The 12 Former Vikings Vying for a Super Bowl Berth This Sunday
Two tremendous games are on the NFL docket this weekend as the league dwindles to the final two teams vying for a Super Bowl. Both games take place on Sunday, January 29th.
Twelve former Minnesota Vikings players and coaches are associated with playoff football Sunday, and these are those men.
The 12 Former Vikings Vying for a Super Bowl Berth This Sunday
1. Blake Bell, TE (KC)
Tenure with Vikings: 2017
Bell played for the Vikings during the almost-storybook 2017 campaign. He arrived in Minnesota after two seasons in San Francisco and notched 3 catches as a Viking for 19 yards.
Now, he’s the Chiefs TE3 behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray.
2. Eric Bieniemy, OC (KC)
Tenure with Vikings: 2006-2010
The man who helped polish Adrian Peterson into a future Hall of Famer, Bieniemy has been Andy Reid’s trusty sidekick as offensive coordinator for five years.
He got his NFL coaching start in Minnesota, though.
3. Christian Elliss, LB (PHI)
Tenure with Vikings: A smidgen in 2021
The Vikings found Elliss via undrafted free agency in 2021 and kept him around for a few months. He’s now an Eagles special teamer.
4. Marcus Epps, S (PHI)
Tenure with Vikings: about 7 Months in 2019
Epps played eight games for the Vikings in 2019 — the last time Minnesota won a playoff game — and skedaddled to Philadelphia midseason.
He’s a full-time starting safety for the Eagles.
5. Jonathan Gannon, DC (PHI)
Tenure with Vikings: 2014-2017
This gent was the Vikings defensive backs coach at the start of the Mike Zimmer era, credited with developing Xavier Rhodes, Harrison Smith, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander, and Anthony Harris.
In 2022, Gannon’s defense ranks sixth in the NFL via defensive DVOA. For now, he’s kind of a “one that got away” talent, given Minnesota’s current plight on defense.
6. Linval Joseph, NT (PHI)
Tenure with Vikings: 2014-2019
Remember when the Vikings died? It was 2020, right after Linval Joseph and his pals departed via free agency. The Vikings defense hasn’t recovered after Joseph, Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Everson Griffen, etc., left.
Joseph latched onto the Eagles midseason in 2022 when injuries arose and now splits time with rookie Jordan Davis. That’s what The Big Goon does — makes an impact.
7. Greg Lewis, RBs Coach (KC)
Tenure with Vikings: 2009-2010
This is all you need to remember about Greg Lewis.
8. T.Y. McGill, DT (SF)
Tenure with Vikings: 2021, 2022
McGill was a Vikings 2022 preseason hero. The man played like a worldbeater in the 2022 preseason but didn’t survive summer roster cuts. He’s played 181 defensive snaps for the deadly 2022 49ers.
9. Jerick McKinnon, RB (KC)
Tenure with Vikings: 2014-2017
Minnesota utilized McKinnon in various RB2 capacities from 2014 to 2017, a scatback of sorts who experienced playing time when injuries to Adrian Peterson and Dalvin Cook arose. And at the time, it seemed McKinnon had the talent to serve as a full-time RB1, mainly because of his speed.
In the Chiefs last five regular season games of 2022, McKinnon chipped off 7 receiving touchdowns — yes, you read that right; a running back with 7 receiving touchdowns in 5 games — and became the go-to commodity for Andy Reid and Co.
10-12: Practice Squad Dudes
These players are practice squad contributors in action on Sunday and probably won’t play. But they’d get a ring, nevertheless, if their team hoists a Lombardi:
- Jake Browning (QB, Bengals)
- Anthony Harris (S, Eagles)
- Ihmir Smith-Marsette (WR, Chiefs)
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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