A pair of receiving greats to be inducted into the Vikings’ Ring of Honor this season
By Adam Patrick
Former Minnesota Vikings, Randy Moss and Ahmad Rashad, will be added to the team’s Ring of Honor at some point during the upcoming NFL season.
For many who have watched the Minnesota Vikings during the past three decades, there has been one wide receiver that has stood out like a sore thumb among those in his position group. After being selected in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Vikings, Randy Moss went on to catch 92 touchdown passes in 113 career games with Minnesota.
While in the Twin Cities, Moss had six seasons in which he finished with at least 1,200 receiving yards, six seasons with at least 10 touchdowns, and four seasons with at least 80 catches.
Thanks to his accomplishments during his time with the Vikings, the team announced on Wednesday that Moss and former Minnesota wide receiver Ahmad Rashad will be inducted into the Vikings’ Ring of Honor during the 2017 season. It will be the first time since safety Joey Browner was inducted in 2013 that Minnesota has added anyone to their Ring of Honor.
Later on during the day, Moss reflected on being selected as an enshrinee and how he was able to do the things he did so well out on the football field.
"“Well, I’m kind of speechless. I’ve always said this, that if you’re getting some type of mention, an award, or something positive for what you’ve accomplished, that means you’ve (done) something right in life. I’m definitely thankful.I love this game and I played with definitely a chip on my shoulder throughout my career. Some people I rubbed wrong, some people loved it. So to the people that I rubbed wrong, it’s just what I loved to do.When I tell you that I wore the game of football on my shoulder, I really wore it on my shoulder. I didn’t really give myself any breaks. No time off.”"
As for Rashad, his career in the NFL did not start to blossom until he came to the Vikings in 1976. The receiver ended up spending seven seasons with Minnesota from 1976 to 1982 and he was a member of the last Vikings team to make it all the way to the Super Bowl back in 1976.
He also got a chance to talk on Wednesday about his reaction to the news of his induction.
Minnesota Vikings
"“It probably is the biggest thing that’s ever happen to me, the most important thing that’s ever happened to me. And I’ve won Emmy awards, I’ve won receiving titles, I’ve won all those kinds of things. But this is closer to my heart. I always say that once a Viking, always a Viking. You don’t ever get out of that. So looking at this, I don’t think there’s anything else in my athletic career that could top being (in the Ring of Honor). There’s just absolutely nothing else.“"
No official announcement has been made as to when exactly these enshrinements will happen during the 2017 season or even if they will happen together.
It is nice to see Minnesota honoring those players who played a big part in creating what the franchise has evolved into today. Perhaps a few players on the Vikings’ current roster will one day be getting questions asked to them about their reaction to being inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.
Next: Who will be the Vikings' best offensive player in 2017?
But before anyone looks too far ahead, Mike Zimmer is just going to make sure his players are focused on getting Minnesota back to the playoffs in 2017 and nothing else.