The 1976 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 16th in the National Football League. The Vikings finished with an 11–2–1 record to give them their eighth NFC Central division title. They beat the Washington Redskins 35–20 in the divisional round of the playoffs, followed by a 24–13 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship, before losing 32–14 to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XI. As of 2018, this was the last Super Bowl appearance by the franchise.
Offseason
1976 Draft
- ^[a] The Vikings traded running back Oscar Reed to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Atlanta's fifth-round selection (133rd overall).
- ^[b] The Vikings traded their eighth-round selection (235th overall) and 1977 sixth-round selection (166th overall) to the New England Patriots in exchange for offensive lineman Doug Dumler.
Personnel
Staff
| 1976 Minnesota Vikings staff
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Front office
- Principal owner/president – Max Winter
- General manager – Mike Lynn
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
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[1]
Roster
| 1976 Minnesota Vikings roster
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
None.
Practice squad
None.
Rookies in italics
{{{active}}} Active, {{{inactive}}} Inactive, {{{PS}}} Practice squad
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Preseason
Regular season
Schedule
| Week
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Date
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Opponent
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Result
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Record
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Venue
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Attendance
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| 1
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September 12
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at New Orleans Saints
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W 40–9
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1–0
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Louisiana Superdome
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58,156
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| 2
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September 19
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Los Angeles Rams
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T 10–10 (OT)
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1–0–1
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Metropolitan Stadium
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47,310
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| 3
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September 26
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at Detroit Lions
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W 10–9
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2–0–1
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Silverdome
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77,292
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| 4
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October 4
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Pittsburgh Steelers
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W 17–6
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3–0–1
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Metropolitan Stadium
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47,809
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| 5
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October 10
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Chicago Bears
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W 20–19
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4–0–1
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Metropolitan Stadium
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47,614
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| 6
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October 17
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New York Giants
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W 24–7
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5–0–1
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Metropolitan Stadium
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46,508
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| 7
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October 24
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at Philadelphia Eagles
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W 31–12
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6–0–1
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Veterans Stadium
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56,233
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| 8
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October 31
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at Chicago Bears
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L 13–14
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6–1–1
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Soldier Field
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53,602
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| 9
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November 7
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Detroit Lions
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W 31–23
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7–1–1
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Metropolitan Stadium
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46,735
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| 10
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November 14
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Seattle Seahawks
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W 27–21
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8–1–1
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Metropolitan Stadium
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45,087
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| 11
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November 21
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at Green Bay Packers
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W 17–10
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9–1–1
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Milwaukee County Stadium
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53,104
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| 12
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November 29
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at San Francisco 49ers
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L 16–20
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9–2–1
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Candlestick Park
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56,775
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| 13
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December 5
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Green Bay Packers
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W 20–9
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10–2–1
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Metropolitan Stadium
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43,700
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| 14
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December 11
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at Miami Dolphins
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W 29–7
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11–2–1
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Orange Bowl
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46,543
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Game summaries
Week 1
Week 1: Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
- NO – Rich Szaro 45-yard field goal. Vikings 13–3.
- MIN – Brent McClanahan 5-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 20–3.
- MIN – Fred Cox 24-yard field goal. Vikings 23–3.
- MIN – Sammy White 47-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 30–3.
Third quarter
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 6-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 37–3.
- NO – Tony Galbreath 1-yard run (kick failed). Vikings 37–9.
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 35-yard field goal. Vikings 44–9.
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Week 2
Week 3
Week 3: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 49-yard field goal. Vikings 3–0.
- DET – Errol Mann 49-yard field goal. Tied 3–3.
Fourth quarter
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Week 4
Week 4: Pittsburgh Steelers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 4-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 14–6.
- MIN – Fred Cox 43-yard field goal. Vikings 17–6.
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Week 5
Week 5: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 29-yard field goal. Vikings 10–0.
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–0.
Third quarter
- CHI – Walter Payton 13-yard run (Bob Thomas kick). Vikings 17–7.
- CHI – Walter Payton 11-yard run (kick failed). Vikings 17–13.
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 39-yard field goal. Vikings 20–13.
- CHI – Roland Harper 7-yard run (kick failed). Vikings 20–19.
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Week 6
Week 6: New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Game information
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First quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 23-yard field goal. Vikings 3–0.
- MIN – Nate Allen 28-yard blocked punt return (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 10–0.
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Brent McClanahan 3-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–7.
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Week 7
Week 7: Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 32-yard field goal. Vikings 10–9.
- MIN – Sammy White 35-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–9.
Fourth quarter
- PHI – Horst Muhlmann 21-yard field goal. Vikings 17–12.
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 32-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–12.
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 2-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 31–12.
