Vikings Hit Regular-Season Milestone with Victory…

Here’s how the Vikings victories have broken down by decade:

And of the Vikings 500 wins, 295 of them have come at home. Minnesota has called four stadiums home since its inaugural 1961 season.

A breakdown of the home victories:

Metropolitan Stadium: 92 wins (1961-81)

The Metrodome: 163 wins (1982-2013)

University of Minnesota: 11 wins (2014-2015)

U.S. Bank Stadium: 29 wins (2016-Present)

It’s no surprise that Hall of Fame Vikings Head Coach Bud Grant presided over a good chunk of Minnesota’s wins, as he was the head man for 158 of them in the regular season.

Dennis Green ranks second in all-time in coaching wins with 97, and current Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer is third with 69.

And, of course, there are the 1,200-plus players who have suited up in Purple on the active roster over the decades.

The early days of Fran Tarkenton were followed by the emergence of the Purple People Eaters—one of the NFL’s most dominant defenses ever. Tarkenton’s return in the 70s boosted Minnesota’s offense and resulted in three of Minnesota’s four trips to the Super Bowl. Offensive superstars in recent decades have included receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss, as well as running back Adrian Peterson. Zimmer built his foundation with stout defenses.

Jim Marshall is the franchise’s all-time leader in player wins with 151. Randall McDaniel played in 114 victories and John Randle was on the field for 106 of them.

Scott Studwell impacted the organization as a player (exactly 100 wins) and for decades as a scout. His career win total in Purple is 351.

Few can top that number, but one is Dennis Ryan, who joined the organization in 1975. The beloved longtime Vikings equipment manager has been around for an incredible 395 wins, and made sure players had what they needed in each one.

But Jerry Reichow stands alone in franchise history, as he was involved in an incredible 484 all-time regular season wins.

Reichow was on the Vikings inaugural 1961 roster as a wide receiver and played four seasons with the team. He was cut during the 1965 training camp but immediately offered a job as a scout. He remained in the Vikings front office until his retirement at the end of the 2019 season, a stretch that spanned a remarkable 59 seasons.