The 2020 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 60th in the National Football League (NFL), their fifth playing home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their seventh under head coach Mike Zimmer. This was the Vikings' first time since 2005 that long-time assistant Kevin Stefanski was not part of the Vikings coaching staff, as he left to become the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns on January 12, 2020. After going 1–5 in their first six games for the first time since 2013, the team failed to improve upon their 10–6 record from 2019 after a Week 11 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and failed to match their 10–6 record after a Week 14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention following a week 16 loss to the New Orleans Saints, and ultimately finished 7–9, their first losing season since 2014. The Vikings conceded 475 points during the season, the third-highest total in franchise history, although they also managed to score 430 points, also the third-most in team history.

Offseason Transactions

+ Players lost in 2020 Name Position Type 2020 team Contract Ref. Mackensie Alexander CB UFA Cincinnati Bengals 1 year, $4 million Kentrell Brothers LB UFA Stefon Diggs WR Trade Buffalo Bills Everson Griffen DE UFA Dallas Cowboys 1 year, $6 million Linval Joseph DT Released Los Angeles Chargers 2 years, $17 million Jayron Kearse S UFA Detroit Lions 1 year, $2 million Josh Kline G Released David Morgan II TE Released Xavier Rhodes CB Released Indianapolis Colts 1 year, $3.25 million Andrew Sendejo S UFA Cleveland Browns 1 year, $2.25 million Marcus Sherels CB UFA Laquon Treadwell WR UFA Atlanta Falcons 1 year, $910,000 Trae Waynes CB UFA Cincinnati Bengals 3 years, $42 million Stephen Weatherly DE UFA Carolina Panthers 2 years, $12.5 million

+ Players signed in 2020 Name Position Type 2019 team Contract Ref. Ameer Abdullah RB UFA Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $1.0475 million Dan Bailey K UFA Minnesota Vikings 3 years, $10 million Britton Colquitt P UFA Minnesota Vikings 3 years, $9 million Kirk Cousins QB Extension Minnesota Vikings 2 years, $66 million Dakota Dozier T UFA Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $1 million DeMarquis Gates LB UFA Houston Roughnecks (XFL) 1 year, $610,000 C. J. Ham FB Extension Minnesota Vikings 4 years, $12 million Anthony Harris S UFA (franchise tag) Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $11.441 million Rashod Hill G UFA Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $1.0475 million Brett Jones C UFA Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $1 million Sean Mannion QB UFA Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $1.047 million Michael Pierce DT UFA Baltimore Ravens 3 years, $27 million Tajae Sharpe WR UFA Tennessee Titans 1 year, $1 million Eric Wilson LB RFA (second-round tender) Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $3.259 million Anthony Zettel DE UFA San Francisco 49ers 1 year, $1 million

2020 draft

The Vikings had a total of 15 selections in the 2020 NFL draft, a record number since the draft moved to a seven-round format in 1994. Although they had lost their original fifth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens in the trade for kicker/punter Kaare Vedvik prior to the 2019 season and their seventh-round pick in the trade that sent wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills earlier in the 2020 offseason, the Diggs trade gave the Vikings extra picks in the first, fifth and sixth rounds. They also had an extra pick in the seventh round after trading guard Danny Isidora to the Miami Dolphins at the start of the 2019 season, as well as one compensatory pick in the third round and two in the seventh as a result of free agency losses in 2019.

After taking LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson 22nd overall with the first-round pick they acquired from the Bills, the Vikings traded their original first-round pick (25th overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 31st overall pick, as well as selections in the fourth and fifth rounds; with the 31st overall pick, the Vikings took TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney. The Vikings used their second-round pick on Boise State offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland, then took Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler in the third round, before trading their third-round compensatory pick to the New Orleans Saints for the Saints' remaining picks in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.

In the fourth round, the Vikings used the picks they acquired from the 49ers and Saints to select South Carolina defensive end D. J. Wonnum and Baylor defensive tackle James Lynch, before taking Oregon linebacker Troy Dye with their original fourth-round pick. The Vikings traded the fifth-round pick they acquired from the Bills to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft, before using their remaining fifth-round selections on Temple Owls cornerback Harrison Hand and Miami (FL) wide receiver K. J. Osborn. In the sixth round, the Vikings traded the other pick they acquired from the Bills—along with the seventh-round selection they got from the Dolphins—to the Ravens for another seventh-round pick and a fifth-round pick in 2021 before taking Oregon State offensive tackle Blake Brandel and Michigan safety Josh Metellus. The Vikings then had four remaining picks in the seventh round, which they used on Michigan State Spartans defensive end Kenny Willekes, Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley, Mississippi State safety Brian Cole II and Washburn guard Kyle Hinton.

Pro Bowler

+ 2020 Minnesota Vikings draft selections Round Selection Player name Position College Notes 1 22 Justin Jefferson WR LSU From Bills 25 Traded to the San Francisco 49ers 31 Jeff Gladney CB TCU From 49ers 2 58 Ezra Cleveland OT Boise State 3 89 Cameron Dantzler CB Mississippi State 105 Traded to the New Orleans Saints Compensatory pick 4 117 D. J. Wonnum DE South Carolina From 49ers 130 James Lynch DT Baylor From Saints 132 Troy Dye LB Oregon 5 155 Traded to the Chicago Bears From Bills 169 Harrison Hand CB Temple From Saints 170 Traded to the Baltimore Ravens 176 K. J. Osborn WR Miami (FL) From 49ers 6 201 Traded to the Baltimore Ravens From Bills 203 Blake Brandel OT Oregon State From Saints 205 Josh Metellus S Michigan 7 219 Traded to the Baltimore Ravens From Dolphins 225 Kenny Willekes DE Michigan State From Ravens 239 Traded to the Buffalo Bills 244 Nate Stanley QB Iowa From Saints 249 Brian Cole II S Mississippi State Compensatory pick 253 Kyle Hinton G Washburn Compensatory pick Notes The Vikings were awarded three compensatory selections at the NFL's annual spring owners' meetings. They received one additional pick in the third round and two in the seventh round, compensating for the losses of Sheldon Richardson, Trevor Siemian and Tom Compton.

