpepper was hampered by injury.
After easily beating the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional game 34–16, they were defeated 41–0 by the New York Giants in the Conference Championship. Running back Robert Smith retired at the end of the year, after only playing eight NFL seasons. It would be 2004 before the Vikings returned to the playoffs.
After a contract dispute, Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle was let go after 11 seasons with the Vikings. Randle had only eight sacks this year, ending a streak of eight consecutive seasons with 10+ sacks.
Seven Vikings including Culpepper, Moss, Carter, Smith, Korey Stringer, Robert Griffith and Matt Birk were selected to play in the Pro Bowl after the season. It was Stringer's only Pro Bowl appearance before his death in 2001.
This would be the final full season for Dennis Green as the team's head coach, he was fired the next season with just one game remaining on the schedule.
Offseason Additions SubtractionsT Brad Badger (Redskins) QB Randall Cunningham (Cowboys)QB Bubby Brister (Broncos) QB Jeff George (Redskins)TE Johnny McWilliams (Cardinals) TE Andrew Glover (Saints)DE Bryce Paup (Jaguars) G Randall McDaniel (Buccaneers)LB Craig Sauer (Falcons) C Jeff Christy (Buccaneers)CB Cris Dishman (Chiefs) WR Jake Reed (Saints)LB Lemanski Hall (Cowboys) DE Duane Clemons (Chiefs) CB Jimmy Hitchcock (Panthers) LB Rob Holmberg (Patriots)
2000 draft
2000 Minnesota Vikings Draft Draft order Player name Position College Notes Round Selection125Chris HovanDefensive tackleBoston College255Fred RobbinsDefensive tackleWake Forest56Michael BoireauDefensive endMiami (FL)From Redskins388Doug ChapmanRunning backMarshall4106Antonio WilsonLinebackerTexas A&MFrom Ravens118Tyrone CarterSafetyMinnesota5155Surrendered to the Washington Redskins165Troy WaltersWide receiverStanfordCompensatory pick6191Traded to the Baltimore Ravens7232Traded to the Cleveland Browns240Mike MalanoCenterSan Diego StateCompensatory pick244Giles ColeTight endTexasCompensatory pick248Lewis KellyGuardSouth Carolina StateCompensatory pick Notes:
Undrafted free agents
+ 2000 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeBilly CockerhamQuarterbackMinnesotaAndy CroslandKickerMiami (FL)Tim EngelhardtDefensive tackleNew Mexico StateBrody LiddiardTight endColoradoLenny LucasFullbackTroy StateMatt WilsonWide receiverBloomsburgAntwone YoungFullbackSan Diego State
Staff
Roster
Preseason Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance NFL.comrecap 1 August 5 New Orleans Saints L 24–25 0–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 63,445 Recap 2 August 12 at San Diego Chargers L 7–31 0–2 Qualcomm Stadium 43,805 Recap 3 August 18 Arizona Cardinals W 35–17 1–2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 63,563 Recap 4 August 24 at Indianapolis Colts L 30–32 1–3 RCA Dome 51,337 Recap
Game summaries Week 1: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 2: at San Diego Chargers
Week 3: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 4: at Indianapolis Colts
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance NFL.comrecap 1 September 3 Chicago Bears W 30–27 1–0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,104 Recap 2 September 10 Miami Dolphins W 13–7 2–0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,112 Recap 3 September 17 at New England Patriots W 21–13 3–0 Foxboro Stadium 60,292 Recap 4 Bye 5 October 1 at Detroit Lions W 31–24 4–0 Silverdome 76,438 Recap 6 October 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 30–23 5–0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,162 Recap 7 October 15 at Chicago Bears W 28–16 6–0 Soldier Field 66,944 Recap 8 October 22 Buffalo Bills W 31–27 7–0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,116 Recap 9 October 29 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 13–41 7–1 Raymond James Stadium 65,589 Recap 10 November 6 at Green Bay Packers L 20–26 7–2 Lambeau Field 59,854 Recap 11 November 12 Arizona Cardinals W 31–14 8–2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,223 Recap 12 November 19 Carolina Panthers W 31–17 9–2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,208 Recap 13 November 23 at Dallas Cowboys W 27–15 10–2 Texas Stadium 63,878 Recap 14 November 30 Detroit Lions W 24–17 11–2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,214 Recap 15 December 10 at St. Louis Rams L 29–40 11–3 TWA Dome 66,273 Recap 16 December 17 Green Bay Packers L 28–33 11–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,183 Recap 17 December 24 at Indianapolis Colts L 10–31 11–5 RCA Dome 56,672 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 2: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 3: at New England Patriots
With the win, the Vikings improved to 3-0 and 2-0 against the AFC East. This marked their last win over New England until 2022.
