Minnesota Vikings 1990s All-Decade Team
Selecting the best Minnesota Vikings of the 1980s is a challenge. Picking the best of the 1990s team is a relative breeze. The 1990s was an interesting decade for the Vikings. It started with the final two years of Jerry Burns as head coach. It was Dennis Green’s team the rest of the decade. Under Green, the Vikings were competitive every year. The only year that the team didn’t make the playoffs was 1995. After four one-and-dones, Green got his first playoff win in 1997. That win was the appetizer for the brilliant but excruciating 1998 season. The 1990s was a fun decade for the Vikings, especially offensively. Here are some of the best Minnesota Vikings players of the 1990s.
Minnesota Vikings 1990s All-Decade Team
Offense
Quarterback
Randall Cunningham
One of the frustrating aspects of the 1990s Vikings was Dennis Green’s revolving door at quarterback. Instead of showing patience with a young quarterback like Rich Gannon it felt like there was a new “old guy” each year. A couple of those “old guys” were great. Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham. It was football poetry to watch Moon throw to Cris Carter for about 2.5 seasons. Cunningham’s incredible play in 1998 edges Moon for the quarterback spot on this team.
Running back
Robert Smith
Robert Smith is one of the best running backs in franchise history. Once he got past a string of injuries and maladies (chicken pox!), he was great.
Fullback
Rick Fenney
Perhaps it’s the nature of the position he played but I feel like Rick Fenney has been forgotten over the years. The final two years of his career were 1990 and 1991. He was a very good fullback for all of his five years in Minnesota.
Receiver
Cris Carter
Randy Moss
Jake Reed
I’m including all three members of 3-Deep. Cris Carter and Randy Moss are two of the best receivers the league has ever seen. Jake Reed was an excellent big play compliment to Carter for several years. Then Moss joined the team.
Tight end
Steve Jordan
Steve Jordan’s best years were in the latter half of the 1980s. He still had a couple Pro Bowl seasons in the 1990s. Jordan is the best tight end in Vikings franchise history. His was a time in which the tight end position really began to emerge as an offensive weapon. He was one of the league’s best during that time.
Tackles
Gary Zimmerman
Korey Stringer
Gary Zimmerman’s best Vikings years were in the 1980s. He was still very good, if not great, from 1990-92. His protection of whichever quarterback was behind him always looked so effortless. That’s why he ended his career with a bust in Canton. The final three years of his Hall of Fame career edges the seven very good years of Todd Steussie for the left tackle spot on this team. Korey Stringer was a very good football player sadly taken far too soon.
Guards
Randall McDaniel
David Dixon
This is an easy one. Randal McDaniel is a Hall of Famer and one of the 2-3 best guards to ever play. David Dixon didn’t get a lot of attention outside of Minnesota but he was a bulldozing force in the run game.
Center
Jeff Christy
Following Mick Tingelhoff and Kirk Lowdermilk and preceding Matt Birk, Jeff Christy continued the Vikings long, strong center tradition.
Defense
Defensive ends
Chris Doleman
Al Noga
The first few years of the 1990s were the last few years of a great era of Vikings defense. Much of this All-Decade defense is made up of players that made those defenses great. Their peak years were the late 1980s but they still had a couple strong years in the 1990s. Al Noga is an example of that. He edges out Roy Barker, Fernando Smith, and a couple first round busts in Derrick Alexander and Duane Clemons. Chris Doleman was a offense-wrecking pass rusher throughout his 10-year Vikings career and 15-year NFL career. He was even great at 38 when he returned to the Vikings in 1999.
Defensive tackles
John Randle
Henry Thomas
John Randle is a Hall of Famer and one of the best players in franchise history. He was also one of the most fun players. Like Gary Larsen before him, Henry Thomas was a somewhat anonymous difference-maker on an outstanding defensive line.
Linebackers
Ed McDaniel
Jack Del Rio
Mike Merriweather
Ed McDaniel was a steady player and leader of the Vikings defense for much of the decade. Jack Del Rio was the middle linebacker from 1992-95. He was a solid player, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 1994. Those four years gets him the spot here. The Vikings acquired Mike Merriweather from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a first round pick on the eve of the 1988 NFL Draft. I was thrilled with the trade. I just wish that he wasn’t 29 at the time. He was an excellent linebacker for the Steelers. He was close to that player with the Vikings.
Cornerbacks
Carl Lee
DeWayne Washington
From 1988-90, Carl Lee was one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He wasn’t quite that player from 1991-93 but he still gets this spot over Corey Fuller and Jimmy Hitchcock. When DeWayne Washington was selected in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, it was the first time the Vikings selected a cornerback in the first round. He was an immediate starter as a rookie and played well for four years. Then he left in free agency. The Vikings should never have let that happen.
Safeties
Orlando Thomas
Robert Griffith
Orlando Thomas paced the league with nine interceptions as a rookie in 1995. He looked like he was going to be cornerstone player. He probably would’ve been if injuries hadn’t peppered his career and ultimately shortened it. In his seven years in Minnesota, he played 16 games twice. Thomas was a very good football player. He could’ve been a great football player. Robert Griffith was a steady player and team leader for eight years. He made one Pro Bowl but should’ve made more.
Kicker
Gary Anderson
Sadly, Gary Anderson will always be remembered for the kick he missed rather than all the kicks he made.
Punter
Mitch Berger
Mitch Berger was an excellent punter for the Vikings from 1996-2001. He made the Pro Bowl in 1999.