Draft trades

+ 2020 Minnesota Vikings undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Brady Aiello OL Oregon Jake Bargas TE North Carolina Dan Chisena WR Penn State Nevelle Clarke CB UCF Quartney Davis WR Texas A&M Myles Dorn CB North Carolina Jordan Fehr LB Appalachian State Nakia Griffin-Stewart TE Pittsburgh Tyler Higby OL Michigan State Jake Lacina OL Augustana (SD) Blake Lynch LB Baylor David Moa DT Boise State

Staff

Final roster

Preseason The Vikings' preseason schedule was announced on May 7, but was canceled in late July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Week Date Opponent Venue Result 1 Houston Texans U.S. Bank Stadium Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2 at Cincinnati Bengals Paul Brown Stadium 3 August 30 at Cleveland Browns FirstEnergy Stadium 4 Seattle Seahawks U.S. Bank Stadium

Regular season Schedule The Vikings' 2020 schedule was announced on May 7. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 13 Green Bay Packers L 34–43 0–1 U.S. Bank Stadium 0 Recap 2 September 20 at Indianapolis Colts L 11–28 0–2 Lucas Oil Stadium 2,500 Recap 3 September 27 Tennessee Titans L 30–31 0–3 U.S. Bank Stadium 250 Recap 4 October 4 at Houston Texans W 31–23 1–3 NRG Stadium 12,102 Recap 5 October 11 at Seattle Seahawks L 26–27 1–4 CenturyLink Field 0 Recap 6 October 18 Atlanta Falcons L 23–40 1–5 U.S. Bank Stadium 0 Recap 7Bye 8 November 1 at Green Bay Packers W 28–22 2–5 Lambeau Field 0 Recap 9 November 8 Detroit Lions W 34–20 3–5 U.S. Bank Stadium 0 Recap 10 at Chicago Bears W 19–13 4–5 Soldier Field 0 Recap 11 November 22 Dallas Cowboys L 28–31 4–6 U.S. Bank Stadium 0 Recap 12 November 29 Carolina Panthers W 28–27 5–6 U.S. Bank Stadium 0 Recap 13 December 6 Jacksonville Jaguars W 27–24 6–6 U.S. Bank Stadium 0 Recap 14 December 13 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 14–26 6–7 Raymond James Stadium 16,031 Recap 15 December 20 Chicago Bears L 27–33 6–8 U.S. Bank Stadium 0 Recap 16 December 25 at New Orleans Saints L 33–52 6–9 Mercedes-Benz Superdome 3,000 Recap 17 January 3 at Detroit Lions W 37–35 7–9 Ford Field 0 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries Week 1: vs. Green Bay Packers

This was the Vikings' first loss in their season opener since 2015. The 43 points scored by the Packers was the most the Vikings had conceded in a season opener in franchise history. Wide receiver Adam Thielen scored two touchdowns for the first time since Week 5 of the 2019 season against the New York Giants.

Week 2: at Indianapolis Colts

This loss dropped the Vikings to 0–2 for the first time since 2013. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was intercepted three times on 26 pass attempts that included just 11 completions for 113 yards; he ended up with a passer rating of 15.9.

Week 3: vs. Tennessee Titans

Week 4: at Houston Texans

Week 5: at Seattle Seahawks

Week 6: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 8: at Green Bay Packers

Week 9: vs. Detroit Lions

Week 10: at Chicago Bears

Week 11: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week 12: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week 13: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 15: vs. Chicago Bears

Week 16: at New Orleans Saints

With the loss, Minnesota was eliminated from the playoffs, clinching their first losing season since 2014 and only the second under head coach Mike Zimmer.

Week 17: at Detroit Lions

Standings Division

Conference

Statistics Team leaders Category Player(s)Total Passing yards Kirk Cousins 4,265 Passing touchdowns Kirk Cousins 35 Rushing yards Dalvin Cook 1,557 Rushing touchdowns Dalvin Cook 16 Receptions Justin Jefferson 88 * Receiving yards Justin Jefferson 1,400 ** Receiving touchdowns Adam Thielen 14 Points Dalvin Cook 108 Kickoff return yards Ameer Abdullah 352 Punt return yards Chad Beebe 42 Tackles Eric Wilson 122 Sacks Yannick Ngakoue 5.0 Interceptions Harrison Smith 5 Forced fumbles Yannick Ngakoue 2 Bold = League leader * = Franchise Rookie Record ** = NFL Rookie Record Source: Minnesota Vikings' official website

League rankings Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank Passing offense 2,059 228.8 22nd Rushing offense 1,382 153.6 5th Total offense 3,441 382.4 9th Passing defense 2,411 267.9 27th Rushing defense 1,041 115.7 15th Total defense 3,452 383.6 24th Source: NFL.com

Pro Bowl Two Vikings players—running back Dalvin Cook and rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson—were selected for the 2021 Pro Bowl, the team's lowest contribution to the event since 2014, when they had no Pro Bowlers. Cook received the most votes among NFC running backs to go to his second Pro Bowl (after his rookie season in 2017), and only Russell Wilson received more votes out of any position in the NFC team, while Jefferson was the Vikings' first rookie wide receiver to be selected since Percy Harvin in 2009.

References

External links