1976 Minnesota Vikings season

1976 Minnesota Vikings season
Head coach	Bud Grant
General manager	Mike Lynn
Owner	Max Winter
Home field	Metropolitan Stadium
Results
Record	11–2–1
Division place	1st NFC Central
Playoff finish	Won NFC Divisional Playoff Won NFC Championship Lost Super Bowl XI

1976 was the 16th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of 11 wins, two losses, and one tie. They lost Super Bowl XI to the Oakland Raiders 32–14. As of 2014, this has been the last Super Bowl appearance by the franchise.

Offseason

1976 Draft

Main article: 1976 NFL Draft

=Pro Bowler

1976 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order			Player name	Position	College	Notes
Round	Choice	Overall
1	25	25	James White	Defensive Tackle	Oklahoma State
2	26	54	Sammy White	Wide Receiver	Grambling
3	25	85	Wes Hamilton	Guard	Tulsa
4	26	118	Leonard Willis	Wide Receiver	Ohio State
5	9	133	Steve Wagner	Defensive Back	Wisconsin	from Falcons
	25	149	Keith Bernette	Running Back	Boston College
6	24	180	Terry Egerdahl	Defensive Back	Minnesota-Duluth
7	24	206	Larry Brune	Defensive Back	Rice
8	26	235	Traded to the New England Patriots
9	25	262	Isaac Hagins	Wide Receiver	Southern
10	24	289	Bill Salmon	Quarterback	Northern Iowa
11	25	316	Steve Kracher	Running Back	Montana State
12	26	345	Robert Sparks	Defensive Back	San Francisco State
13	25	372	Gary Paulson	Defensive End	Colorado State
14	26	401	Jeff Stapleton	Offensive Tackle	Purdue
15	25	428	Ron Groce	Running Back	Macalester
16	26	457	Randy Hickel	Defensive Back	Montana State
17	25	484	Dick Lukowski	Defensive Tackle	West Virginia

^{^[a]} Atlanta traded their 5th round selection (133rd overall) to Minnesota for RB Oscar Reed.

^{^[b]} Minnesota traded their 8th round selection (235th overall) and 1977 6th round selection (166th overall) to New England for OL Doug Dumler.

Personnel

Staff

1976 Minnesota Vikings staff
	Front office Principal Owner/President – Max Winter General Manager – Mike Lynn Head coaches Head Coach – Bud Grant Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator – Jerry Burns			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line – Buddy Ryan

Roster

1976 Minnesota Vikings final roster
	Quarterbacks 17 Bob Berry 19 Bob Lee 10 Fran Tarkenton Running backs 44 Chuck Foreman 47 Ron Groce 39 Mark Kellar 33 Brent McClanahan FB 35 Robert Miller Wide receivers 26 Bob Grim 82 Jim Lash 28 Ahmad Rashad 85 Sammy White 80 Leonard Willis Tight ends 84 Steve Craig 83 Stu Voigt		Offensive linemen 56 Scott Anderson C 74 Bart Buetow T 57 Doug Dumler C 68 Charlie Goodrum T 74 Wes Hamilton G 78 Steve Riley T 53 Mick Tingelhoff 73 Ron Yary T Defensive linemen 81 Carl Eller DE 75 Bob Lurtsema DE 70 Jim Marshall DE 77 Mark Mullaney DE 88 Alan Page DT 69 Doug Sutherland DT 91 James White DE		Linebackers 59 Matt Blair OLB 58 Wally Hilgenberg OLB 55 Amos Martin OLB 54 Fred McNeill OLB 50 Jeff Siemon MLB 60 Roy Winston MLB Defensive backs 25 Nate Allen CB 27 Autry Beamon S 20 Bobby Bryant CB 40 Windlan Hall S 22 Paul Krause S 23 Jeff Wright S 43 Nate Wright CB Special teams 12 Neil Clabo P 14 Fred Cox K		Reserve lists {{{reserve_lists}}} Practice squad {{{practice_squad}}} Rookies in italics {{{active}}} Active, {{{inactive}}} Inactive, {{{PS}}} Practice squad