Week 5: at Detroit Lions
Week 6: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 7: at Chicago Bears
Week 8: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 9: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 10: at Green Bay Packers
Week 11: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 12: vs. Carolina Panthers
Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 14: vs. Detroit Lions
Week 15: at St. Louis Rams
Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 17: at Indianapolis Colts
This was the first occasion the Colts hosted the Vikings in the regular season since 1968 in Baltimore, although the two teams would again play in the Colts’ stadium during that postseason. The intervening gap of 31 seasons constitutes the second-longest gap without one team visiting another in NFL history, and at the time was a record.
Standings
Postseason Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance NFL.comrecap Division January 6 New Orleans Saints W 34–16 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 63,881 Recap Championship January 14 at New York Giants L 0–41 Giants Stadium 79,310 Recap
Game summaries NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs (#3) New Orleans Saints
NFC Championship Game: vs (#1) New York Giants
Statistics
Team leaders Category Player(s) Total Passing yards Daunte Culpepper 3,937 Passing touchdowns Daunte Culpepper 33 Rushing yards Robert Smith 1,521 Rushing touchdowns Robert Smith Daunte Culpepper 7 Receiving yards Randy Moss 1,437 Receiving touchdowns Randy Moss 15 Points Gary Anderson 111 Kickoff return yards Troy Walters 692 Punt return yards Troy Walters 217 Tackles Ed McDaniel 118 Sacks John Randle 8 Interceptions Robert Tate Kailee Wong 2 Forced fumbles John Randle Robert Tate 2
League rankings Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank Passing offense 3,832 239.5 7th Rushing offense 2,129 133.1 6th Total offense 5,961 372.6 5th Passing defense 3,913 244.6 28th Rushing defense 1,788 111.8 15th Total defense 5,701 356.3 28th
Awards and records Gary Anderson, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 8 NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing, New York, NY, , p. 202 Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 14 Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Month, December Cris Carter, All-NFL Team (as selected by the Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers of America) Cris Carter, NFC Pro Bowl SelectionNFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing, New York, NY, , p. 362 Daunte Culpepper, NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Week 6 Daunte Culpepper, NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Week 12 Chris Hovan, PFW/Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team Randy Moss, All-NFL Team (as selected by the Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers of America) Randy Moss, PFW/PFWA All-Pro TeamNFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, , p. 203 Robert Smith, NFC Offensive Player of the Month, December
40-year team The Vikings named an all-time team in 2000 in recognition of the franchise's 40th year in the NFL.
Offense WR: Ahmad Rashad, Cris Carter T: Ron Yary, Tim Irwin G: Ed White, Randall McDaniel C: Mick Tingelhoff TE: Steve Jordan QB: Fran Tarkenton RB: Chuck Foreman, Robert Smith K: Fred Cox ST: Bill Brown Defense DE: Jim Marshall, Carl Eller DT: Alan Page, John Randle LB: Jeff Siemon, Matt Blair, Scott Studwell S: Paul Krause, Joey Browner CB: Bobby Bryant, Carl Lee P: Greg Coleman RS: Darrin Nelson Head coach: Bud Grant
Notes
References