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1979 Minnesota Vikings
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Record: 7-9-0, Finished 3rd in NFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 259 points (16.2/g), 24th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 337 points (21.1/g), 17th.
Differential of -78 points (-4.9/g), 22nd.
Expected W-L: 5.6-10.4.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -8 (-0.5/g), 21st.
Coached by Bud Grant (7-9-0)
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1979 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Tommy Kramer | 24 | 2 | 16 | 315 for 566, 3,397 yards, 23 td, 24 int, & 32 rushes for 138 yards and 1 td | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 27th pick / 1977 |
| RB | Rickey Young | 26 | 4 | 16 | 188 rushes for 708 yards, 3 td, & 72 catches for 519 yards and 4 td | San Diego Chargers / 7th / 164th pick / 1975 |
| FB | Ted Brown | 22 | Rook | 9 | 130 rushes for 551 yards, 1 td, & 31 catches for 197 yards and 0 td | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 16th pick / 1979 |
| WR | Ahmad Rashad* | 30 | 7 | 16 | 80 catches for 1,156 yards, 9 td | St. Louis Cardinals / 1st / 4th pick / 1972 |
| WR | Sammy White | 25 | 3 | 15 | 42 catches for 715 yards, 4 td, & 1 rush for 6 yards and 0 td | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 54th pick / 1976 |
| TE | Bob Tucker | 34 | 9 | 15 | 24 catches for 223 yards, 2 td | |
| LT | Steve Riley | 27 | 5 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1974 |
| LG | Charles Goodrum | 29 | 6 | 9 | 2 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 232nd pick / 1972 |
| LG | Jim Hough | 23 | 1 | 7 | 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 4th / 100th pick / 1978 |
| C | Dennis Swilley | 24 | 2 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 55th pick / 1977 |
| RG | Wes Hamilton | 26 | 3 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 85th pick / 1976 |
| RT | Ron Yary | 33 | 11 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 1st pick / 1968 |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Mark Mullaney | 26 | 4 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1975 |
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| LDT | Doug Sutherland | 31 | 9 | 10 | New Orleans Saints / 14th / 348th pick / 1970 |
|
| LDT | Dave Roller | 30 | 8 | 6 | New York Giants / 13th / 330th pick / 1971 |
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| RDT | James White | 26 | 3 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1976 |
| RDE | Jim Marshall | 42 | 19 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 44th pick / 1960 |
| LLB | Matt Blair* | 29 | 5 | 16 | 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 51st pick / 1974 |
| MLB | Jeff Siemon | 29 | 7 | 12 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 10th pick / 1972 |
|
| RLB | Fred McNeill | 27 | 5 | 15 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 17th pick / 1974 |
| LCB | John Turner | 23 | 1 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 48th pick / 1978 |
| RCB | Bobby Bryant | 35 | 11 | 14 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 167th pick / 1967 |
| SS | Tom Hannon | 24 | 2 | 16 | 4 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 83rd pick / 1977 |
| FS | Paul Krause | 37 | 15 | 8 | 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Washington Redskins / 2nd / 18th pick / 1964 |
