The Minnesota Vikings have had a number of different quarterbacks start under center for them since 2000. Which five have been the absolute best?
Not since Fran Tarkenton retired after the 1978 season have the Minnesota Vikings been able to really find a true franchise quarterback. Since Tarkenton’s retirement, the Vikings have had 17 different quarterbacks open a season as their starter.
A good portion of Minnesota’s quarterback shuffle has occurred recently too. 18 different passers have started in at least one game for the Vikings since 2000.
That high number may indicate to some that Minnesota has not really had a whole lot of talent at quarterback in the last 18 seasons. But that is certainly not the case.
So of these 18 quarterbacks to to play for the Vikings since 2000, which five stand above all the others as the best of the bunch?
5. Sam Bradford (2016 – 2017)
The top pick in the 2010 NFL Draft landed in Minnesota thanks to the Vikings trading for him prior to the 2016 season.
After Bradford’s first four starts ended up as wins for Minnesota, the team’s front office looked like a bunch of geniuses for acquiring him. However, the Vikings ended up losing eight of his next 11 starts and ultimately missed out on making the playoffs in 2016.
Despite his play not leading Minnesota into the postseason, Bradford still had himself an impressive season in 2016.
The quarterback completed 71.6 percent of his passes for 3,877 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Bradford’s completion percentage is the highest ever by a Vikings quarterback who started in at least five games during a single season.
Minnesota had high hopes for the passer in 2017 after he threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s season-opening win over the New Orleans Saints. But unfortunately, a knee injury limited Bradford to playing in just two games last year, preventing him from being the one to lead the Vikings to success in 2017.
4. Teddy Bridgewater (2014 – 2017)
Everything seemed to be falling in place for Bridgewater and the Vikings. After helping Minnesota reach the playoffs in his first full season as a starter in 2015, the quarterback seemed poised for bigger and better things in 2016.
But then the Vikings’ unnamed curse struck again and Bridgewater suffered a freakish knee injury prior to the 2016 season. He has not started in an NFL game since the Minnesota’s playoff matchup against the Seattle Seahawks in 2015.
Bridgewater’s injury was a big-time gut-punch to the quarterback and the Vikings. Minnesota truly believed he had the potential to develop into the team’s next great passer.
During the time he was actually on the field for the Vikings, Bridgewater showed flashes of his potential greatness on numerous occasions. In 28 career starts for Minnesota, the quarterback completed 64.7 percent of his throws for 6,150 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions. Bridgewater ran for 401 yards and four touchdowns during these games as well.
Some people like to brush aside any notion of him being a good quarterback due to his statistics not being at a Hall of Fame level. However, there is no denying that Bridgewater made the Vikings a better team whenever he was on the field.
3. Case Keenum (2017)
Keenum’s success with Minnesota literally came out of nowhere last season. Thanks to an injury to Sam Bradford, the Vikings really had no other choice than to start Keenum under center last year and it resulted in one of the best single-seasons of the 21st century by a Minnesota quarterback.
After losing two of his first three starts last season, Keenum went on to help the Vikings win 11 of their final 12 games in 2017. His performance last season played a big part in Minnesota capturing another NFC North title and earning a spot in the NFC Championship.
Keenum easily had the best year of his career in 2017. In 15 appearances last season, he completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,547 yards, 22 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
If Vikings fans remember Keenum for anything, at the very least he will be known as the quarterback who threw the game-winning pass during the team’s miraculous victory over the New Orleans Saints during the second round of the 2017 playoffs.
2. Brett Favre (2009 – 2010)
After 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, not many could have imagined Favre would ever suit up for the Vikings. But it happened in 2009 and the ol’ gunslinger provided Minnesota with one of their most magical seasons ever.
Behind Favre throwing for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns, the Vikings finished the 2009 season with a 12-4 record, an NFC North title, and an appearance in the NFC Championship. Only two quarterbacks in Minnesota team history have thrown for more yards in a single season than the amount Favre put up in 2009.
Despite the veteran signal caller not being able to help lead the Vikings to the Super Bowl in 2009, he still provided the team and its fans with a number of entertaining moments that year.
Favre’s last second touchdown pass to Greg Lewis in Minnesota’s Week 3 win over the San Francisco 49ers will forever be included among the Vikings’ most memorable plays in team history. His wins over the Packers that season while donning a purple Minnesota jersey will also be forever etched in Vikings folklore.
Favre’s second season in Minnesota was definitely not as memorable as the first. But the Vikings’ two-year ride with one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL was still pretty enjoyable.
1. Daunte Culpepper (1999 – 2005)
If Minnesota had anything close to a franchise quarterback in the 21st century, Culpepper was it.
For six straight seasons from 2000 to 2005, he was the Vikings’ full-time starter under center. During this time, Culpepper was regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the entire NFL.
In three of his five years as Minnesota’s starter, he threw for at least 3,400 yards and 25 touchdowns. No other Vikings quarterbacks accomplished this more than once during their time with the team.
In 2004, Culpepper lead all passers in the league by throwing for 4,717 yards. That amount and his 39 passing touchdowns are still the most ever by a Minnesota quarterback in a single season.
During four of Culpepper’s six years as the team’s starter, the Vikings finished with a top 10 scoring offense. Something Minnesota has only accomplished twice in the 12 seasons since the quarterback last played for the team.
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The Vikings’ offense was one of the NFL’s most dangerous with Culpepper leading the way. So it’s really not hard to understand why he is Minnesota’s best quarterback of the 21st century.