Welcome to the All-Time Favorite Viking Team series. We’re going through and voting by position for your favorite Minnesota Vikings. We’ve completed the on the field portion and we’re on to the coaching staff. We’ll do OC first, DC, HC, GM and Owners for the off the field. I’m going to ignore the one year OCs.
Jerry Burns (1968-1985)
Team Record as OC: 158-101-2 Regular Season (60.9%) / 10-12 Playoffs (45.5%)
Burns spent two years as the Defensive Backs Coach in Green Bay under Vinve Lombardi before coming over to Bud Grant’s staff. Burns took the job of OC in 1968 and remained in that role until he took the Head Coaching job in 1986. He coached Fran Tarkenton to Offensive Player of the Year and both Chuck Forman and Sammy White to Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Vikings were 158-101-2 in the regular season and 10-12 in the playoffs with Burns as OC.
Bob Schnelker (1986-1990)
Team Record as OC: 44-35 Regular Season (55.7%) / 3-3 Playoffs (50%)
Schnelker came over from the Green Bay Packers afte rthe 1985 season. Schnelker caught the first TD in team history as a player in 1961. Schnelker wasn’t that popular with fans in his time and Burns went on one of his profanity laced tirades defending Schnelker after the team settled for 7 FGs in a 23-21 win.
Brian Billick (1994-1998)
Team Record as OC: 51-29 Regular Season (63.8%) / 2-4 Playoffs (33.3%)
Billick oversaw one of the best offenses ever in 1998. He was rewarded with the HC job in Baltimore and went on to win the Super Bowl 2 years into his tenure. He started with the team as Tight Ends coach in 1992 and was promoted to OC in 1994, replacing Jack Burns. He was the OC for Randy Moss’ Offensive Rookie of the Year season.
Darrell Bevell (2006-2010)
Team Record as OC: 43-28 Regular Season (52.5%) / 1-2 Playoffs (33.3%)
Bevell was Favre’s QB Coach in Green bay when the Vikings hired him. Bevell wasn’t retained on Leslie Frazier’s staff and went on to win the Super Bowl with the Seahawks a few years later as their OC. He’s currently the QB COach and Passing Game Coordinator for the Miami Dolphins. Bevell was the OC for Adrian Peterson’s and Percy Harvin’s Rookie of the Year awards.
Bill Musgrave (2011-2013)
Team Record as OC: 18-29-1 Regular Season (38.5%) / 0-1 Playoffs
Musgrave took over with Leslie Frazier as the helm. The team did not have much success with the old school run 1st and play defense style. He was the OC for Adrian Peterson’s MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Season. I don’t know many fans who didn’t want to shove the postage stamp sized playsheet in his mouth as some point, but you never know who these polls land.
Norv Turner (2014-2016)
Team Record as OC: 23-16 Regular Season (59.0%) / 0-1 Playoffs
Turner has spent the majority of the last 50 years coaching football. He had a very unremarkable three years as OC for the Vikings. His son was the QB Coach under his regime.
Wes Phillips (2022-present)
Team Record as OC: 34-17 Regular Season (66.7%) / 0-2 Playoffs
Phillips came over to the Vikings with Head Coach Kevin O’Connell. He is the son of longtime NFL Coach Wade Phillips and grandson of Bum Phillips. Phillips was recently extended after three seasons in Minnesota. Phillips has done well with a rotating door at QB. Most of us are excited to see what he can do with JJ McCarthy at the helm this year.
Scott Linehan (2002-2004)
Team Record as OC: 23-25 Regular Season (47.9%) / 1-1 Playoffs (50%)
Linehan had three very mediocre seasons in Minnesota after jumped from the college ranks. He somehow leveraged that with one year in Miami into a HC job in St. Louis.
Defensive Tackles – Alan Page (1967-1978) & John Randle (1990-2000)
Defensive Ends – Carl Eller (1964-1978) & Jared Allen (2008-2013)
Safety – Harrison Smith (2012-present) & Paul Krause (1968-1979)
Cornerbacks – Antoine Winfield (2004-2012) & Bobby Bryant (1967-1980)
Outside Linebackers – Matt Blair (1974-1985) & Chad Greenway (2006-2016)
Inside Linebacker – Scott Studwell (1977-1990)
Kick Returner – Cordarelle Patterson (2013-2016)
Punter – Greg Coleman (1978-1987)
Kicker – Fred Cox (1963-1977)
Running Back – Adrian Peterson (2007-2016)
Quarterback – Fran Tarkenton (1961-1966, 1972-1978)
Wide Receivers – Randy Moss (1998-2004, 2010) & Cris Carter (1990-2001)
Tight Ends – Steve Jordan (1982-1994) & Jim Kleinsasser (1999-2011)
Offensive Tackles – Ron Yary (1968-1981) & Gary Zimmerman (1986-1992)
Offensive Guards – Randall McDaniel (1988-1999) & Steve Hutchinson (2006-2011)
Center – Mick Tingelhoff (1962-1978)
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