Dec 11, 1976; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Minnesota Vikings head coach Bud Grant on the sidelines against the Miami Dolphins at the Orange Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports.
Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant passed away on March 11th, 2023, at the age of 95.
This week, the Minnesota Vikings announced a celebration of life ceremony for May 21st, a Sunday, at noon CST. Tickets are free, and all Vikings fans are encouraged to attend the event at U.S. Bank Stadium, the home of the Vikings.
You can reserve seats here.
The celebration, aptly titled Bud Grant — He Did It His Way, is described by the Vikings, “A free public celebration of Grant’s life will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, May 21. Speakers, panel discussions and memorial videos will pay tribute to the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and honor his contributions to the region as an avid outdoorsman, supporter of veterans and legendary athlete and coach.”
“Entry to U.S. Bank Stadium for the event will be through the Legacy Gate on the West end of the stadium. All tickets are digital and doors will open at 11:00 AM. For any questions, please contact the Minnesota Vikings Ticket Office at 612-338-4537 or email customerservice@vikings.nfl.net,” the team’s website added.
Grant took over the Vikings in 1967, six years after the team’s creation, and created a profound NFL franchise from an average-to-bad one. The 19th-winningest coach in the history of professional football, Grant won 62.1% of games, a mark exactly equivalent to Joe Gibbs of Washington Commanders fame. From 1967 to 1985, the Vikings were 158-96-5 in Grant’s tenure.
Before becoming the Vikings frontman, Grant coached the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1957 to 1966, winning four Grey Cups and tabulating a 102–56–2 (.644) record. Seven years prior, Grant played basketball for the Minneapolis Lakers and even won a championship in the 1950 season. He switched to football in 1951, playing for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1951 and 1952. Grant also played for the aforementioned Blue Bombers from 1953 to 1956 before taking the Blue Bombers head coaching job.
Grant governed the famous Purple People Eaters Vikings defense in the late 1960s and the entirety of the 1970s. In the six seasons before Grant’s arrival to the Vikings, Minnesota was the league’s sixth-worst franchise with a .369 win percentage. On his watch, that climbed to fifth-best (.632). When he was gone from the Vikings for good, the franchise became the ninth-best organization from 1986 to present with a .551 win percentage.
Mark it on our calendar — May 21st, noon, U.S. Bank Stadium — and reserve free tickets.
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.