| FS | Kurt Knoff | 25 | 2 | 7 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 43rd pick / 1976 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Rick Danmeier | 27 | 2 | 0 | 13 of 22 field goals & 28 of 31 extra points | |
| P | Greg Coleman | 25 | 2 | 0 | 90 punts for a 39.5 average, 1 blocked | Cincinnati Bengals / 14th / 398th pick / 1976 |
| PR | Jimmy Edwards | 27 | Rook | 0 | 33 punt returns for a 5.6 average and 0 td | |
| KR | Jimmy Edwards | 27 | Rook | 0 | 44 kick returns for a 25.1 average and 0 td |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nate Allen | 31 | DB | 5 | 0 | 170 | 5-10 | Texas Southern | 5/13/1948 | 8 | Kansas City Chiefs / 11th / 276th pick / 1971 |
| Tim Baylor | 25 | DB | 16 | 0 | 195 | 6-6 | Morgan State | 5/23/1954 | 3 | Baltimore Colts / 10th / 283rd pick / 1976 |
| Matt Blair* | 29 | LB | 16 | 16 | 232 | 6-5 | Iowa State | 9/20/1950 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 51st pick / 1974 |
| Ted Brown | 22 | RB | 14 | 9 | 206 | 5-10 | North Carolina State | 2/15/1957 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 16th pick / 1979 |
| Bobby Bryant | 35 | DB | 14 | 14 | 170 | 6-1 | South Carolina | 1/24/1944 | 11 | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 167th pick / 1967 |
| Greg Coleman | 25 | P | 16 | 0 | 185 | 6-0 | Florida A&M | 9/9/1954 | 2 | Cincinnati Bengals / 14th / 398th pick / 1976 |
| Douglas Cunningham | 24 | WR | 6 | 0 | 195 | 6-3 | Rice | 11/14/1955 | Rook | |
| Rick Danmeier | 27 | K | 16 | 0 | 194 | 6-0 | Sioux Falls | 4/8/1952 | 2 | |
| Steve Dils | 24 | QB | 1 | 0 | 190 | 6-1 | Stanford | 12/8/1955 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 4th / 97th pick / 1979 |
| Jimmy Edwards | 27 | RB | 14 | 0 | 185 | 5-9 | La-Monroe,Oklahoma | 9/19/1952 | Rook | |
| Chuck Foreman | 29 | RB | 12 | 0 | 210 | 6-2 | Miami (FL) | 10/26/1950 | 6 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 12th pick / 1973 |
| Charles Goodrum | 29 | G-T | 15 | 9 | 256 | 6-3 | Florida A&M | 1/11/1950 | 6 | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 232nd pick / 1972 |
| Wes Hamilton | 26 | G | 16 | 16 | 261 | 6-3 | Tulsa | 4/24/1953 | 3 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 85th pick / 1976 |
| Tom Hannon | 24 | DB | 16 | 16 | 193 | 5-11 | Michigan State | 3/5/1955 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 83rd pick / 1977 |
| Joe Harris | 27 | LB | 2 | 0 | 225 | 6-1 | Georgia Tech | 12/6/1952 | 2 | Chicago Bears / 8th / 197th pick / 1975 |
| Wally Hilgenberg | 37 | LB-G | 8 | 0 | 229 | 6-3 | Iowa | 9/19/1942 | 15 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 48th pick / 1964 |
| Randy Holloway | 24 | DE | 16 | 0 | 250 | 6-5 | Pittsburgh | 8/26/1955 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 21st pick / 1978 |
| Jim Hough | 23 | G-C | 16 | 7 | 267 | 6-2 | Utah State | 8/4/1956 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 4th / 100th pick / 1978 |
| Dave Huffman | 22 | G-C | 13 | 0 | 280 | 6-6 | Notre Dame | 4/4/1957 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 43rd pick / 1979 |
| Kurt Knoff | 25 | DB | 10 | 7 | 191 | 6-2 | Kansas | 4/6/1954 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 43rd pick / 1976 |
| Tommy Kramer | 24 | QB | 16 | 16 | 200 | 6-2 | Rice | 3/7/1955 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 27th pick / 1977 |
| Paul Krause | 37 | DB-WR | 16 | 8 | 200 | 6-3 | Iowa | 2/19/1942 | 15 | Washington Redskins / 2nd / 18th pick / 1964 |
| Terry LeCount | 23 | WR | 12 | 0 | 178 | 5-10 | Florida | 7/9/1956 | 1 | San Francisco 49ers / 4th / 91st pick / 1978 |