Returner
David Palmer
David Palmer was a fun, versatile player for the Vikings. I always felt that his talents could’ve been used a bit more. Perhaps a lot more.
It's a real shame that the Vikings defense that entered the 1990s couldn't have been combined with the offense that closed the 1990s.
Minnesota Vikings 1990s All-Decade Team
Offense
Quarterback
Randall Cunningham
One of the frustrating aspects of the 1990s Vikings was Dennis Green’s revolving door at quarterback. Instead of showing patience with a young quarterback like Rich Gannon it felt like there was a new “old guy” each year. A couple of those “old guys” were great. Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham. It was football poetry to watch Moon throw to Cris Carter for about 2.5 seasons. Cunningham’s incredible play in 1998 edges Moon for the quarterback spot on this team.
Running back
Robert Smith
Robert Smith is one of the best running backs in franchise history. Once he got past a string of injuries and maladies (chicken pox!), he was great.
Fullback
Rick Fenney
Perhaps it’s the nature of the position he played but I feel like Rick Fenney has been forgotten over the years. The final two years of his career were 1990 and 1991. He was a very good fullback for all of his five years in Minnesota.
Receiver
Cris Carter
Randy Moss
Jake Reed
I’m including all three members of 3-Deep. Cris Carter and Randy Moss are two of the best receivers the league has ever seen. Jake Reed was an excellent big play compliment to Carter for several years. Then Moss joined the team.
Tight end
Steve Jordan
Steve Jordan’s best years were in the latter half of the 1980s. He still had a couple Pro Bowl seasons in the 1990s. Jordan is the best tight end in Vikings franchise history. His was a time in which the tight end position really began to emerge as an offensive weapon. He was one of the league’s best during that time.
Tackles
Gary Zimmerman
Korey Stringer
Gary Zimmerman’s best Vikings years were in the 1980s. He was still very good, if not great, from 1990-92. His protection of whichever quarterback was behind him always looked so effortless. That’s why he ended his career with a bust in Canton. The final three years of his Hall of Fame career edges the seven very good years of Todd Steussie for the left tackle spot on this team. Korey Stringer was a very good football player sadly taken far too soon.
Guards
Randall McDaniel
David Dixon
This is an easy one. Randal McDaniel is a Hall of Famer and one of the 2-3 best guards to ever play. David Dixon didn’t get a lot of attention outside of Minnesota but he was a bulldozing force in the run game.
Center
Jeff Christy
Following Mick Tingelhoff and Kirk Lowdermilk and preceding Matt Birk, Jeff Christy continued the Vikings long, strong center tradition.
Defense
Defensive ends
Chris Doleman
Al Noga
The first few years of the 1990s were the last few years of a great era of Vikings defense. Much of this All-Decade defense is made up of players that made those defenses great. Their peak years were the late 1980s but they still had a couple strong years in the 1990s. Al Noga is an example of that. He edges out Roy Barker, Fernando Smith, and a couple first round busts in Derrick Alexander and Duane Clemons. Chris Doleman was a offense-wrecking pass rusher throughout his 10-year Vikings career and 15-year NFL career. He was even great at 38 when he returned to the Vikings in 1999.
Defensive tackles
John Randle
Henry Thomas
John Randle is a Hall of Famer and one of the best players in franchise history. He was also one of the most fun players. Like Gary Larsen before him, Henry Thomas was a somewhat anonymous difference-maker on an outstanding defensive line.
Linebackers
Ed McDaniel
Jack Del Rio
Mike Merriweather
Ed McDaniel was a steady player and leader of the Vikings defense for much of the decade. Jack Del Rio was the middle linebacker from 1992-95. He was a solid player, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 1994. Those four years gets him the spot here. The Vikings acquired Mike Merriweather from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a first round pick on the eve of the 1988 NFL Draft. I was thrilled with the trade. I just wish that he wasn’t 29 at the time. He was an excellent linebacker for the Steelers. He was close to that player with the Vikings.
Cornerbacks
Carl Lee
DeWayne Washington
From 1988-90, Carl Lee was one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He wasn’t quite that player from 1991-93 but he still gets this spot over Corey Fuller and Jimmy Hitchcock. When DeWayne Washington was selected in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, it was the first time the Vikings selected a cornerback in the first round. He was an immediate starter as a rookie and played well for four years. Then he left in free agency. The Vikings should never have let that happen.
Safeties
Orlando Thomas
Robert Griffith
Orlando Thomas paced the league with nine interceptions as a rookie in 1995. He looked like he was going to be cornerstone player. He probably would’ve been if injuries hadn’t peppered his career and ultimately shortened it. In his seven years in Minnesota, he played 16 games twice. Thomas was a very good football player. He could’ve been a great football player. Robert Griffith was a steady player and team leader for eight years. He made one Pro Bowl but should’ve made more.
Kicker
Gary Anderson
Sadly, Gary Anderson will always be remembered for the kick he missed rather than all the kicks he made.
Punter
Mitch Berger
Mitch Berger was an excellent punter for the Vikings from 1996-2001. He made the Pro Bowl in 1999.
Returner
David Palmer
David Palmer was a fun, versatile player for the Vikings. I always felt that his talents could’ve been used a bit more. Perhaps a lot more.
***
It's a real shame that the Vikings defense that entered the 1990s couldn't have been combined with the offense that closed the 1990s.
