1. Offseason
    1972 Draft 

2. Roster

3. Preseason

4. Regular season
    Schedule  Game Summaries  Week 11 at Steelers  Standings 

5. Awards, records, and honors
    All-Pros  Pro Bowlers  League leaders 

6. Statistics
    Team leaders  League rankings 

7. References

The 1972 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 12th in the National Football League. It marked the return of Fran Tarkenton to the Vikings after he had been traded to the New York Giants in 1967. In return, Minnesota sent three players to the Giants (Norm Snead, Bob Grim and Vince Clements), plus a first and second round draft choice.^[1] Tarkenton's return also led to the previous season's QB, Gary Cuozzo, being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in a deal which sent wide receiver John Gilliam to the Vikings along with second- and fourth-round draft picks in 1973.^[2] Cardinals coach Bob Hollway was familiar with Cuozzo, having served as Minnesota's defensive coordinator under Bud Grant prior to leaving for St. Louis in 1971.

The Vikings finished with a record of seven wins and seven losses and failed to improve on their 11–3 record from 1971. This would be one of only two times during the 1970s in which the Vikings failed to reach the playoffs, as they would win the NFC Central six straight years from 1973–1978 before posting a 7–9 record in 1979. The Vikings started the season with just one win in their first four games, including a surprising 19-17 loss to the lightly-regarded Cardinals in week four, when Gary Cuozzo bested his former team as Vikings kicker Fred Cox hit the upright on a potential game-winning field goal. The team recovered from their slow start, winning five of their next six to sit at 6–4. However, the Vikings would lose three of their final four games to finish the season at an even 7–7.

Offseason

1972 Draft

^{{{note|Patriots trade|[a]}}} Minnesota received New England's 1st round selection (10th overall), CB John Charles, and cash as compensation for free agent QB Joe Kapp.

^{{{note|Giants trade|[b]}}} Minnesota traded their 1st round selection (24th overall), 1973 2nd round selection (40th overall), QB Norm Snead, WR Bob Grim, and RB Vince Clements to the Giants for QB Fran Tarkenton.

^{{{note|Packers trade|[c]}}} Green Bay traded their 3rd round selection (59th overall) to Minnesota for QB Zeke Bratkowski.

^{{{note|Eagles trade|[d]}}} Minnesota traded their 3rd round selection (76th overall), 1971 2nd round selection (50th overall), 1971 6th round selection (154th overall), and OL Steve Smith to Philadelphia for QB Norm Snead.

^{{{note|Broncos trade|[e]}}} Minnesota traded their 4th round selection (102nd overall) and CB John Charles to Denver for WR Al Denson.

^{{{note|Rams trade|[f]}}} Minnesota traded their 5th round selection (128th overall) to Los Angeles for CB Ted Provost.

^{{{note|Dolphins pick|[g]}}} Minnesota originally chose 180th overall but passed allowing Miami to move up and Minnesota to choose 181st overall.

Roster

• None.

• None.

Preseason

Regular season

Schedule

Game Summaries

Week 11 at Steelers

• MIN – Fred Cox 24-yard field goal. Vikings 3–0.
• PIT – Franco Harris 12-yard run (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 7–0.

• No scoring plays.

• PIT – Roy Gerela 17-yard field goal. Steelers 10–3.

• MIN – Stu Voigt 5-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Tied 10–10.
• PIT – Terry Bradshaw 1-yard run (kick blocked). Steelers 16–10.
• PIT – Frank Lewis 17-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 23–10.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 24/43, 235 yards, TD, INT
• PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 7/19, 93 yards, TD, INT

• MIN – Oscar Reed – 16 rushes, 56 yards
• PIT – Franco Harris – 17 rushes, 128 yards, TD

• MIN – Ed Marinaro – 9 receptions, 62 yards
• PIT – Ron Shanklin – 2 receptions, 52 yards