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance
1	September 12, 1976	at New Orleans Saints	W 40–9	Louisiana Superdome	58,156
2	September 19, 1976	Los Angeles Rams	T 10–10 (OT)	Met Stadium	47,310
3	September 26, 1976	at Detroit Lions	W 10–9	Silverdome	77,292
4	October 4, 1976	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 17–6	Met Stadium	47,809
5	October 10, 1976	Chicago Bears	W 20–19	Met Stadium	47,614
6	October 17, 1976	New York Giants	W 24–7	Met Stadium	46,508
7	October 24, 1976	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 31–12	Veterans Stadium	56,233
8	October 31, 1976	at Chicago Bears	L 13-14	Soldier Field	53,602
9	November 7, 1976	Detroit Lions	W 31–23	Met Stadium	46,735
10	November 14, 1976	Seattle Seahawks	W 27–21	Met Stadium	45,087
11	November 21, 1976	at Green Bay Packers	W 17–10	Milwaukee County Stadium	53,104
12	November 29, 1976	at San Francisco 49ers	L 16-20	Candlestick Park	56,775
13	December 5, 1976	Green Bay Packers	W 20–9	Met Stadium	43,700
14	December 11, 1976	at Miami Dolphins	W 29–7	Orange Bowl	46,543

Game summaries

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total • Vikings 13 17 7 3 40 Saints 0 3 6 0 9 Date: September 12 Location: Louisiana Superdome Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 58,156 Game weather: Indoors (dome)

Scoring summary Q1 MIN McClanahan 1 yard run (kick failed) MIN 6–0 Q1 MIN Foreman 2 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 13–0 Q2 NO Szaro 45 yard field goal MIN 13–3 Q2 MIN McClanahan 5 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 20–3 Q2 MIN Cox 24 yard field goal MIN 23–3 Q2 MIN White 47 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 30–3 Q3 MIN Foreman 6 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 37–3 Q3 NO Galbreath 1 yard run (kick failed) MIN 37–9 Q4 MIN Cox 35 yard field goal MIN 44–9

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total • Vikings 0 0 3 7 10 Lions 0 0 3 6 9 Date: September 26 Location: Pontiac Silverdome Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 77,292 Game weather: Indoors (dome)

Scoring summary Q3 MIN Cox 49 yard field goal MIN 3–0 Q3 DET Mann 49 yard field goal Tie 3–3 Q4 MIN Foreman 5 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 10–3 Q4 DET Sanders 1 yard pass from Landry (kick failed) MIN 10–9

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 6 0 0 0 6 • Vikings 0 7 0 10 17 Date: October 4 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 47,809 Game weather: 65°F; wind 13 Television network: ABC

Scoring summary Q1 PIT Cunningham 1 yard pass from Bradshaw (kick failed) PIT 6–0 Q2 MIN Foreman 8 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 7–6 Q4 MIN Foreman 4 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 14–6 Q4 MIN Cox 43 yard field goal MIN 17–6

Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 0 0 13 6 19 • Vikings 7 10 0 3 20 Date: October 10 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 47,614 Game weather: 48°F; wind 8

Scoring summary Q1 MIN Foreman 5 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 7–0 Q2 MIN Cox 29 yard field goal MIN 10–0 Q2 MIN Foreman 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 17–0 Q3 CHI Payton 13 yard run (Thomas kick) MIN 17–7 Q3 CHI Payton 11 yard run (kick failed) MIN 17–13 Q4 MIN Cox 39 yard field goal MIN 20–13 Q4 CHI Harper 7 yard run (kick failed) MIN 20–19

Week 6

1 2 3 4 Total Giants 0 7 0 0 7 • Vikings 10 7 0 7 24 Date: October 17 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 46,508 Game weather: 37°F; wind 6

Scoring summary Q1 MIN Cox 23 yard field goal MIN 3–0 Q1 MIN Allen 28 yard blocked punt return (Cox kick) MIN 10–0 Q2 NYG Kotar 3 yard run (Danelo kick) MIN 10–7 Q2 MIN Foreman 41 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 17–7 Q4 MIN McClanahan 3 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 24–7

