Inside The Vikings

Legendary Vikings Head Coach Bud Grant Passes Away at 95

Grant is the greatest coach in Vikings history and an all-time Minnesota icon.

Will Ragatz

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Legendary former Vikings head coach Bud Grant has passed away at age 95, the franchise announced on Saturday.

Born in Superior, Wisconsin in 1927, Grant lived an incredible life. He was a three-sport athlete in high school and in college at the University of Minnesota, excelling in football and basketball. In 1950, Grant was selected in both the NFL and NBA drafts. He began by playing professional basketball with the Minneapolis Lakers — whose GM at the time was Sid Hartman — for two seasons. Grant then decided to play professional football, joining the Philadelphia Eagles, who had drafted him in the first round two years earlier.

After two standout seasons with the Eagles, Grant's contract expired and he joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. Right after his playing career ended, Grant took over as the Bombers' head coach at age 29. He spent a decade in that role, winning four Grey Cup titles in six appearances.

In 1967, Grant was hired as the second head coach in Minnesota Vikings history. He was named the NFL coach of the year in 1969. His teams won the NFC Central in 11 of his first 14 seasons, reaching the Super Bowl following the 1969, 1973, 1974, and 1976 seasons. Grant's Vikings teams were led by players like quarterback Fran Tarketon, center Mick Tingelhoff, and the Purple People Eaters defensive line of Alan Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, and Henry Thomas.

Grant stepped down after the 1983 season, then came back for one more year in 1985 after Les Steckel's one-year tenure went poorly. Grant had a record of 168-108-5 as the Vikings' head coach, including playoffs.

In his post-coaching days, Grant remained close to the Vikings' organization, even attending Kevin O'Connell's introductory press conference last year. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

The Vikings and the world have lost a great coach and person. Thoughts are with Grant's family. 

RIP, Bud. 

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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