The 2024 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 64th in the National Football League (NFL), their ninth playing their home games at U.S. Bank Stadium, their 20th under the ownership of Zygi Wilf and their third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Kevin O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The Vikings improved on their 7–10 record from 2023 after a Week 11 win over the Tennessee Titans and made the playoffs after a one-year absence.
After six seasons, the team lost starting quarterback Kirk Cousins when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason. Despite the team being in a rebuilding year with very low expectations, they started 11–2 for the first time since 2009, anchored by a stout defensive unit and strong performance by quarterback Sam Darnold. In Week 15, they clinched a playoff berth when the Seattle Seahawks lost to the Green Bay Packers. After their win against the Packers in Week 17 to improve to 14–2, the Vikings achieved their best season since going 15–1 in 1998 with their 14th win. However, the Vikings ended their season with two blowout losses: first to the division rival Detroit Lions in their Week 18 game, which clinched the 1st seed for the Lions, then to the rival Los Angeles Rams in the wild card round, which eliminated the Vikings from the playoffs. All four of the team's losses this season happened at the hands of the Lions and the Rams during back-to-back weeks. The Vikings became the first 14-win wild card team in NFL history, but their loss to the Rams meant they set a new record for the most wins by a team that failed to reach the divisional round of the playoffs in the Super Bowl era. The Vikings became the first team since the 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers to lose double-digit games in one season and finish the next with 14+ wins.
On June 6, 2024, the Vikings unveiled their new "Winter Warrior" uniform, which is all-white and features the first white helmet in franchise history.
The team's first round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, J. J. McCarthy, missed the season after getting surgery on a knee injury he sustained during a preseason game.https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/40847323/vikings-rookie-qb-jj-mccarthy-undergo-knee-surgery Because of this, he did not play his first snap in a Viking uniform until 2025.
Offseason Players lost Position Player New team Date RB Alexander Mattison Las Vegas Raiders Released on March 4 DE Dean Lowry Pittsburgh Steelers Released on March 12 OT Hakeem Adeniji Cleveland Browns Signed on March 13 QB Kirk Cousins Atlanta Falcons Signed on March 13 DE Marcus Davenport Detroit Lions Signed on March 13 LB Jordan Hicks Cleveland Browns Signed on March 13 LB D. J. Wonnum Carolina Panthers Signed on March 13 LB Danielle Hunter Houston Texans Signed on March 14 C Austin Schlottmann New York Giants Signed on March 15 NT Khyiris Tonga Arizona Cardinals Signed on March 15 QB Joshua Dobbs San Francisco 49ers Signed on March 19 LB Troy Dye Los Angeles Chargers Signed on March 19 WR K. J. Osborn New England Patriots Signed on March 19 OT Oli Udoh New Orleans Saints Signed on March 19 K Greg Joseph Green Bay Packers Signed on March 28
Players added Position Player Former team Date RB Aaron Jones Green Bay Packers Signed on March 12 LB Blake Cashman Houston Texans Signed on March 13 QB Sam Darnold San Francisco 49ers Signed on March 13 LB Jonathan Greenard Houston Texans Signed on March 13 K John Parker Romo Chicago Bears Signed on March 13 LB Andrew Van Ginkel Miami Dolphins Signed on March 13 WR Trent Sherfield Buffalo Bills Signed on March 14 DE Jerry Tillery Las Vegas Raiders Signed on March 14 G Dan Feeney Chicago Bears Signed on March 15 DE Jonah Williams Los Angeles Rams Signed on March 18 CB Shaquill Griffin Carolina Panthers Signed on March 19 LB Kamu Grugier-Hill Carolina Panthers Signed on March 20 LB Jihad Ward New York Giants Signed on March 20 TE Robert Tonyan Chicago Bears Signed on May 16CBFabian MoreauDenver BroncosSigned on July 31QBMatt CorralBirmingham StallionsSigned on August 16CBStephon GilmoreDallas CowboysSigned on August 18
Draft
+ 2024 Minnesota Vikings draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 10 J. J. McCarthy QB Michigan From Jets 11 Traded to the New York Jets 17 Dallas Turner OLB Alabama From Jaguars 23 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars From Browns via Texans 2 42 Traded to the Houston Texans 3 73 Traded to the Detroit Lions 4 108 Khyree Jackson CB Oregon 129 Traded to the New York Jets From Lions 5 146 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles 157 Traded to the New York Jets From Browns 167 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars From Chiefs 6 177 Walter Rouse OT Oklahoma From Panthers via Jaguars 186 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals 188 Traded to the Houston Texans From Raiders via Patriots 203 Will Reichard K Alabama From Texans via Browns, Broncos and Jets 7 229 Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders 230 Michael Jurgens C Wake Forest From Falcons via Browns and Cardinals 232 Levi Drake Rodriguez DT Texas A&M–Commerce From Broncos via 49ers and Texans
+ 2024 Minnesota Vikings undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Matt Cindric G California K. J. Cloyd LB Miami (FL) Jeremy Flax OT Kentucky Dallas Gant LB Toledo Devron Harper WR Mercer Ty James WR Mercer Jeshaun Jones WR Maryland Trey Knox TE South Carolina Tyler Manoa DE Arizona Donovan Manuel LB FIU Dwight McGlothern CB Arkansas Gabriel Murphy OLB UCLA Doug Nester G West Virginia Owen Porter OLB Marshall Bo Richter OLB Air Force Spencer Rolland OT North Carolina Taki Taimani DT Oregon
Draft trades
