1. Offseason
    1973 Draft 

2. Roster

3. Preseason

4. Regular season
    Schedule  Game summaries  Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders  Week 2: at Chicago Bears  Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers  Week 4: at Detroit Lions  Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers  Week 6: vs. Philadelphia Eagles  Week 7: vs. Los Angeles Rams  Week 8: vs. Cleveland Browns  Week 9: vs. Detroit Lions  Week 10: at Atlanta Falcons  Week 11: vs. Chicago Bears  Week 12: at Cincinnati Bengals  Week 13: at Green Bay Packers  Week 14: at New York Giants  Standings 

5. Playoffs
    NFC Divisional Playoff  NFC Championship Game  Super Bowl VIII 

6. Statistics
    Team leaders  League rankings 

7. References

8. External links

The 1973 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 13th in the National Football League. With a 12–2 record, the Vikings regained the NFC Central title after having gone 7–7 the previous year. They started the season 9–0 and looked a threat to the previous year's Dolphins' record of a perfect season before losing to the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals in their next three games. Their narrow 10–9 win over the Los Angeles Rams constituted the last time until 1997 that the last two unbeaten NFL teams played each other.^[1]

The Vikings defeated the Washington Redskins 27–20 in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at home and went on to upset the Dallas Cowboys 27–10 in Irving, Texas to win the NFC Championship, before losing 24–7 to the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VIII at Rice Stadium in Houston.

Offseason

1973 Draft

^{{{note|Cardinals trade|[a]}}} The Vikings traded quarterback Gary Cuozzo to St. Louis in exchange for St. Louis' second- and fourth-round selections (34th and 89th overall) and wide receiver John Gilliam.

^{{{note|Giants trade|[b]}}} The Vikings traded their second-round selection (40th overall), 1972 first-round selection (24th overall), quarterback Norm Snead, wide receiver Bob Grim and running back Vince Clements to the New York Giants for quarterback Fran Tarkenton.

^{{{note|Eagles trade|[c]}}} The Vikings traded quarterback Bill Cappleman to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's fourth-round selection (80th overall).

^{{{note|Cardinals trade 2|[d]}}} The Vikings traded their fourth-round selection (89th overall), linebacker Mike McGill and defensive back Dale Hackbart to St. Louis for tight end Bob Brown and cornerback Nate Wright.

^{{{note|Chiefs trade|[e]}}} The Vikings traded their fourth-round selection (89th overall) to Kansas City in exchange for punter Mike Eischeid.

^{{{note|Saints trade|[f]}}} The Vikings traded tight end Bob Brown to New Orleans in exchange for New Orleans' sixth-round selection (139th overall) and 1974 fourth-round selection (86th overall).

^{{{note|Eagles trade 2|[g]}}} The Vikings traded linebacker Bill Cody to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's tenth-round selection (236th overall).

^{{{note|Winfield|[h]}}} Following college, Dave Winfield was drafted by four teams in three different sports. The San Diego Padres selected him as an outfielder with the fourth overall pick in the 1973 Major League Baseball draft. In basketball, both the Atlanta Hawks (NBA) and the Utah Stars (ABA) drafted him. Although he never played college football, the Minnesota Vikings selected Winfield in the 17th round of the NFL draft. He is currently one of three players ever to be drafted by three professional sports (the others being Dave Logan and Mickey McCarty).^[2]

Roster

Preseason

Regular season

Schedule

• Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders

• MIN – Fred Cox 22-yard field goal. Vikings 3–0.
• MIN – John Gilliam 43-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 10–0.

• OAK – George Blanda 16-yard field goal. Vikings 10–3.
• OAK – George Blanda 25-yard field goal. Vikings 10–6.
• OAK – George Atkinson 63-yard punt return (George Blanda kick). Raiders 13–10.

• OAK – George Blanda 9-yard field goal. Raiders 16–10.
• MIN – Chuck Foreman 9-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–16.

• MIN – Bill Brown 6-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–16.

• OAK – Daryle Lamonica – 13/30, 183 yards
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 13/31, 187 yards, 2 TD

• OAK – Clarence Davis – 12 rushes, 73 yards
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 6 rushes, 27 yards

• OAK – Mike Siani – 6 receptions, 111 yards
• MIN – John Gilliam – 4 receptions, 90 yards, TD

Week 2: at Chicago Bears

• CHI – Bobby Douglass 1-yard run (Mac Percival kick). Bears 7–0.

