10 best offensive linemen in the history of the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings have a rich history that spans many years and includes a large number of players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, been invited to the Pro Bowl, and were named to the prestigious All-Pro rosters.

Founded in 1960, the Vikings played their first regular season game in 1961. Since then, the franchise has seen some of the most talented players in the league wear a purple and gold jersey and showcase their skills in front of Minnesota's fans.

The Vikings have a solid track record when it comes to offensive linemen. The amount of talent that has blocked for Minnesota over the years is abundant and choosing the ten best players to ever play offensive tackle, guard, or center for the team is an immense challenge.

Criteria for selection

The offensive linemen on this list were judged based on their impact on the team, individual skill level, and tenure with the franchise. That includes awards won for their play and honors bestowed upon them by the league and the Minnesota Vikings.

The player's college experience and experience outside Minnesota will not be factored into the rankings. Despite being important in the scope of their entire career, those accomplishments don't bear much weight on the players' impact on the Vikings.

Also, the position the offensive linemen play will not have an effect on the rankings. Although it can be debated that offensive tackle or center may be more valuable to a unit than guards, preference will not be given to those positions.

10 best offensive linemen in the history of the Minnesota Vikings

10. Matt Birk

Any time a center can hold down a starting job for eight seasons, be named to the All-Pro Second Team, and get six Pro Bowl invites, they deserve recognition. Matt Birk will be familiar to many fans for his work with the great players the Minnesota Vikings had on their roster at the turn of the millennium.

A sixth-round pick of the Vikings in the 1998 NFL Draft, expectations were not high for the Harvard economics major. He didn't crack the starting lineup until 2000 but started 123 games for Minnesota before moving on to the Baltimore Ravens.

9. Tim Irwin

A right tackle out of Tennessee, Tim Irwin was a third-round selection in the 1981 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Standing six-foot-seven and weighing 300 pounds, Irwin was never well-decorated for his play but was a strong presence on the offensive line.

Irwin was named one of the 50 Greatest Vikings and the 40th Anniversary Team for his 13 seasons in Minnesota. Although his final season in the NFL was split between the Dolphins and the Buccaneers, he is best remembered for his time with the Vikings.

8. Korey Stringer

A member of the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor, Korey Stringer's name will make many fans emotional. His tragic passing from heat stroke complications during training camp cut his promising career short.

Stringer played six seasons with the Vikings, earning a Pro Bowl nod in his final season with Minnesota. The six-foot-four, 350-pound right tackle out of Ohio State was a first round pick of Minnesota in 1995 and was noted for his friendly demeanor and positive outlook on the world.

7. Grady Alderman

Historians of the Minnesota Vikings know that Grady Alderman was part of the team's first season. Despite being a tenth-round pick in the 1960 NFL Draft, the Vikings selected Alderman with the first overall pick in the 1961 expansion draft.

Alderman played left tackle for Minnesota for 14 years upon his arrival, earning six Pro Bowl invites and being named to the All-Pro Second Team twice. His sharp mind led him to excel on the football field, become the general manager of the Denver Broncos, and become an accountant.

6. Ed White

A guard out of California, Ed White was a second-round pick in the 1969 NFL Draft. The six-foot-one, 296-pound offensive lineman is one of only 11 players to play in all four of the Minnesota Vikings' Super Bowl appearances

A member of Minnesota's 1969 NFL Championship team, White was named to three Pro Bowls with the Vikings before being traded to the Chargers and earning one more nod. Many NFL experts as well as White's former teammates continue to lobby for him to be nominated for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

5. Gary Zimmerman

The first player on this list in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Gary Zimmerman had an interesting path the Vikings. After the USFL folded, the Giants got his rights which were acquired by Minnesota, who instantly inserted him into the starting lineup.

Known for his disdain for the media, Zimmerman went to four Pro Bowls and was named to two All-Pro teams. The stud left tackle finished his career with five seasons in Denver, but spent a majority of his NFL tenure with the Vikings.

4. Steve Hutchinson

The most recent player on this list, Steve Hutchinson was originally a first-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks out of the University of Michigan before joining the Minnesota Vikings in free agency.

Although he only spent six seasons with the Vikings, Hutchinson was a standout at left guard. He earned four Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro nods. He and former Minnesota wide receiver Nate Burleson are the reasons "poison pill" contracts are no longer part of the NFL.

3. Mick Tingelhoff

One of only two centers on this list, it is shocking that the Minnesota Vikings were able to land Mick Tingelhoff as an undrafted free agent in 1962. The six-foot-two, 237-pound offensive lineman out of Nebraska would go on to spend 17 seasons with the team and never suit up for another NFL franchise.

Six Pro Bowl nods and six total All-Pro honors were the cherry on top of Tingelhoff's excellent NFL career. Minnesota retired his No. 53 jersey after setting the NFL record for most consecutive starts by an offensive lineman.

2. Ron Yary

A right tackle out of USC, Ron Yary was the No. 1 overall selection of the Minnesota Vikings in the 1968 NFL Draft. With Yary on the field, the Vikings won 11 division titles and the 1969 NFL Championship.

Yary played all but eight games of his professional football career in Minnesota, earning 7 Pro Bowl nods and seven total All-Pro selections on his way to earning a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Vikings Ring of Honor.

1. Randall McDaniel

It's not often that a player can revolutionize a position, but the athleticism of Randall McDaniel allowed the Minnesota Vikings to open their playbook wide. A first-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, the former Arizona State guard opened eyes around the league to what a player at his position is capable of achieving.

McDaniel earned an astounding 11 Pro Bowl nods and nine total All-Pro honors while in Minnesota. There is an excellent argument that he is the best guard ever to play in the NFL and is not only in the Vikings Ring of Honor but the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well.