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Week 8
Week 9
Week 9: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
- DET – Lawrence Gaines 1-yard run (kick failed). Lions 9–7.
- MIN – Fred Cox 39-yard field goal. Vikings 10–9.
Third quarter
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 2-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–9.
- DET – Lawrence Gaines 1-yard run (Benny Ricardo kick). Vikings 17–16.
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–16.
- DET – Larry Walton 26-yard pass from Greg Landry (Benny Ricardo kick). Vikings 24–23.
- MIN – Sammy White 37-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 31–23.
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Week 10
Week 10: Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- SEA – Steve Raible 80-yard pass from Jim Zorn (John Leypoldt kick). Tied 14–14.
- MIN – Fred Cox 43-yard field goal. Vikings 17–14.
- MIN – Fred Cox 39-yard field goal. Vikings 20–14.
Fourth quarter
- SEA – Sam McCullum 7-yard pass from Jim Zorn (John Leypoldt kick). Seahawks 21–20.
- MIN – Stu Voigt 5-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 27–21.
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Week 11
Week 11: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Ahmad Rashād 11-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–10.
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Week 12
Week 13
Week 13: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Game information
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First quarter
- GB – Ollie Smith 12-yard pass from Carlos Brown (kick failed). Packers 6–0.
Second quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 34-yard field goal. Packers 6–3.
Third quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 30-yard field goal. Tied 6–6.
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 13–6.
- GB – Chester Marcol 24-yard field goal. Vikings 13–9.
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 20–9.
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Week 14
Week 14: Minnesota Vikings at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
| Game information
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| First quarter
Second quarter
- MIN – Sammy White 9-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (kick failed). Vikings 6–0.
- MIN – Sammy White 36-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (kick failed). Vikings 12–0.
- MIN – Fred Cox 30-yard field goal. Vikings 15–0.
Third quarter
- MIN – Brent McClanahan 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 22–0.
- MIN – Sammy White 7-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 29–0.
Fourth quarter
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Standings
Template:1976 NFC Central standings
Postseason
Schedule
Game summaries
NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (#4) Washington Redskins
NFC Divisional Playoffs: (#4) Washington Redskins at (#1) Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- MIN – Chuck Foreman 30-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 28–3.
- WAS – Mark Moseley 35-yard field goal. Vikings 28–6.
- MIN – Sammy White 9-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 35–6.
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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The Vikings jumped to a 35–6 lead by the end of the third quarter, led by running backs Chuck Foreman and Brent McClanahan who each rushed for more than 100 yards.
McClanahan's career-long 41-yard run on Minnesota's first play of the game set up quarterback Fran Tarkenton's 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Stu Voigt. Washington defensive back Eddie Brown gave his team some early scoring opportunities with big special teams plays, first returning the kickoff 26 yards to the 38-yard line, and later returning a punt 17 yards to the Vikings 45. But the team was unable to capitalize. All they could do after the kickoff return was go three-and-out, and on the first play after his big punt return, Billy Kilmer threw a pass that was intercepted by Bobby Bryant. Now momentum seemed slipping away, but on the first play after Bryant's pick, Washington took the ball right back with an interception by safety Jake Scott, who returned it 17 yards to the Minnesota 34-yard line. Three plays later, Mark Moseley kicked a 47-yard field goal that cut the Washington deficit to 7–3. Later in the quarter, Minnesota drove 66 yards and scored when Tarkenton threw a 27-yard pass to Sammy White. Safety Ken Houston deflected the ball, but it still bounced to White, who made a diving, juggling catch for a touchdown to put the Vikings up 14–3. By the end of the first quarter, the Vikings had gained 143 yards, while holding Washington to 18 yards and no first downs.
The situation only got worse for Washington in the second quarter. A promising drive for them into Vikings territory ended with no points when Moseley missed a 51-yard field goal attempt. Minnesota then drove 66 yards, featuring a 35-yard completion from Tarkenton to Ahmad Rashad, to score on Foreman's 2-yard touchdown run, putting them up 21–3. The Redskins next drive ended with an interception by Vikings defensive back Nate Wright. On the next play, Houston intercepted the ball from Tarkenton and returned it 8 yards to the Vikings 38. But Washington was unable to move the ball and had to punt. In the final seconds of the half, Washington had a chance for a touchdown with a deep throw from Kilmer to receiver Frank Grant. Grant had broken open in the end zone, but was unable to make the catch and the pass fell incomplete.