Pittsburgh came into the game 5–0 at home for the season, while Minnesota was riding a four-game win streak. It was quite windy in the stadium at gametime, as the ball blew off the tee twice during the opening kickoff. Once it was kicked, the Vikings began with a good return to their own 45-yard line, but went 3-and-out. They got the ball back quickly on the Steelers' opening drive, as John Fuqua fumbled the ball on a bad exchange, recovered by Carl Eller at the Pittsburgh 20. The possession led to a 24-yard field goal after Minnesota only gained three yards. The Vikings followed with a low kickoff due to the wind conditions, and Pittsburgh started again from their own 48, but punted without a first down. The Vikings got the game rolling in an unusual way, extending their possession when Ed Marinaro fumbled a catch and teammate John Gilliam ran it across the 50-yard line. Despite a good drive, the Vikings were held scoreless after failing to gain a foot on a fourth down attempt at the 8. The Steelers then punted again, and late in the first quarter got a turnover at the Vikings' 12 when Bill Brown fumbled. Franco Harris scored untouched on the next play.

The Vikings continued their miscues in the second quarter, as their possession stalled with penalties and the snap was bobbled on the punt, although punter Mike Eischeid performed a fantastic improvised punt while scrambling. It began raining at this point, and after a Steelers punt, the Vikings drove all the way to the 4-yard line, only to settle for a bobbled field goal attempt for a turnover. The Steelers gave it back on an interception by Charlie West, but a field goal attempt by the Vikings from 50 missed badly. The half ended with the Steelers holding a 7–3 lead despite the Vikings holding a 140–84 edge in total yards.

The second half started with a Steelers punt, and then a Vikings punt which the Steelers fumbled at their own 47 after a good return. The Vikings recovered and drove to the 7-yard line but, incredibly, they again bobbled a field goal attempt and again failed to gain any points. On the following Steelers possession, they hit on a big play with a swing pass to Ron Shanklin, which went from their own 39 to the Vikings 19 and set up a field goal. The teams each traded punts twice, until the Vikings neared the goal line again on a 63-yard catch-and-run by John Gilliam. They finally found the end zone with the next play on a swing pass to tight end Stu Voigt, tying the score at 10–10 with about nine minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The Steelers quickly responded with a 61-yard Franco Harris run to the 1, giving Harris 100-plus rushing yards for the fifth consecutive game. The Steelers scored with a QB sneak by Terry Bradshaw on the following play. The extra point was blocked, and the Steelers led 16–10. They quickly got the ball back, taking Minnesota's punt to the Vikings 39, but were held to a missed field goal attempt. The Vikings then took their last meaningful shot, but failed on fourth down at their own 29. The Steelers then sealed the game with a touchdown catch by Frank Lewis, making the final 23–10.

Standings

Awards, records, and honors

All-Pros

First Team

• OT Ron Yary (AP)

Second Team

• OT Ron Yary (NEA-2, PFWA-2)
• DE Carl Eller (AP-2)
• DT Alan Page (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2)
• S Paul Krause (AP-2)

Pro Bowlers

• WR John Gilliam
• OT Ron Yary
• DT Alan Page
• FS Paul Krause

League leaders

• John Gilliam – Yards per reception (22.0)

Statistics

Team leaders

League rankings

References

• Vertidraco
• Vertige
• Vertiginous question
• Vertigo 2005: Live from Milan
• Vertigo (album)
• Vertigo bird
• Vertigo (book)
• Vertigo (Cedar Point)
• VertiGo (Cedar Point)
• Vertigo (dance company)
• VertiGo (Knott's Berry Farm)
• Vertigo (Mini Mansions Song)
• Vertigo moravica
• Vertigon
• Vertigo (novel)
• Vertigo pseudosubstriata
• Vertigo ultimathule
• Vertigo (UMG)
• Vertigo (wordless novel)
• Vertikal
• Vertikal II
• Vertillum
• Vertinskaya (disambiguation)
• Vertis
• Vertisal