• CHI – Mac Percival 31-yard field goal. Bears 10–0.
• MIN – Fred Cox 41-yard field goal. Bears 10–3.
• MIN – John Beasley 3-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Tied 10–10.
• MIN – Fred Cox 25-yard field goal. Vikings 13–10.

• None.

• MIN – Fred Cox 14-yard field goal. Vikings 16–10.
• MIN – Fred Cox 11-yard field goal. Vikings 19–10.
• CHI – Mac Percival 12-yard field goal. Vikings 19–13.
• MIN – Fred Cox 35-yard field goal. Vikings 22–13.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 12/18, 189 yards, TD
• CHI – Bobby Douglass – 10/19, 184 yards

• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 16 rushes, 116 yards
• CHI – Carl Garrett – 25 rushes, 90 yards

• MIN – Carroll Dale – 2 receptions, 53 yards
• CHI – Craig Cotton – 3 receptions, 88 yards

Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers

• None.

• GB – Chester Marcol 42-yard field goal. Packers 3–0.
• MIN – MacArthur Lane tackled in end zone for a safety. Packers 3–2.
• MIN – Fred Cox 22-yard field goal. Vikings 5–3.

• MIN – Fred Cox 13-yard field goal. Vikings 8–3.

• MIN – Fred Cox 14-yard field goal. Vikings 11–3.

• GB – Scott Hunter – 3/6, 44 yards
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 12/16, 109 yards

• GB – John Brockington – 14 rushes, 58 yards
• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 16 rushes, 89 yards

• GB – MacArthur Lane – 3 receptions, 36 yards
• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 5 receptions, 62 yards

Week 4: at Detroit Lions

• MIN – Ed Marinaro 12-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–0.
• MIN – Ed Marinaro 8-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 14–0.
• DET – Errol Mann 37-yard field goal. Vikings 14–3.

• DET – Errol Mann 15-yard field goal. Vikings 14–6.
• MIN – Fred Cox 38-yard field goal. Vikings 17–6.
• MIN – Fred Cox 37-yard field goal. Vikings 20–6.

• DET – Errol Mann 33-yard field goal. Vikings 20–9.

• MIN – Fred Cox 27-yard field goal. Vikings 23–9.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 17/24, 199 yards, 2 TD
• DET – Greg Landry – 14/24, 110 yards

• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 16 rushes, 114 yards
• DET – Mel Farr – 11 rushes, 52 yards

• MIN – John Gilliam – 5 receptions, 79 yards
• DET – Mel Farr – 11 receptions, 85 yards

Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers

• MIN – John Gilliam 12-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–0.
• SF – Bruce Gossett 28-yard field goal. Vikings 7–3.

• MIN – Chuck Foreman 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 14–3.
• SF – Bruce Gossett 41-yard field goal. Vikings 14–6.

• SF – Ken Willard 7-yard pass from Steve Spurrier (Bruce Gossett kick). Vikings 14–13.

• MIN – Fred Cox 22-yard field goal. Vikings 17–13.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 10/22, 136 yards, TD
• SF – Steve Spurrier – 31/48, 320 yards, TD

• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 22 rushes, 71 yards, TD
• SF – Ken Willard – 10 rushes, 52 yards

• MIN – John Gilliam – 7 receptions, 107 yards, TD
• SF – Gene Washington – 8 receptions, 118 yards

Week 6: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

• MIN – John Gilliam 44-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–0.

• MIN – Oscar Reed 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 14–0.
• PHI – Po James 12-yard run (Tom Dempsey kick). Vikings 14–7.

• MIN – John Gilliam 24-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 21–7.
• PHI – Lee Bouggess 2-yard run (Tom Dempsey kick). Vikings 21–14.

• MIN – Chuck Foreman 5-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 28–14.
• PHI – Charle Young 17-yard run (Tom Dempsey kick). Vikings 28–21.

• PHI – Roman Gabriel – 23/32, 201 yards
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 16/21, 202 yards, TD

• PHI – Po James – 11 rushes, 78 yards, TD
• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 21 rushes, 68 yards, TD

• PHI – Charle Young – 6 receptions, 86 yards
• MIN – John Gilliam – 6 receptions, 116 yards, TD

Week 7: vs. Los Angeles Rams

• MIN – Fred Cox 15-yard field goal. Vikings 3–0.

• MIN – Chuck Foreman 9-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 10–0.
• LA – David Ray 30-yard field goal. Vikings 10–3.

• LA – David Ray 35-yard field goal. Vikings 10–6.

• LA – David Ray 47-yard field goal. Vikings 10–9.

