Minnesota Vikings: Can they win one for Bud Grant?

The Minnesota Vikings have yet to win a Super Bowl, but can they do so before their legendary head coach Bud Grant isn’t alive to see it happen?

I’m old enough to have witnessed Bud Grant’s stern presence pacing the sidelines of a frozen Metropolitan stadium. Shortly after that moment in my young Vikings fandom, the team moved into the Metrodome. Bud Grant only coached two more seasons before deciding to retire, a retirement that would be interrupted by the horrendous Les Steckel year. The Vikings finished 3-13 that year and Bud Grant agreed to come back and coach for one more season before turning the team over to the always colorful Jerry Burns.

Related Story: Bud Grant's 2016 garage sale

All these years later, Bud Grant is still clearly the face of the Minnesota Vikings. With the unfortunate passing of Prince, I started thinking  – what living figure do we still have that defines Minnesota. Musically there’s still Bob Dylan, but Dylan left, he didn’t stay in the same way that Prince did. So then I thought about Bud Grant. While he was born in Superior, Wisconsin, he graduated from the University of Minnesota, led the Vikings to all four of their Super Bowls, and still humbly lives in Minneapolis.

I don’t know of anyone else that can have a garage sale and garner national attention like Bud Grant. I understand we are in the off-season, but when Peter King writes about it and makes mention that he hopes to attend next year’s annual Bud Grant garage sale, you know it’s a big deal. My own mother who is not much of a sports fan, called me at work to see if I knew that Bud Grant was having a garage sale and signing autographs. She knows how much this team and that coach in particular mean to me. Unfortunately I was unable to make it over this year and I hope I don’t regret it.

Bud Grant recently turned 89 so you have to think these moments are limited. Which brings me to winning one for Bud. The time is now. We have the right coach, a Bud Grant type, in coach Zimmer.

Fans went crazy when Bud Grant walked out onto the field for the ceremonial coin flip during the Wild Card playoff game against the Seahawks. With a temp of -6, Bud Grant strolled out in a short sleeve Vikings polo – classic Bud Grant, well into his 80’s. While the rest of us in the stands were bundled from head-to-toe, Bud Grant made a statement and it damn near took (oh Walsh, we forgive you).

I’ve always joked with my family and friends that I will not die peacefully until I witness the Vikings winning a Super Bowl. I have to think that deep down, Bud Grant feels the same way. Even though he hasn’t coached this team in three decades, he’s always been there in some kind of capacity. While not used much at all, there’s still an office at Winter Park with Coach Grant’s name on it, the same one he used while coaching the team for 18 years.

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Now imagine Coach Zimmer hoisting the Lombardi trophy at the podium moments after winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history. I can see him pointing to Bud Grant, motioning for him to come stand right next to him. That classic Bud Grant firm look would be replaced with a smile as coach Zimmer places the once elusive trophy in his hands and says “This one’s for you Bud!”