1975 Minnesota Vikings season
A 10-0 start, an MVP season for Fran Tarkenton, and a playoff exit on Roger Staubach's 'Hail Mary'.
The 1975 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 15th in the NFL. They won their first ten games and finished 12-2, the NFC's best record, and quarterback Fran Tarkenton was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player. The season ended in the divisional playoffs with a 17-14 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys decided by the original 'Hail Mary' pass.
Quick Facts
- Team
- Minnesota Vikings
- Record
- 12–2
- Division place
- 1st NFC Central
- Coach
- Bud Grant
- General manager
- Mike Lynn
- Stadium
- Metropolitan Stadium
- Playoffs
- Lost Divisional Playoffs (vs. Cowboys) 14–17
Facts from the source article.
Background
The winning streak ended with a one-point loss to Washington, and the schedule was later rated among the easiest any team faced between 1950 and 2001. Chuck Foreman became the first Vikings running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, and Tarkenton won the AP MVP award, the Offensive Player of the Year award and the Bert Bell Award. In the playoff game on December 28, 1975, Minnesota led 14-10 late, but with 24 seconds left Roger Staubach threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson, a play that became known as the Hail Mary. Vikings fans still argue that the officials missed offensive pass interference on Pearson.
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