Week 7

1 2 3 4 Total • Vikings 0 7 10 14 31 Eagles 0 9 0 3 12 Date: October 24 Location: Veterans Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 56,233 Game weather: 48°F; wind 8

Scoring summary Q2 PHI Muhlmann 19 yard field goal PHI 3–0 Q2 PHI Carmichael 3 yard pass from Boryla (kick failed) PHI 9–0 Q2 MIN Rashad 5 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) PHI 9–7 Q3 MIN Cox 32 yard field goal MIN 10–9 Q3 MIN White 35 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 17–9 Q4 PHI Muhlmann 21 yard field goal MIN 17–12 Q4 MIN Foreman 32 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 24–12 Q4 MIN Foreman 2 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 31–12

Week 9

1 2 3 4 Total Lions 3 6 7 7 23 • Vikings 7 3 7 14 31 Date: November 7 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 46,735 Game weather: 28°F; wind 16

Scoring summary Q1 DET Ricardo 22 yard field goal DET 3–0 Q1 MIN White 24 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 7–3 Q2 DET Gaines 1 yard run (kick failed) DET 9–7 Q2 MIN Cox 39 yard field goal MIN 10–9 Q3 MIN Foreman 2 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 17–9 Q3 DET Gaines 1 yard run (Ricardo kick) MIN 17–16 Q4 MIN Foreman 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 24–16 Q4 DET Walton 26 yard pass from Landry (Ricardo kick) MIN 24–23 Q4 MIN White 37 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 31–23

Week 10

1 2 3 4 Total Seahawks 7 0 7 7 21 • Vikings 7 7 6 7 27 Date: November 14 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 45,087 Game weather: 24°F; wind 8

Scoring summary Q1 MIN McClanahan 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 7–0 Q1 SEA Zorn 12 yard run (Leypoldt kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 MIN White 29 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 14–7 Q3 SEA Raible 80 yard pass from Zorn (Leypoldt kick) Tie 14–14 Q3 MIN Cox 43 yard field goal MIN 17–14 Q3 MIN Cox 39 yard field goal MIN 20–14 Q4 SEA McCullum 7 yard pass from Zorn (Leypoldt kick) SEA 21–20 Q4 MIN Voigt 5 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 27–21

Week 11

1 2 3 4 Total • Vikings 3 7 0 7 17 Packers 3 0 7 0 10 Date: November 21 Location: Milwaukee County Stadium Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 53,104 Game weather: 33°F; wind 12

Scoring summary Q1 GB Marcol 23 yard field goal GB 3–0 Q1 MIN Cox 41 yard field goal Tie 3–3 Q2 MIN Miller 4 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 10–3 Q3 GB Brockington 1 yard run (Marcol kick) Tie 10–10 Q4 MIN Rashad 11 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 17–10

Week 13

1 2 3 4 Total Packers 6 0 0 3 9 • Vikings 0 3 3 14 20 Date: December 5 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 43,700 Game weather: 18°F; wind 7

Scoring summary Q1 GB Smith 12 yard pass from Brown (kick failed) GB 6–0 Q2 MIN Cox 34 yard field goal GB 6–3 Q3 MIN Cox 30 yard field goal Tie 6–6 Q4 MIN Foreman 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 13–6 Q4 GB Marcol 24 yard field goal MIN 13–9 Q4 MIN Foreman 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 20–9

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total • Vikings 0 15 14 0 29 Dolphins 0 0 0 7 7 Date: December 11 Location: Orange Bowl Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 46,543 Game weather: 77°F; wind 21

Scoring summary Q2 MIN White 9 yard pass from Tarkenton (kick failed) MIN 6–0 Q2 MIN White 36 yard pass from Tarkenton (kick failed) MIN 12–0 Q2 MIN Cox 30 yard field goal MIN 15–0 Q3 MIN McClanahan 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 22–0 Q3 MIN White 7 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 29–0 Q4 MIA Winfrey 2 yard pass from Strock (Yepremian kick) MIN 29–7

