‘Primetime Purple’ Back for Vikings

'Primetime Purple' Back for Vikings
Harrison Smith

Formerly called “Color Rush” uniforms, the Minnesota Vikings are breaking out their alternate, snazzy uniforms on December 9th.

The uniforms have only been worn a handful of times – usually against the Dallas Cowboys for some reason – and they’ll be back for Thursday Night Football versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14.

Purple is the primary color for the uniforms, hence the moniker Primetime Purple. But the numbers are colored in gold – and that’s what makes the jerseys pop. Compared to most franchises, the Vikings throwback or alternate threads are fairly tame in terms of rocking the boat.

The Vikings helmets have remained constant for 61 years, only adjusting the tint and gloss of the purple according to era. Yet, when the gold numbers and letters break out, it feels a wee bit special. Minnesota doesn’t have an “old logo” like the New England Patriots or Denver Broncos, whose logos fundamentally changed decades ago.

Minnesota travels to Detroit this Sunday for a date with the Lions, a winless team through 12 weeks. The Lions tied the Steelers a couple of weeks ago, and that was the highlight of their season. And, to be sure, Detroit nearly upset the Vikings in early October. But Kirk Cousins and Greg Joseph saved the day at U.S. Bank Stadium on that afternoon.

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

So, the Vikings record could either be 6-6 or 5-7 heading home to take on Pittsburgh in the primetime purple. If Mike Zimmer’s team somehow loses at Detroit, all hope for a 2021 playoff appearance will die, and Zimmer’s hot seat will scorch.

However, if Minnesota does its job in Michigan, it is right in the thick of things for the NFC wildcard sixth or seventh seed. The Washington Football Team dropped the lowly Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, so the Vikings fell out of the seventh seed, at least for a week. Minnesota currently resides in the eighth seed. Washington plays Las Vegas in Week 13.

After the NFC North bout with Detroit, the Vikings enter primetime against the Steelers – another waywardly inconsistent team. Ben Roethlisberger is a shell of his youthful self, but head coach Mike Tomlin – with those proverbial ties to the Vikings – never allows his squad to be a bad football team. Thanks to defense and some theatrics from rookie running back Najee Harris, the Steelers own a 5-5-1 record through 11 games, basically the Vikings record.

The Steelers have not played a football game in the state of Minnesota since 2005. The last time the two teams dueled in a Vikings home game, the venue was across the pond in London during the 2013 season.

Therefore, Vikings football on December 9th will feel a little goofy – the Vikings will wear seldom-worn jerseys while hosting the Steelers for the first time in 16 years.

The Vikings haven’t toppled the Steelers in a true home game since 1986.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

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