44 years after career, Bobby Bryant to be inducted into Vikings Ring of Honor

Bryant, 80, was surprised with the honor during a video call with former teammates.

Bobby Bryant / Image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

It's been more than four decades since Bobby Bryant was intercepting passes for the terrific Minnesota Vikings defenses of the 1960s and '70s, and now at the age of 80 he will experience life in the team's Ring of Honor.

The Vikings announced Tuesday that Bryant, who starred for the Vikings from 1968 to 1980, that Bryant will be inducted into the Ring of Honor during halftime of Minnesota's Week 3 game against the Houston Texans.

Bryant's 51 career regular-season interceptions is 32nd most in NFL history, putting him in the same neighborhood as NFL legends like Deion Sanders (52 interceptions), Champ Bailey (52), Ty Law (53) and Darrell Green (54). Sanders, Bailey, Law and Green are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bryant added six interceptions in 14 playoff games as the Vikings made it to four Super Bowls during his career. NFL greats Ed Reed and Ronnie Lott are among four players tied with nine playoff interceptions for the most in league history.

"It was pretty easy being a defensive back for the Minnesota Vikings with Alan [Page] and Jim Marshall and Carl Eller and Gary Larsen and Doug Sutherland rushing the quarterback because as defensive backs, we knew if we could cover a receiver for four seconds, that's all we needed to do," Bryant said during a video call in which he was surprised with the honor.

The video call was presented to him as an opportunity to connect with some of his former teammates, including Page and quarterback Fran Tarkenton

"I never imagined that I was good enough to be in that because that's an elite group," Bryant said.