Washington had to punt on the first drive of the second half, and Leonard Willis returned it 10 yards to the Vikings 48, where Minnesota proceeded to drive to a 28–3 lead on a 30-yard touchdown burst by Foreman. This time the Redskins were able to respond, converting a 20-yard catch by tight end Jean Fugett, a 20-yard run by Mike Thomas, and a 10-yard reception by fullback John Riggins into a 35-yard Moseley field goal, making the score 28–6. But after this, the Vikings drove 77 yards and scored on a 9-yard pass from Tarkenton to White. By the time Kilmer completed two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, the game was already out of reach.
NFC Championship: vs. (#3) Los Angeles Rams
NFC Championship Game: (#3) Los Angeles Rams at (#1) Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- MIN – Fred Cox 25-yard field goal. Vikings 10–0.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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The Vikings forced a blocked field goal, a blocked punt, and two interceptions en route to the victory over the Rams. On offense, running back Chuck Foreman rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries while also catching 5 passes for 81 yards.
In the first quarter, the Rams got off to a good start as they marched down the field to the Viking 2-yard line. The drive stalled there, and coach Chuck Knox, recalling the NFC championship game in Minnesota two years ago (when the Rams were intercepted in the end zone after driving to the Viking 2-yard line) ordered a field goal attempt. Nate Allen blocked the field goal attempt, and the ball bounced off the ground right into the waiting arms of Bobby Bryant, who returned it 90 yards for a Minnesota touchdown. The first quarter ended with the Rams dominating the stat sheet. They had run 22 plays for 89 yards and 7 first downs, while holding the Vikings to 5 plays, one first down, and 17 yards, but they still trailed 7–0.
In the second quarter, linebacker Matt Blair blocked and recovered a punt on the Rams 10-yard line to set up Fred Cox's 25-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 10–0 lead before halftime. Then in the third period, Foreman rushed 62 yards to the Los Angeles 2-yard line, and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run two plays later to increase the lead 17–0.
The Rams rallied back with two quick touchdowns in the third quarter. After a chance to put the game away was wiped out by Monte Jackson's interception of a Tarkenton pass in the end zone, Pat Haden led the Rams on an 80-yard drive highlighted by a 40-yard pass to Harold Jackson, and culminating in a 10-yard touchdown run by Lawrence McCutcheon. Rams kicker Tom Dempsey missed the extra point. Dempsey had missed nine extra points during the season. Announcers Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier speculated that Haden was feeling pressure on this drive because Knox had James Harris warming up on the sidelines. On the Vikings' next drive, Fred Dryer hit Fran Tarkenton on a sack, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jack Youngblood at the Viking 8-yard line. Three plays later, Haden hit Jackson for a 5-yard touchdown pass.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Vikings defense snuffed out two big chances for LA to take the lead. With 7 minutes left, the Rams drove to a third down on the Vikings 33, but Minnesota linebacker Wally Hilgenberg sacked Haden and forced a punt. With 2:40 left in the game, Los Angeles advanced to the Minnesota 39-yard line. On fourth down and needing more than a field goal, Haden thought he had Jackson open deep near the goal line, but Bryant intercepted the pass (his second of the game) rather than batting it down. A few plays later, Tarkenton dumped a short pass off to Foreman, which he turned into a 57-yard gain. Foreman was injured on the play, but backup running back Sammy Johnson scored the clinching touchdown from 12 yards out.
This turned out to be the last playoff game at Metropolitan Stadium. The Vikings played four playoff games between 1977 and 1981, all on the road. Minnesota's next home playoff game came after the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Vikings' first in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. They would next host an outdoor home playoff game in January 2016.
To date, this is the most recent NFC Championship that the Vikings have won.
Super Bowl
Super Bowl XI: Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14 – Game summary
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- OAK – Pete Banaszak 2-yard run (Errol Mann kick). Raiders 26–7.
- OAK – Willie Brown 75-yard interception return (kick failed). Raiders 32–7.
- MIN – Stu Voigt 13-yard pass from Bob Lee (Fred Cox kick). Raiders 32–14.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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Statistics
Team leaders
League rankings
| Category
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Total yards
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Yards per game
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NFL rank
(out of 28)
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| Passing offense |
2,855 |
203.9 |
4th
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| Rushing offense |
2,003 |
143.1 |
18th
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| Total offense |
4,858 |
347.0 |
6th
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| Passing defense |
1,575 |
112.5 |
1st
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| Rushing defense |
2,096 |
149.7 |
17th
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| Total defense |
3,671 |
262.2 |
6th
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References
| v · d · eMinnesota Vikings |
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| | Founded in 1961 • Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota | | | Franchise | | | | Stadiums | | | | Culture | | | | Rivalries | | | | Lore | | | | Head coaches | | | | Division championships (18) |
1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2009 | | | Super Bowl appearances (4) | | | | Retired numbers | | | | Seasons | | | | Current league affiliations | |
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