The Viking Age
FanSided

John Randle: ‘I’m reminded every day’ of Minnesota Vikings 1998 season

By Brad Omland

Jan 3, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; An Minnesota Vikings helmet during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Minnesota won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; An Minnesota Vikings helmet during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Minnesota won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Although seasons pass, the memory of the Minnesota Vikings improbable loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the 1998 playoffs doesn’t get better for John Randle.

Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle hasn’t played football for 14 years. But even as the seasons pass, one thing doesn’t get any easier for him – dealing with the memory of the 1998 NFC Championship game. With the Atlanta Falcons preparing for Super Bowl LI, the ghosts of seasons past re-emerge from the annals of Minnesota Vikings fans.

During a recent appearance as a guest on NBC Sports Radio’s Pro Football Talk with Mike Florio, Randle admitted that he still thinks about how close the Vikings could have been to winning the Super Bowl after a 15-1 regular season in 1998.

"“I’m reminded of it every day of the ’98 season,” Randle said."

To recount the game, the Falcons made a 13-point comeback to win 30-27 in overtime, which was the largest ever come-from-behind victory in a conference championship until 2012. Leading 27-20 with 2:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, kicker Gary Anderson missed a 38-yard field goal that would have put the game out of reach, his first miss of the season.

Before the Anderson miss, the Vikings had a near 100 percent chance to win the game. Minnesota became the first team to finish the season 15-1 and not appear in the Super Bowl. The game is one of the most memorable conference championship games in NFL playoff history. It is that sentiment that lingers with Randle.

"“When you are so close to something, you wish you could obtain it,” Randle said. “If we wouldn’t have made it so far in the playoffs, it wouldn’t have been as bad.”"

Although the loss still stings in Minnesota, Atlanta could provide the Vikings blueprint for success 20 years later.

More from The Viking Age

Like Anderson, Randle’s performance in the game didn’t live up to his All-Pro and Pro Bowl accolades he earned that season. Randle made only one tackle during the game before leaving with an injury. His inability to contribute wholly is likely why he doesn’t blame Anderson for the loss.

"“It wasn’t Gary’s fault,” Randle said. “If you look at it just as one play, there were several plays in which I could’ve been successful.”"

Randle played with the team through 2000 before joining the Seattle Seahawks for the final two seasons of his career. He appeared in seven Pro Bowls and was a six-time All-Pro player. The formerly undrafted Randle was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Next: A Bad Lip Reading of the NFL - 2017 edition

While there isn’t much to do about it now, players and fans still wonder what could have been.

Brad Omland is a contributor to The Viking Age. Follow him on Twitter: @bradradio.

Home/Minnesota Vikings News