1971 Minnesota Vikings season

1971 Minnesota Vikings season

Head coach	Bud Grant
Home field	Metropolitan Stadium

Results
Record	11–3
Division Place	1st NFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 20–12
Timeline

Previous season	Next season
1970	1972

1971 was the 11th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings won the NFC Central title as they finished with a record of 11 wins and three losses, before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys at home, 20–12, in the NFC Divisional Playoff game.

1 Offseason
- 1.1 NFL Draft
2 Regular season
3 Awards, records, and honors
4 References

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 1971 NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1	(24)	Leo Hayden	Running back	Ohio State
3	(76)	Eddie Hackett	Wide receiver	Alcorn A&M
4	(102)	Vince Clements	Running back	Connecticut
7	(180)	Gene Mack	Linebacker	Texas-El Paso
8	(208)	John Farley	Defensive end	Johnson C. Smith
9	(232)	Tim Sullivan	Running back	Iowa
10	(258)	Chris Morris	Guard	Indiana
11	(284)	Mike Walker	Linebacker	Tulane
12	(310)	Reggie Holmes	Defensive back	Wisconsin–Stout
13	(336)	Benny Fry	Center	Houston
14	(362)	Jim Gallagher	Linebacker	Yale
15	(388)	Jeff Wright	Defensive back	Minnesota
16	(413)	Greg Edmonds	Wide receiver	Penn State
17	(439)	Ken Duncan	Punter	Tulsa

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Results		Venue	Attendance
Week	Date	Opponent	Final score	Team record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 20	at Detroit Lions	W 16–13	1–0	Tiger Stadium	54,418
2	September 26	Chicago Bears	L 20–17	1–1	Metropolitan Stadium	47,900
3	October 3	Buffalo Bills	W 19–0	2–1	Metropolitan Stadium	47,900
4	October 10	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 13–0	3–1	Veterans Stadium	65,358
5	October 17	at Green Bay Packers	W 24–13	4–1	Lambeau Field	56,263
6	October 25	Baltimore Colts	W 10–3	5–1	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
7	October 31	at New York Giants	W 17–10	6–1	Yankee Stadium	62,829
8	November 7	San Francisco 49ers	L 13–9	6–2	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
9	November 14	Green Bay Packers	W 3–0	7–2	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
10	November 21	at New Orleans Saints	W 23–10	8–2	Tulane Stadium	83,130
11	November 28	Atlanta Falcons	W 24–7	9–2	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
12	December 5	at San Diego Chargers	L 30–14	9–3	San Diego Stadium	54,505
13	December 11	Detroit Lions	W 29–10	10–3	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
14	December 19	at Chicago Bears	W 27–10	11–3	Soldier Field	55,049

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance
Divisional	December 25	Dallas Cowboys	L 20–12	Metropolitan Stadium	47,307

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings	11	3	0	.786	245	139	W-5
Detroit Lions	7	6	1	.538	341	286	L-3
Chicago Bears	6	8	0	.429	185	276	L-5
Green Bay Packers	4	8	2	.333	274	298	L-1

Awards, records, and honors

All-Pros

First Team

OT Ron Yary (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW)
DE Carl Eller (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW)
DT Alan Page (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW)
S Paul Krause (NEA)

Pro Bowlers

League leaders

Bob Lee – Most punts (89), most punting yards (3515)
Charlie West – Longest interception return (89 yards)
Alan Page – Most safeties (2)

References

"1971 Minnesota Vikings Statistics & Players". pro-football-reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/min/1971.htm. Retrieved January 13, 2010.

Minnesota Vikings

Founded in 1961 • Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Franchise	Franchise • History • Expansion Draft • Players • Quarterbacks • Head coaches • Seasons • Statistics • Draft

Stadiums	Metropolitan Stadium • Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Proposed: New Vikings Stadium Temporary stadiums due to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome roof collapse in 2010: Ford Field (December 13) • TCF Bank Stadium (December 20) Temporary stadium due to a conflict with a Minnesota Twins playoff game at Metropolitan Stadium in 1969: Memorial Stadium (October 5)

Culture	Purple People Eaters • "Skol, Vikings" • Herschel Walker trade • Love Boat Scandal

Rivalries	Chicago Bears • Detroit Lions • Green Bay Packers

Lore	The Wrong Way Run • Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy • 2010 Metrodome roof collapse

Head coaches	Van Brocklin • Grant • Steckel • Burns • Green • Tice • Childress • Frazier

Division championships (18)	1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2009

League championship	1969

Super Bowl appearances (4)	IV • VIII • IX • XI

Retired numbers	10, 53, 70, 77, 80, 88

Seasons	1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010

Current league affiliations	League: National Football League • Conference: National Football Conference • Division: North Division

Minnesota Vikings seasons

1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011


AFC	East	Central	West	NFC	East	Central	West
	Baltimore	Cincinnati	Denver		Dallas	Chicago	Atlanta
	Buffalo	Cleveland	Kansas City		NY Giants	Detroit	Los Angeles
	Miami	Houston	Oakland		Philadelphia	Green Bay	New Orleans
	New England	Pittsburgh	San Diego		St. Louis	Minnesota	San Francisco
	NY Jets				Washington
1971 NFL Draft • NFL Playoffs • Pro Bowl • Super Bowl VI