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Schedule The Vikings' preseason opponents and preliminary schedule was announced on May 15, in conjunction with the release of the regular season schedule.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Las Vegas Raiders W 24–23 1–0 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 2 at Cleveland Browns W 27–12 2–0 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 3 at Philadelphia Eagles W 26–3 3–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Week 2: at Cleveland Browns
Week 3: at Philadelphia Eagles
Regular season Schedule The Vikings' schedule for the 2024 NFL season was announced on May 15, 2024. In addition to home and away matchups against each of their NFC North divisional rivals, they were also scheduled to play against each of the teams in the NFC West and AFC South, as well as the teams that also finished in third place in each of the NFC South, NFC East and AFC East. Their AFC East opponent, the New York Jets, served as the opposition for the Vikings' home game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, which is part of the NFL International Series.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 8 at New York Giants W 28–6 1–0 MetLife Stadium Recap 2 September 15 San Francisco 49ers W 23–17 2–0 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 3 September 22 Houston Texans W 34–7 3–0 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 4 September 29 at Green Bay Packers W 31–29 4–0 Lambeau Field Recap 5 October 6 New York Jets W 23–17 5–0 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Recap 6 Bye 7 October 20 Detroit Lions L 29–31 5–1 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 8 at Los Angeles Rams L 20–30 5–2 SoFi Stadium Recap 9 November 3 Indianapolis Colts W 21–13 6–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 10 November 10 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 12–7 7–2 EverBank Stadium Recap 11 November 17 at Tennessee Titans W 23–13 8–2 Nissan Stadium Recap 12 November 24 at Chicago Bears W 30–27 9–2 Soldier Field Recap 13 December 1 Arizona Cardinals W 23–22 10–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 14 December 8 Atlanta Falcons W 42–21 11–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 15 Chicago Bears W 30–12 12–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 16 December 22 at Seattle Seahawks W 27–24 13–2 Lumen Field Recap 17 December 29 Green Bay Packers W 27–25 14–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 18 January 5 at Detroit Lions L 9–31 14–3 Ford Field Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at New York Giants
Week 2: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 3: vs. Houston Texans
Week 4: at Green Bay Packers
Week 5: vs. New York Jets NFL London games
Week 7: vs. Detroit Lions
Week 8: at Los Angeles Rams
Several sports media outlets and fans heavily criticized the officiating at the end of the game, as the referees missed a face mask penalty on Byron Young when he sacked Sam Darnold in the end zone, sealing the win for the Rams. Blake and the other umpires claim they were unable to see it with the other players blocking them.
Week 9: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week 10: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 11: at Tennessee Titans
Week 12: at Chicago Bears
Week 13: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 14: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 15: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 16: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 17: vs. Green Bay Packers
With the close win, the Vikings swept the Packers for the first time since 2017 and won nine consecutive games in the regular season for the first time since 1975. The Vikings improved to 14–2, their first time winning at least 14 games in the regular season since 1998, when they went 15–1.
Week 18: at Detroit Lions
The league flexed this game to Sunday night, as the winner of the game would clinch the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs and a first-round bye, whereas the loser would finish as the #5 seed and visit the Rams the next week. The Vikings were dominated on both sides of the ball, and ended the regular season with a 14–3 record. The team's 14 wins were the most for any wild card team in NFL history. Additionally, they were swept by the Lions for the second consecutive season.
Standings Division
Conference
Postseason
Schedule Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Wild Card at Los Angeles Rams (4) L 9–27 0–1 State Farm Stadium Recap
Game summaries NFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (4) Los Angeles Rams
Amid the January 2025 Southern California wildfires, on January 9, the NFL moved the game to its alternate venue, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in the interest of public safety.
Statistics
Team leaders Category Player(s) Total Passing yards Sam Darnold 4,319 Passing touchdowns Sam Darnold 35 Rushing yards Aaron Jones 1,138 Rushing touchdowns Aaron Jones 5 Receptions Justin Jefferson 103 Receiving yards Justin Jefferson 1,533 Receiving touchdowns Justin Jefferson 10 Points Will Reichard 110 Kickoff return yards Ty Chandler 205 Punt return yards Brandon Powell 164 Tackles Blake Cashman 112 Sacks Jonathan Greenard 12.0 Interceptions Byron Murphy 6 Forced fumbles Jonathan Greenard 4 Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com
League rankings Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank Passing offense 4,043 237.8 6th Rushing offense 1,855 109.1 19th Total offense 5,898 346.9 12th Passing defense 4,114 242.0 28th Rushing defense 1,588 93.4 2nd Total defense 5,702 335.4 16th Source: ProFootballReference.com
References
External links