1996 Minnesota Vikings season

The 1996 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 36th in the National Football League. Under head coach Dennis Green, they finished with a 9–7 record and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1994, starting a run of five consecutive playoff appearances.

1996 Minnesota Vikings season
Head coachDennis Green
Home fieldHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Results
Record9–7
Division place2nd NFC Central
Playoff finishLost NFC Wild Card Playoff (at Cowboys) 15–40

They started the season with five wins in their first six games, before losing their next four. Starting quarterback Warren Moon suffered a broken collarbone during the season and missed the final six games, allowing fifth-year backup Brad Johnson to take his place. With Johnson under center, the Vikings won four of their remaining five games, including divisional victories on the road against the Detroit Lions and at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Those wins proved pivotal in the Vikings qualification for the playoffs, as their superior intra-conference record (8–4) over the Washington Redskins rendered Minnesota's week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers irrelevant, despite the Redskins defeating the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings entered the playoffs as the number 6 seed in the NFC, pitting them against the Cowboys in the wildcard round. The Cowboys put up 30 unanswered points in the first half and ultimately won the game 40–15, making it the fourth time in five seasons that the Vikings' season ended in the wildcard round.

For the season, the Vikings sported new uniforms, adding the team's logo to both sleeves of the jersey as well as adding yellow number and yellow name outlines. These uniforms would remain in use with the Minnesota Vikings until 2005.

Offseason
AdditionsSubtractions
T Scott Dill (Buccaneers)DE Roy Barker (49ers)
DE Robert Goff (Saints)T Rick Cunningham (Raiders)
LB Dixon Edwards (Cowboys)TE Adrian Cooper (49ers)
TE David Frisch (Patriots)LB Jack Del Rio (Dolphins)
DB Anthony Prior (Jets)S Charles Mincy (Buccaneers)
T Ariel Solomon (Steelers)
LB Darryl Talley (Falcons)

1996 Draft
Main article: 1996 NFL draft
1996 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order Player name Position College Notes
Round Selection
116 Duane ClemonsLinebackerCalifornia
245 James ManleyDefensive tackleVanderbilt
375 Moe WilliamsRunning backKentucky
497 Hunter GoodwinTight endTexas A&Mfrom Cardinals[a]
112 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals[a]
5137 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals[a]from Giants[b]
148 Sean BoydDefensive backNorth Carolina
6182 Traded to the New York Giants[b]
7223 Jon MerrillOffensive tackleDuke
^[a] The Vikings traded their fourth-round selection and the fifth-round selection they received from the New York Giants (112th and 137th overall) to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for Arizona's fourth-round selection (97th overall).
^[b] The Vikings traded their sixth-round selection and safety Vencie Glenn to the New York Giants in exchange for the Giants' fifth-round selection (137th overall) and 1995 sixth-round selection (189th overall).

Preseason
WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance[1]
1August 3San Diego ChargersW 23–20 (OT)1–0Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome34,367
2August 8Buffalo BillsL 12–351–1Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome36,297
3August 19at Miami DolphinsL 17–241–2Joe Robbie Stadium55,598
4August 23at New Orleans SaintsL 13–161–3Louisiana Superdome35,728

Regular season

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 1 Detroit Lions W 17–13 1–0 Metrodome 52,972
2 September 8 at Atlanta Falcons W 23–17 2–0 Georgia Dome 42,688
3 September 15 at Chicago Bears W 20–14 3–0 Soldier Field 61,301
4 September 22 Green Bay Packers W 30–21 4–0 Metrodome 64,168
5 September 29 at New York Giants L 15–10 4–1 Giants Stadium 70,970
6 October 6 Carolina Panthers W 14–12 5–1 Metrodome 60,894
7 October 13 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 24–13 5–2 Houlihan's Stadium 32,175
8 Bye
9 October 28 Chicago Bears L 15–13 5–3 Metrodome 58,143
10 November 3 Kansas City Chiefs L 21–6 5–4 Metrodome 59,552
11 November 10 at Seattle Seahawks L 42–23 5–5 Kingdome 50,794
12 November 17 at Oakland Raiders W 16–13 (OT) 6–5 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 41,183
13 November 24 Denver Broncos L 21–17 6–6 Metrodome 59,142
14 December 1 Arizona Cardinals W 41–17 7–6 Metrodome 45,767
15 December 8 at Detroit Lions W 24–22 8–6 Silverdome 46,043
16 December 15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 21–10 9–6 Metrodome 49,202
17 December 22 at Green Bay Packers L 38–10 9–7 Lambeau Field 59,306

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings
NFC Central
W L T PCT PF PA STK
(1) Green Bay Packers 13 3 0 .813 456 210 W5
(6) Minnesota Vikings 9 7 0 .563 298 315 L1
Chicago Bears 7 9 0 .438 283 305 L1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6 10 0 .375 221 293 W1
Detroit Lions 5 11 0 .313 302 368 L5

Postseason
Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance
Wildcard December 28 at Dallas Cowboys L 40–15 Texas Stadium 64,682

Statistics

Team leaders
Category Player(s) Value
Passing yardsBrad Johnson2,258
Passing touchdownsBrad Johnson17
Rushing yardsRobert Smith692
Rushing touchdownsLeroy Hoard
Robert Smith		3
Receiving yardsJake Reed1,320
Receiving touchdownsCris Carter10
PointsScott Sisson96
Kickoff return yardsQadry Ismail527
Punt return yardsDavid Palmer216
TacklesJeff Brady101
SacksJohn Randle11.5
InterceptionsOrlando Thomas5
Forced fumblesJohn Randle4

League rankings
Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 30)
Passing offense3,658228.68th
Rushing offense1,54696.624th
Total offense5,204325.212th
Passing defense3,121195.19th
Rushing defense1,966122.924th
Total defense5,087317.916th

Staff
1996 Minnesota Vikings staff
Front office
  • Chairman of the Board – John Skoglund
  • President/Chief Executive Officer – Roger Headrick

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Steve Wetzel
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Jeff Friday

[2]

Roster
1996 Minnesota Vikings final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad

  • 67 Kenneth McDaniel OG


Rookies in italics
 53 active, 7 inactive, 0 practice squad

References
  2. 2009 Minnesota Vikings Media Guide. p. 251. Archived from the original on 2010-12-24. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
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