1961 Minnesota Vikings Season

The 1961 season was the Minnesota Vikings' first in the National Football League (NFL) after being created as an expansion franchise to become the league's fourteenth team.

Their inaugural regular season game was a 37–13 victory at home to the Chicago Bears; rookie quarterback Fran Tarkenton came off the bench to toss four touchdown passes and run for another. However, under head coach Norm Van Brocklin, the Vikings won just two of their remaining 13 games, including a seven-game losing streak, and finished the season with a 3–11 record.

1961 Minnesota Vikings season
General managerBert Rose
Head coachNorm Van Brocklin
Home fieldMetropolitan Stadium
Results
Record3–11
Division place7th NFL Western
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Uniform
1961 Minnesota Vikings Season

The Vikings' defense surrendered 5.41 rushing yards per attempt in 1961, the fifth-most of all time.

Offseason

Although the NFL originally had no interest in expanding, after Max Winter and Bill Boyer agreed to start an American Football League (AFL) franchise in Minnesota, the NFL approached them to change leagues. The "Vikings" name was given to the team by Ole Haugsrud, who had been given a 10% stake in the franchise as a result of having sold the Duluth Eskimos back to the league in the 1920s.

1961 Draft

Pro Bowler
Hall of Famer
1961 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order Player name Position College Notes
Round Overall
1 1 Tommy Mason RB Tulane
2 15 Rip Hawkins LB North Carolina
3 29 Fran Tarkenton QB Georgia
4 43 Chuck Lamson S Wyoming Played with Vikings in 1962–63
5 57 Ed Sharockman CB Pittsburgh
6 71 Jerry Burch E Georgia Tech
7 85 Allan Ferrie E Wagner
8 99 Paul Lindquist DT New Hampshire
9 113 Dan Sheehan T Tennessee–Chattanooga
10 127 Doug Mayberry FB Utah State
11 141 Jerry Mays DE SMU
12 155 Steve Stonebreaker LB Detroit Played with Vikings in 1962–63
13 169 Ray Hayes FB Central State (OK)
14 183 Ken Petersen G Utah
15 197 Mike Mercer K Northern Arizona
16 211 Ted Karpowicz HB Detroit
17 225 Willie Jones FB Purdue
18 239 Bob Voigt DT Los Angeles State
19 253 Bill Hill FB Presbyterian
20 267 Mike McFarland QB Western Illinois

1961 Expansion Draft

Player name Position College Acquired from
Grady Alderman Guard Detroit Mercy Detroit Lions
Tom Barnett Running back Purdue Pittsburgh Steelers
Byron Beams Tackle Notre Dame Pittsburgh Steelers
Ken Beck Defensive tackle Texas A&M Green Bay Packers
Bill Bishop Defensive tackle North Texas State Chicago Bears
Don Boll Offensive tackle Nebraska New York Giants
Ed Culpepper Defensive tackle Alabama St. Louis Cardinals
Don Ellersick Defensive back Washington State Los Angeles Rams
Dick Haley Defensive back Pittsburgh Washington Redskins
Gerry Huth Guard Wake Forest Philadelphia Eagles
Charlie Janerette Guard Penn State Los Angeles Rams
Gene Johnson Defensive back Cincinnati Philadelphia Eagles
Don Joyce Defensive end Tulane Baltimore Colts
Bill Kimber End Florida State New York Giants
Bill Lapham Center Iowa Philadelphia Eagles
Hugh McElhenny Running back Washington San Francisco 49ers
Dave Middleton End Auburn Detroit Lions
Jack Morris Defensive back Oregon Pittsburgh Steelers
Rich Mostardi Defensive back Kent State Cleveland Browns
Fred Murphy End Georgia Tech Cleveland Browns
Clancy Osborne Linebacker Arizona State San Francisco 49ers
Dick Pesonen Defensive back Minnesota-Duluth Green Bay Packers
Mike Rabold Guard Indiana St. Louis Cardinals
Perry Richards End Detroit Mercy St. Louis Cardinals
Bill Roehnelt Linebacker Bradley Washington Redskins
Karl Rubke Linebacker USC San Francisco 49ers
Gene Selawski Offensive tackle Purdue Cleveland Browns
Glenn Shaw Fullback Kentucky Chicago Bears
Lebron Shields Defensive tackle Tennessee Baltimore Colts
Zeke Smith Linebacker Auburn Baltimore Colts
Jerry Stalcup Linebacker Wisconsin Los Angeles Rams
Louis Stephens Guard San Francisco Washington Redskins
Charlie Sumner Defensive back William & Mary Chicago Bears
Dave Whitsell Defensive back Indiana Detroit Lions
Paul Winslow Running back North Carolina Central Green Bay Packers
Frank Youso Offensive tackle Minnesota New York Giants

Roster

1961 Minnesota Vikings final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Rookies in italics
, 5 practice squad

Preseason

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 August 5 Dallas Cowboys L 13–38 0–1 Howard Wood Field (Sioux Falls, SD) 4,954
2 August 18 at Baltimore Colts L 3–13 0–2 Memorial Stadium 10,203
3 August 26 at San Francisco 49ers L 10–14 0–3 Multnomah Stadium (Portland, OR) 27,044
4 September 2 Chicago Bears L 7–30 0–4 Kingston Stadium (Cedar Rapids, IA) 12,500
5 September 10 Los Angeles Rams L 17–21 0–5 Metropolitan Stadium 27,982