| Derrel Luce | 27 | LB | 16 | 0 | 226 | 6-3 | Baylor | 9/29/1952 | 4 | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 168th pick / 1975 |
| Jim Marshall | 42 | DE | 16 | 16 | 248 | 6-4 | Ohio State | 12/30/1937 | 19 | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 44th pick / 1960 |
| Brent McClanahan | 28 | RB | 16 | 0 | 202 | 5-10 | Arizona State | 9/21/1951 | 6 | Minnesota Vikings / 5th / 118th pick / 1973 |
| Fred McNeill | 27 | LB | 16 | 15 | 229 | 6-2 | UCLA | 5/6/1952 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 17th pick / 1974 |
| Kevin Miller | 24 | WR | 3 | 0 | 180 | 5-10 | Louisville | 3/21/1955 | 1 | |
| Robert Miller | 26 | RB | 16 | 0 | 204 | 5-11 | Kansas | 1/9/1953 | 4 | Minnesota Vikings / 5th / 129th pick / 1975 |
| Mark Mullaney | 26 | DE | 16 | 16 | 242 | 6-6 | Colorado State | 4/30/1953 | 4 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1975 |
| Frank Myers | 23 | T | 14 | 0 | 255 | 6-5 | Texas A&M | 1/4/1956 | 1 | Baltimore Colts / 5th / 117th pick / 1978 |
| Steve Niehaus | 25 | DT-DE | 3 | 0 | 263 | 6-4 | Notre Dame | 9/25/1954 | 3 | Seattle Seahawks / 1st / 2nd pick / 1976 |
| Keith Nord | 22 | DB | 16 | 0 | 197 | 6-0 | St. Cloud State | 3/3/1957 | Rook | |
| Ahmad Rashad* | 30 | WR | 16 | 16 | 205 | 6-2 | Oregon | 11/19/1949 | 7 | St. Louis Cardinals / 1st / 4th pick / 1972 |
| Steve Riley | 27 | T | 16 | 16 | 258 | 6-5 | USC | 11/23/1952 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1974 |
| Dave Roller | 30 | DT | 15 | 6 | 270 | 6-2 | Kentucky | 10/28/1949 | 8 | New York Giants / 13th / 330th pick / 1971 |
| Jeff Siemon | 29 | LB | 16 | 12 | 235 | 6-2 | Stanford | 6/2/1950 | 7 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 10th pick / 1972 |
| Robert Steele | 23 | WR | 16 | 0 | 196 | 6-4 | North Alabama | 8/2/1956 | 1 | |
| Scott Studwell | 25 | LB | 14 | 4 | 228 | 6-2 | Illinois | 8/27/1954 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 250th pick / 1977 |
| Doug Sutherland | 31 | DT-G-DE | 16 | 10 | 250 | 6-3 | Wisconsin-Superior | 8/1/1948 | 9 | New Orleans Saints / 14th / 348th pick / 1970 |
| Dennis Swilley | 24 | C-G-T | 16 | 16 | 253 | 6-3 | North Texas,Texas A&M | 6/28/1955 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 55th pick / 1977 |
| Bob Tucker | 34 | TE | 16 | 15 | 230 | 6-3 | Bloomsburg | 6/8/1945 | 9 | |
| John Turner | 23 | DB | 16 | 16 | 197 | 6-0 | Miami (FL) | 2/22/1956 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 48th pick / 1978 |
| Stu Voigt | 31 | TE | 16 | 0 | 223 | 6-1 | Wisconsin | 8/12/1948 | 9 | Minnesota Vikings / 10th / 260th pick / 1970 |
| James White | 26 | DT-NT | 16 | 16 | 265 | 6-3 | Oklahoma State | 10/26/1953 | 3 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1976 |
| Sammy White | 25 | WR | 15 | 15 | 190 | 5-11 | Grambling State | 3/16/1954 | 3 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 54th pick / 1976 |
| Phil Wise | 30 | DB | 1 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | Nebraska-Omaha,South Dakota | 4/25/1949 | 8 | New York Jets / 6th / 136th pick / 1971 |
| Nate Wright | 33 | DB | 10 | 0 | 180 | 5-11 | San Diego State | 12/21/1946 | 10 | |
| Ron Yary | 33 | T | 16 | 16 | 255 | 6-5 | USC | 8/16/1946 | 11 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 1st pick / 1968 |
| Rickey Young | 26 | RB | 16 | 16 | 196 | 6-2 | Jackson State | 12/7/1953 | 4 | San Diego Chargers / 7th / 164th pick / 1975 |
| Team Total | 27.4 | 16 | 218.6 | 6-1.8 | 4.7 |