Super Bowl IX Appearance

Lore & Background

The Vikings finished the regular season with a 12–2 record, winning their first nine games before a 20–14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Their other loss was a 27–0 shutout to the Cincinnati Bengals. Minnesota's offense was led by quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 2,113 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Vikings' main rushing weapon was NFL Rookie of the Year running back Chuck Foreman. The defense, anchored by the 'Purple People Eaters' line, ranked second in the league in fewest points allowed (168). The Vikings earned their second Super Bowl appearance after defeating the Washington Redskins 27–20 and the Dallas Cowboys 27–10 in the playoffs.

In Their Own Story

The humid air of New Orleans contrasted sharply with the cold winters back home at Metropolitan Stadium. Inside Tulane Stadium, the roar of the crowd was deafening as Fran Tarkenton stepped into the pocket. He scanned the field for an open receiver, but the Steelers' defense closed in like a vice. The ball slipped from his hand, intercepted by a defender sprinting downfield.

Reader's Guide

Super Bowl VIII was largely dominated by the Dolphins, who scored 24 unanswered points during the first three quarters. Minnesota's best chance to threaten Miami occurred with less than a minute left in the first half, but Vikings running back Oscar Reed fumbled the ball away at the Dolphins' 6-yard line. The Dolphins' Larry Csonka became the first running back to be named Super Bowl MVP, with 145 rushing yards and 33 carries, both Super Bowl records.

Did You Know?

• This was the first Super Bowl not to be held in either the Los Angeles, Miami or New Orleans areas.
• This was the last Super Bowl to feature goal posts at the front of the end zone.
• The Dolphins became the first team to reach three consecutive Super Bowls.
• Larry Csonka broke the previous Super Bowl rushing record of 121 yards set by Matt Snell in Super Bowl III.