The 1969 season was the Minnesota Vikings' ninth season in the National Football League (NFL) and their third under head coach Bud Grant. With a 12–2 record, the best in the league, the Vikings won the NFL Central division title, to qualify for the playoffs for the second year in a row. This was the first of three consecutive seasons as the best team in the NFL for the Vikings. They beat the Los Angeles Rams in the Western Conference Championship Game, and the Cleveland Browns in the final NFL Championship Game before the merger with the American Football League. With these wins, the Vikings became the last team to officially win the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy, introduced 35 years earlier in 1934.
However, Minnesota lost Super Bowl IV in New Orleans to the AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs in the final professional football game between the two leagues. It was the second consecutive Super Bowl win for the younger league.
The season was chronicled for America's Game: The Missing Rings, as the second greatest NFL team to never win the Super Bowl, only behind the 1981 San Diego Chargers.
Offseason
1969 draft
Pro Bowler
1969 Minnesota Vikings Draft Draft order Player name Position College Notes Round Selection 1 17 Traded to the New Orleans Saints 2 39 Ed White Guard California from Giants 43 Volly Murphy Wide receiver UTEP 3 69 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles 4 95 Mike McCaffrey Linebacker California 5 106 Jim Barnes Guard Arkansas from Falcons 112 Mike O'Shea Wide receiver Utah State from Lions via Steelers 121 Cornelius Davis Running back Kansas State 6 148 Marion Bates Defensive back Texas Southern Originally Chargers pick 7 173 Traded to the Washington Redskins 8 199 Harrison Wood Wide receiver Washington 9 225 Tom Fink Guard Minnesota 10 253 Tom McCauley Defensive back Wisconsin originally Cardinals pick 11 277 Brian Dowling Quarterback Yale 12 303 Noel Jenke Linebacker Minnesota 13 329 Jim Moylan Defensive tackle Texas Tech 14 355 Tommy Head Center Southwest Texas State 15 381 Eugene Mosley Tight end Jackson State 16 407 Traded to the Detroit Lions 17 433 Wendell Housley Running back Texas A&M
Notes
Roster
Preseason Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 August 2 at Miami Dolphins (AFL) W 45–10 1–0 Tampa Stadium 37,461 2 August 9 Denver Broncos (AFL) W 26–6 2–0 Metropolitan Stadium 45,918 3 August 23 St. Louis Cardinals W 41–13 3–0 Memorial Stadium 34,417 4 August 30 New York Jets (AFL) L 21–24 3–1 Groves Stadium 31,500 5 September 6 New York Giants W 28–27 4–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,900 6 September 13 at Cleveland Browns W 23–16 5–1 Rubber Bowl 28,551
Regular season The Vikings, led by head coach Bud Grant, ended the season with an NFL-best 12–2 regular season record, leading the league in total points scored (379) and fewest points allowed (133), scoring 50 or more points in three of their games. They had 12 straight victories, the longest single-season winning streak in 35 years,"Super Bowl IV," Super Bowl I-X Collector's Set. NFL Productions, 2003. and became the first modern NFL expansion team to win an NFL championship. Their defense, considered the most intimidating in the NFL, was anchored by a defensive line nicknamed the "Purple People Eaters", consisting of defensive tackles Gary Larsen and Alan Page, and defensive ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall. The secondary was led by defensive backs Bobby Bryant (8 interceptions, 97 return yards), Earsell Mackbee (6 interceptions, 100 return yards) and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Krause (5 interceptions, 82 return yards, 1 touchdown).
On offense, quarterback Joe Kapp was known for his superb leadership and his running ability, both throwing on the run and running for extra yards. And when Kapp did take off and run, instead of sliding when he was about to be tackled like most quarterbacks, he lowered his shoulder and went right at the tackler. This style of play earned him the nickname "Indestructible". In the NFL championship game against the Cleveland Browns, he collided with linebacker Jim Houston while running for a first down, and Houston had to be helped off the field after the play ended. Kapp was also known for being an extremely unselfish leader: when he was voted the Vikings' Most Valuable Player, he turned the award down and said that every player on the team was equally valuable.
Running back Dave Osborn was the team's top rusher with 643 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 236 yards and another touchdown. In the passing game, Pro Bowl wide receiver Gene Washington averaged 21.1 yards per catch, recording 821 yards and 9 touchdowns off just 39 receptions. Wide receiver John Henderson caught 34 passes for 553 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Vikings offensive line was anchored by Pro Bowlers Grady Alderman and Mick Tingelhoff.
The Vikings clinched the division title in week 11, after their second defeat of the Detroit Lions on November 27, which also secured home-field advantage for the NFL playoffs. The playoff sites were rotated until 1975; the Central division hosted the Coastal (as in 1967), and the Western Conference hosted the NFL championship game in odd-numbered years.
