The Most Underrated Viking Great Of All Time...

I thought Palmer was a great “punt returner” . In the mid nineties that was what almost everyone thought he was. Maybe I’m confused 

The list of greats drafted after he was? Yeah, that happens 

I wrote this before in another thread, but the player that pretty much made me a Vikings fan is also a bit of an overlooked/underrated Viking, especially at the position he played: Anthony Carter, or "AC".

When some "newer" Viking fans think of great Viking WR's, they might start at Chris Carter and/or Randy Moss and go from there to Percy Harvin (maybe), Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen and then Justin Jefferson...and some "older" Viking fans might think of the Ahmad Rashad/Sammy White days of the late 70's/early 80's...

...but "AC" bridged the end of the Bud Grant era to the Denny Green era in the late 80's/early 90's when Jerry Burns was the HC and you could make a reasonable argument that AC was the Vikings most dangerous/valuable offensive weapon in that timeframe.

After breaking receiving/return records as a 2X All-American at Michigan, he chose to start his pro career in the USFL and his tremendous 1983 rookie season helped propel the Michigan Panthers to the USFL championship. He made All-USFL 2X before being traded from the Dolphins (who held his draft rights) to Minnesota and he immediately made an impact in the NFL, leaing the Vikings in receptions in 5 of his first 6 seasons with the team (before Chris Carter came on the scene) and was a 3X Pro Bowler (back when the Pro Bowl meant something).

It was the 1987 postseason and his 10 reception, 227 yd performance at San Francisco (at the height of the Walsh/Montana/Rice era) where I became a Vikings fan...

...but outside of that performance in San Francisco in the Divisional Round, AC's all-around records in that 1987 postseason are still standing today:

- Most All Purpose Yards in a single postseason: 642 (1987)
- Most Punt Return Yards in a single postseason: 221 (1987)

The 1987 season was the last time the Vikings won 2 road playoff games (at New Orleans in the Wild Card Round and at San Francisco in the Divisional Round) and AC was a big reason why...

Before "The Griddy"....before Stefon's "miracle" in the 2017 Divisional Rd vs New Orleans...before "Three Wide"...

...there was simply "AC"...

For nomination:

Keith Millard is on the NFL HoF ALL-1980s team, but he is not in the HoF as a player. He is the Tony Oliva of the NFL, and was the Aaron Donald of his era before his catastrophic knee injury against Tampa Bay in 1990. He was 2x 1st team All Pro and 1x second team All Pro in his 5 full NFL seasons. He also dominated in the USFL. He was NFL defensive player of the year once and 2nd in defensive player of the year once. He was also top 5 in MVP votes twice. Again, this all in 5 years before his career destructing injury.


Joey Browner is on the NFL HoF ALL-1980s team, but he is not in the HoF as a player. 6x Pro Bowl 3x All Pro 1st team 1x All Pro 2nd team
When he was playing healthy, GI Joey with the Kung Fu Grip was dominant in the NFL - first on special teams and then as a full time safety.


Matt Blair was a 6x Pro Bowl player and 1x All Pro 1x second team All Pro. Matt Blair was not only a great player on some substandard Vikings teams, but he was also a leader of men. Matt Blair was one the the NFLs best special teams players as a kick blocking specialist.


John Gilliam was a 4x Pro Bowl and 2nd team All Pro receiver for the Vikings. He is the best Vikings receiver that younger Vikings fans have never seen play and know little about. If Gilliam had started his career with Minnesota rather than the expansion Saints and often awful Cardinals teams, Gilliam would be much better known and respected as a top early-era Minnesota Vikings and NFL player.

The question is: was he better than what he was recognized for?

Some players don't get full recognition or honors because they had short careers or were on bad teams or teams that faltered in the playoffs.

How great was this?. I vaguely remember talk of doing a trade with the Dolphins. Can’t imagine where

We’re going to win!




No, we’re not going to win