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 17 Chicago Bears W 37–13 1–0 Metropolitan Stadium 32,236
2 September 24 at Dallas Cowboys L 7–21 1–1 Cotton Bowl 20,500
3 October 1 at Baltimore Colts L 33–34 1–2 Memorial Stadium 54,259
4 October 8 Dallas Cowboys L 0–28 1–3 Metropolitan Stadium 33,070
5 October 15 San Francisco 49ers L 24–38 1–4 Metropolitan Stadium 34,415
6 October 22 Green Bay Packers L 7–33 1–5 Metropolitan Stadium 42,007
7 October 29 at Green Bay Packers L 10–28 1–6 Milwaukee County Stadium 44,112
8 November 5 at Los Angeles Rams L 17–31 1–7 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 38,594
9 November 12 Baltimore Colts W 28–20 2–7 Metropolitan Stadium 38,010
10 November 19 Detroit Lions L 10–37 2–8 Metropolitan Stadium 32,296
11 November 26 at San Francisco 49ers L 28–38 2–9 Kezar Stadium 43,905
12 December 3 Los Angeles Rams W 42–21 3–9 Metropolitan Stadium 30,068
13 December 10 at Detroit Lions L 7–13 3–10 Tiger Stadium 42,655
14 December 17 at Chicago Bears L 35–52 3–11 Wrigley Field 34,539

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears

Week 1: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 6 0713
Vikings 3 7 141337

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game information

This was the first regular season game in Vikings history. George Shaw started the game at quarterback for the Vikings, but he was soon replaced by rookie Fran Tarkenton, who threw four touchdown passes and ran for another as the Vikings won 37–13. They were the last expansion team to win their first game until the 2002 Houston Texans.

Week 2: at Dallas Cowboys

Week 2: Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 7 007
Cowboys 7 7 0721

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

Game information

Week 3: at Baltimore Colts

Week 3: Minnesota Vikings at Baltimore Colts – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 3 10 101033
Colts 7 7 71334

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

Week 4: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week 4: Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 7 7 7728
Vikings 0 0 000

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game information

Week 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Week 5: San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
49ers 7 7 101438
Vikings 7 10 7024

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game information

Week 6: vs. Green Bay Packers

Week 6: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 10 3 31733
Vikings 0 7 007

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game information

Week 7: at Green Bay Packers

Week 7: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 7 3010
Packers 14 7 0728

at Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 8: at Los Angeles Rams

Week 8: Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 7 3 7017
Rams 14 3 01431

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

Game information

Week 9: vs. Baltimore Colts

Week 9: Baltimore Colts at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Colts 0 14 3320
Vikings 7 7 7728

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game information

Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions

Week 10: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Lions 0 14 91437
Vikings 10 0 0010

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game information

Week 11: at San Francisco 49ers

Week 11: Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 14 7728
49ers 14 10 7738

at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California

Game information

Week 12: vs. Los Angeles Rams

Week 12: Los Angeles Rams at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 14 7021
Vikings 7 14 14742

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game information

Week 13: at Detroit Lions

Week 13: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 0 707
Lions 0 7 3313

at Tiger Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

Week 14: at Chicago Bears

Week 14: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 14 7 7735
Bears 7 14 24752

at Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

Standings

NFL Western Conference
W L T PCT CONF PF PA STK
Green Bay Packers 11 3 0 .786 9–3 391 223 W1
Detroit Lions 8 5 1 .615 7–4–1 270 258 L1
Chicago Bears 8 6 0 .571 7–5 326 302 W2
Baltimore Colts 8 6 0 .571 6–6 302 307 W1
San Francisco 49ers 7 6 1 .538 6–5–1 346 272 L1
Los Angeles Rams 4 10 0 .286 3–9 263 333 L1
Minnesota Vikings 3 11 0 .214 3–9 285 407 L2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Postseason

Both halfback Hugh McElhenny and receiver (end) Jerry Reichow were voted to the East–West Pro Bowl game, played January 14, 1962, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The coach for the West squad was Vikings head coach Norm Van Brocklin. McElhenny scored a third-quarter touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr, and the West won the game 31–30.

Statistics

Team leaders

Category Player(s) Value
Passing yards Fran Tarkenton 1,997
Passing touchdowns Fran Tarkenton 18
Rushing yards Hugh McElhenny 570
Rushing touchdowns Fran Tarkenton 5
Receiving yards Jerry Reichow 859
Receiving touchdowns Jerry Reichow 11
Points Jerry Reichow 66
Kickoff return yards Tommy Mason 603
Punt return yards Hugh McElhenny 155
Interceptions Rip Hawkins 5
Sacks Jim Marshall 6

Note that sack totals from 1960 to 1981 are considered unofficial by the NFL.

League rankings

Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 14)
Passing offense 1,989 142.1 13th
Rushing offense 1,897 135.5 6th
Total offense 3,886 277.6 12th
Passing defense 2,926 209.0 13th
Rushing defense 2,667 190.5 14th
Total defense 5,593 399.5 14th

References

Tags:

1961 Minnesota Vikings Season Offseason1961 Minnesota Vikings Season Roster1961 Minnesota Vikings Season Preseason1961 Minnesota Vikings Season Regular season1961 Minnesota Vikings Season Postseason1961 Minnesota Vikings Season Statistics1961 Minnesota Vikings Season

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