The 30 greatest Minnesota Vikings players of all-time
By Adam Patrick
60. . OT. (1961-74). Grady Alderman. 24. player
All-time Greatest Minnesota Vikings: No. 24 – Grady Alderman
It’s rare for a player in today’s NFL to have a career spanning over a decade, but Grady Alderman held down the blindside on the offensive line of the Vikings for 14 of his 15 seasons in the league.
After starting his career with the Detroit Lions as their 10th-round selection in the 1960 NFL Draft, Alderman became one of the original members of the Vikings during their inaugural season in 1961 and immediately became their starting left tackle.
Alderman started 177 games for Minnesota over the course of his career and recovered 13 fumbles during that time, proving the awareness that the team got with the protection he offered on the offensive line.
Blocking for quarterbacks like Fran Tarkenton and Joe Kapp, Alderman earned six Pro Bowl nods and two All-Pro honors during his career, which made him one of the 50 Greatest Vikings and an important reason the team won the NFL Championship during the 1969 season.
– AC