• LA – John Hadl – 10/20, 87 yards
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 8/16, 91 yards, TD

• LA – Larry Smith – 16 rushes, 63 yards
• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 23 rushes, 86 yards

• LA – Jim Bertelsen – 4 receptions, 41 yards
• MIN – Stu Voigt – 3 receptions, 40 yards

Week 8: vs. Cleveland Browns

• CLE – Don Cockroft 27-yard field goal. Browns 3–0.
• MIN – Fred Cox 16-yard field goal. Tied 3–3.

• MIN – Fred Cox 23-yard field goal. Vikings 6–3.
• MIN – Fred Cox 33-yard field goal. Vikings 9–3.

• MIN – Oscar Reed 3-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 16–3.

• MIN – Stu Voigt 7-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 23–3.
• MIN – Fred Cox 41-yard field goal. Vikings 26–3.

• CLE – Mike Phipps – 10/20, 82 yards
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 13/22, 166 yards, TD

• CLE – Ken Brown – 7 rushes, 25 yards
• MIN – Oscar Reed – 22 rushes, 79 yards, TD

• CLE – Frank Pitts – 4 receptions, 36 yards
• MIN – Ed Marinaro – 6 receptions, 65 yards

Week 9: vs. Detroit Lions

• DET – Ron Jessie 33-yard pass from Bill Munson (Jim O'Brien kick). Lions 7–0.
• MIN – Bill Brown 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Tied 7–7.

• MIN – Wally Hilgenberg 2-yard fumble return (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 14–7.

• MIN – Ed Marinaro 7-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 21–7.
• MIN – John Gilliam 33-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 28–7.

• None.

• DET – Bill Munson – 16/34, 152 yards, TD
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 11/15, 177 yards, TD

• DET – Altie Taylor – 9 rushes, 49 yards
• MIN – Bill Brown – 19 rushes, 101 yards, TD

• DET – Ron Jessie – 5 receptions, 71 yards, TD
• MIN – John Gilliam – 5 receptions, 129 yards, TD

Week 10: at Atlanta Falcons

• None.

• ATL – Nick Mike-Mayer 25-yard field goal. Falcons 3–0.
• MIN – John Gilliam 39-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–3.
• ATL – Dave Hampton 19-yard pass from Bob Lee (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 10–7.
• ATL – Eddie Ray 39-yard pass from Bob Lee (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 17–7.

• ATL – Nick Mike-Mayer 49-yard field goal. Falcons 20–7.

• MIN – Bill Brown 2-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 20–14.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 17/30, 214 yards, 2 TD
• ATL – Bob Lee – 11/23, 171 yards, 2 TD

• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 9 rushes, 38 yards
• ATL – Dave Hampton – 23 rushes, 108 yards

• MIN – John Gilliam – 4 receptions, 97 yards, TD
• ATL – Dave Hampton – 3 receptions, 55 yards, TD

Week 11: vs. Chicago Bears

• MIN – Fred Cox 41-yard field goal. Vikings 3–0.
• CHI – Mirro Roder 43-yard field goal. Tied 3–3.

• MIN – Chuck Foreman 2-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 10–3.

• CHI – Mirro Roder 24-yard field goal. Vikings 10–6.
• MIN – John Gilliam 54-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–6.
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton 8-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–6.

• MIN – John Gilliam 30-yard pass from Bob Berry (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 31–6.
• CHI – Earl Thomas 29-yard pass from Gary Huff (Mirro Roder kick). Vikings 31–13.

• CHI – Gary Huff – 6/8, 65 yards, TD
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 11/15, 161 yards, TD

• CHI – Joe Moore – 24 rushes, 75 yards
• MIN – Oscar Reed – 12 rushes, 97 yards

• CHI – Earl Thomas – 3 receptions, 43 yards, TD
• MIN – John Gilliam – 5 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TD

The day of this game was declared "Karl Kassulke Day" in honor of former Viking safety Karl Kassulke, who was left paralyzed in a motorcycle accident just before the beginning of training camp.^[5]

Week 12: at Cincinnati Bengals

• None.

• CIN – Horst Muhlmann 22-yard field goal. Bengals 3–0.
• CIN – Lemar Parrish 23-yard fumble return (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 10–0.

• CIN – Essex Johnson 40-yard run (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 17–0.
• CIN – Horst Muhlmann 38-yard field goal. Bengals 20–0.