Playoffs

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance
Divisional	December 18, 1976	Washington Redskins	W 35–20	Metropolitan Stadium	47,221
Conference Championship	December 26, 1976	Los Angeles Rams	W 24–13	Metropolitan Stadium	47,191
Super Bowl XI	January 9, 1977	N Oakland Raiders	L 14-32	Rose Bowl	100,421

Divisional

1 2 3 4 Total Redskins 3 0 3 14 20 • Vikings 14 7 14 0 35 Date: December 18 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 47,221 Game weather: 31°F; wind 7 Television network: CBS

Scoring summary Q1 MIN Voigt 18 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 7–0 Q1 WSH Moseley 47 yard field goal MIN 7–3 Q1 MIN White 27 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 14–3 Q2 MIN Foreman 2 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 21–3 Q3 MIN Foreman 30 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 28–3 Q3 WSH Moseley 35 yard field goal MIN 28–6 Q3 MIN White 9 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MINE 35–6 Q4 WSH Grant 12 yard pass from Kilmer (Moseley kick) MIN 35–13 Q4 WSH Jefferson 3 yard pass from Kilmer (Moseley kick) MIN 35–20

Conference Championship

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 0 0 13 0 13 • Vikings 7 3 7 7 24 Date: December 26 Location: Metropolitan Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 47,191 Game weather: 19°F; wind 12 Television network: CBS

Scoring summary Q1 MIN Bryant 90 yard blocked field goal return (Cox kick) MIN 7–0 Q2 MIN Cox 25 yard field goal MIN 10–0 Q3 MIN Foreman 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 17–0 Q3 LA McCutcheon 10 yard run (kick failed) MIN 17–6 Q3 LA Jackson 5 yard pass from Haden (Dempsey kick) MIN 17–13 Q4 MIN Johnson 12 yard run (Cox kick) MIN 24–13

Super Bowl

Main article: Super Bowl XI

1 2 3 4 Total • Raiders 0 16 3 13 32 Vikings 0 0 7 7 14 Date: January 9 Location: Rose Bowl Game start: 3:50 p.m. EST Game attendance: 100,421 Game weather: 52°F; wind 6 TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Don Meredith

Scoring summary Q2 OAK Mann 24 yard field goal OAK 3–0 Q2 OAK Casper 1 yard pass from Stabler (Mann kick) OAK 10–0 Q2 OAK Banaszak 1 yard run (kick failed) OAK 16–0 Q3 OAK Mann 40 yard field goal OAK 19–0 Q3 MIN White 8 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) OAK 19–7 Q4 OAK Banaszak 2 yard run (Mann kick) OAK 26–7 Q4 OAK Brown 75 yard interception return (kick failed) OAK 32–7 Q4 MIN Voigt 13 yard pass from Lee (Cox kick) OAK 32–14

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings(2)	11	2	1	.821	5–1	9–2	305	176	W2
Chicago Bears	7	7	0	.500	4–2	7–5	253	216	L1
Detroit Lions	6	8	0	.429	2–4	5–7	262	220	L2
Green Bay Packers	5	9	0	.357	1–5	4–8	218	299	W1

Statistics

Team leaders

Category	Player(s)	Value
Passing Yards	Fran Tarkenton	2,961
Passing Touchdowns	Fran Tarkenton	17
Rushing Yards	Chuck Foreman	1,155
Rushing Touchdowns	Chuck Foreman	13
Receiving Yards	Sammy White	906
Receiving Touchdowns	Sammy White	10
Points	Fred Cox	89
Kickoff Return Yards	Leonard Willis	552
Punt Return Yards	Leonard Willis	207
Interceptions	Nate Wright	7

League rankings

Category	Total yards	Yards per game	NFL rank (out of 28)
Passing Offense	2,855 Yards	203.9 YPG	4th
Rushing Offense	2,003 Yards	143.1 YPG	18th
Total Offense	4,858 Yards	347.0 YPG	6th
Passing Defense	1,575 Yards	112.5 YPG	1st
Rushing Defense	2,096 Yards	149.7 YPG	17th
Total Defense	3,671 Yards	262.2 YPG	6th