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 21 at New York Giants L 23–24 0–1 Yankee Stadium 62,900 Recap 2 September 28 Baltimore Colts W 52–14 1–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,900 Recap 3 October 5 Green Bay Packers W 19–7 2–1 Memorial Stadium ^ 60,740 Recap 4 October 12 at Chicago Bears W 31–0 3–1 Wrigley Field 45,757 Recap 5 October 19 at St. Louis Cardinals W 27–10 4–1 Busch Memorial Stadium 49,430 Recap 6 October 26 Detroit Lions W 24–10 5–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,900 Recap 7 November 2 Chicago Bears W 31–14 6–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,900 Recap 8 November 9 Cleveland Browns W 51–3 7–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,900 Recap 9 November 16 at Green Bay Packers W 9–7 8–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 48,321 Recap 10 November 23 Pittsburgh Steelers W 52–14 9–1 Metropolitan Stadium 47,202 Recap 11 November 27 at Detroit Lions W 27–0 10–1 Tiger Stadium 57,906 Recap 12 December 7 at Los Angeles Rams W 20–13 11–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 80,430 Recap 13 December 14 San Francisco 49ers W 10–7 12–1 Metropolitan Stadium 43,028 Recap 14 December 21 at Atlanta Falcons L 3–10 12–2 Atlanta Stadium 52,872 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. ^ The October 5 game was played in Minneapolis at Memorial Stadium at the University of Minnesota, due to a clash with the Minnesota Twins hosting game three of the 1969 ALCS at Metropolitan Stadium on Monday, October 6.
Game summaries
Week 1: at New York Giants
Week 2: vs. Baltimore Colts
Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 4: at Chicago Bears
Week 5: at St. Louis Cardinals
Week 6: vs. Detroit Lions
Week 7: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 8: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 9: at Green Bay Packers
Week 10: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 11: at Detroit Lions
Week 12: at Los Angeles Rams
Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 14: at Atlanta Falcons
Standings
Postseason
Playoffs Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Recap Conference Los Angeles Rams W 23–20 Metropolitan Stadium 47,900 Recap NFL Championship January 4 Cleveland Browns W 27–7 Metropolitan Stadium 47,900 Recap Super Bowl IV January 11 Kansas City Chiefs L 7–23 Tulane Stadium 80,562 Recap
Western Conference Championship Game
Three weeks prior to this game, the teams met in Los Angeles in a battle between the undefeated (11–0) Rams and the 10–1 Vikings. The Vikings won that game 20–13. The rematch was played in the cold and snow of Minnesota. Despite committing more turnovers (3 to 1) and only gaining 20 more total yards (275–255), the Vikings managed to edge out the Rams for their first postseason win in franchise history.
In the game in L.A., the Viking defense shut down the Rams' wide receivers and outside running game, so in this game, the Rams attacked the middle of the Viking defense and neutralized the Viking pass rush with short quick passes to the tight ends. The Rams defense held Minnesota's high powered offense in check, with the "Fearsome Foursome" defensive line harassing Viking QB Joe Kapp. Early on, the momentum seemed to be in LA's favor. Rams safety Richie Petitbon recovered a fumble from fullback Bill Brown that gave his team a first down on the Minnesota 45-yard line. On the next play, it appeared that the Vikings took a quick lead as Carl Eller intercepted a Roman Gabriel pass and returned for a touchdown but the score was nullified on an offside penalty on Alan Page. Taking advantage of their second chance, running back Larry Smith gained 19 yards on three carries, and Gabriel eventually finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Bob Klein. The Vikings quickly stormed back, with Kapp completing four consecutive passes on a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Three of the completions were to receiver Gene Washington for 49 total yards, including a 27-yard reception that gave the Vikings the ball on the Rams' 4-yard line. Dave Osborn ran for a touchdown on the next play, tying the score at 7 with a little over 3 minutes left in the first quarter.
LA moved the ball effectively on their next drive, but it ended on a missed 38-yard field goal attempt by Bruce Gossett. The next time they got the ball, they did much better, taking up the majority of the second quarter, including a 13-yard run by Gabriel to convert a third down. Gossett finished the drive with a 20-yard field goal to put the Rams up 10–7 with 4:30 left before halftime. Following a punt, Gabriel led his team back for more points. This time he completed passes to tight end Billy Truax for gains of 18 and 16 yards before finishing the 13-play, 65-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Truax. The Rams went into halftime leading 17–7, having scored on three of their four first half possessions.
In the second half, Viking coach Bud Grant adjusted his defense to stop the Ram tight ends, and his "Purple People Eaters" continued to punish the Ram running game. They also got increasing pressure on Gabriel. On offense, Grant neutralized the Ram pass rush by having QB Kapp run the ball, either on designed plays like quarterback draws or roll outs, or by instructing him to take off and run at the first sign of pressure. Kapp began frustrating the Rams with runs; this threat caused their pass rush to be less aggressive.
After forcing the Rams to punt for the first time in the game on the opening possession of the second half, Kapp completed a 41-yard pass to Washington on the LA 12-yard line. After a Rams penalty and a 5-yard run by Kapp, Osborn finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run that cut Minnesota's deficit to 17–14. However, Minnesota's comeback attempt suffered major setbacks over the next few drives against a punishing effort from the Rams defense. The next time the Vikings got the ball, they drove deep into Rams territory, only to have Kapp throw an interception to safety Ed Meador on the LA 4-yard line. Meador fumbled the ball during the return, but linebacker Jim Purnell recovered it. After an LA punt, Kapp was intercepted again, this time by Petitbon, who returned the ball 4 yards to the Vikings' 36. Once again, the Viking defense bent but didn't break, stopping the Rams inside the 10 yard line and making them settle for a 27-yard Gossett field goal. So instead of being down 24–14, it was only 20–14 going into the fourth quarter.