• CIN – Bob Trumpy 7-yard pass from Ken Anderson (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 27–0.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 11/18, 73 yards
• CIN – Ken Anderson – 12/17, 105 yards, TD

• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 11 rushes, 38 yards
• CIN – Essex Johnson – 9 rushes, 79 yards, TD

• MIN – Oscar Reed – 5 receptions, 30 yards
• CIN – Bob Trumpy – 4 receptions, 37 yards, TD

Week 13: at Green Bay Packers

• MIN – Stu Voigt 21-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–0.
• MIN – Bobby Bryant 46-yard interception return (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 14–0.

• MIN – Chuck Foreman 50-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 21–0.
• MIN – John Gilliam 20-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 28–0.

• MIN – Fred Cox 15-yard field goal. Vikings 31–0.

• GB – Barry Smith 17-yard pass from Jim Del Gaizo (Chester Marcol kick). Vikings 31–7.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 8/12, 79 yards, 2 TD
• GB – Jerry Tagge – 10/25, 98 yards

• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 19 rushes, 100 yards, TD
• GB – John Brockington – 27 rushes, 124 yards

• MIN – John Gilliam – 2 receptions, 33 yards, TD
• GB – Barry Smith – 4 receptions, 55 yards, TD

Week 14: at New York Giants

• MIN – Oscar Reed 9-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–0.

• MIN – Fred Cox 22-yard field goal. Vikings 10–0.
• MIN – Terry Brown 63-yard interception return (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–0.

• None.

• MIN – Bill Brown 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–0.
• NYG – Ron Johnson 16-yard pass from Randy Johnson (Pete Gogolak kick). Vikings 24–7.
• MIN – Ed Marinaro 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 31–7.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 10/14, 130 yards
• NYG – Randy Johnson – 5/13, 89 yards, TD

• MIN – Dave Osborn – 9 rushes, 72 yards
• NYG – Ron Johnson – 23 rushes, 90 yards

• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 2 receptions, 28 yards
• NYG – Bob Grim – 2 receptions, 54 yards

Standings

Playoffs

NFC Divisional Playoff

• None.

• MIN – Fred Cox 19-yard field goal. Vikings 3–0.
• WAS – Larry Brown 3-yard run (Curt Knight kick). Redskins 7–3.

• MIN – Bill Brown 2-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 10–7.
• WAS – Curt Knight 52-yard field goal. Tied 10–10.

• WAS – Curt Knight 42-yard field goal. Redskins 13–10.
• MIN – John Gilliam 28-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–13.
• MIN – John Gilliam 6-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–13.
• WAS – Roy Jefferson 28-yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick). Vikings 24–20.
• MIN – Fred Cox 30-yard field goal. Vikings 27–20.

• WAS – Billy Kilmer – 13/24, 159 yards, TD
• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 16/28, 222 yards, 2 TD

• WAS – Larry Brown – 29 rushes, 115 yards, TD
• MIN – Oscar Reed – 17 rushes, 95 yards

• WAS – Roy Jefferson – 6 receptions, 84 yards, TD
• MIN – Oscar Reed – 5 receptions, 76 yards

NFC Championship Game

• MIN – Fred Cox 44-yard field goal. Vikings 3–0.

• MIN – Chuck Foreman 5-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 10–0.

• DAL – Golden Richards 63-yard punt return (Toni Fritsch kick). Vikings 10–7.
• MIN – John Gilliam 54-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–7.
• DAL – Toni Fritsch 17-yard field goal. Vikings 17–10.

• MIN – Bobby Bryant 63-yard interception return (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–10.
• MIN – Fred Cox 34-yard field goal. Vikings 27–10.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 10/21, 133 yards, TD
• DAL – Roger Staubach – 10/21, 89 yards

• MIN – Chuck Foreman – 19 rushes, 76 yards, TD
• DAL – Robert Newhouse – 14 rushes, 50 yards

• MIN – John Gilliam – 2 receptions, 63 yards, TD
• DAL – Bob Hayes – 2 receptions, 25 yards

Super Bowl VIII

• MIA – Larry Csonka 5-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). Dolphins 7–0.
• MIA – Jim Kiick 1-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). Dolphins 14–0.

• MIA – Garo Yepremian 28-yard field goal. Dolphins 17–0.

• MIA – Larry Csonka 2-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). Dolphins 24–0.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton 4-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Dolphins 24–7.

• MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 18/28, 182 yards
• MIA – Bob Griese – 6/7, 73 yards

• MIN – Oscar Reed – 11 rushes, 32 yards
• MIA – Larry Csonka – 33 rushes, 145 yards, 2 TD

• MIN – Stu Voigt – 3 receptions, 46 yards
• MIA – Paul Warfield – 2 receptions, 33 yards

Statistics

Team leaders

League rankings

References

External links

• Team roster

• US Marshal
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