5 longest playing careers in Minnesota Vikings history

Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall | Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports
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Vikings player No. 2

Mick Tingelhoff, center (240 games played)

What is very impressive about Mick Tingelhoff being this high on this list is that he didn't miss a single contest in those 240 games played. Showcasing his toughness, he was one of the most reliable offensive linemen in NFL history.

An undrafted free agent out of Nebraska in 1962, Tingelhoff earned All-Pro honors seven times and was named to six Pro Bowls in his 17 seasons in the league and is often praised by former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton as well as former coach Bud Grant.

Not only was he a contributor to the franchise's 1969 NFL Championship but he is in the Vikings Ring of Honor and has had his jersey number retired by the team as well as being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.

Tingelhoff was an immediate starter for Minnesota upon his arrival and kept that role until he retired in 1978. It's a bit shocking so many teams passed on him during the NFL draft. Players like Mick Tingelhoff rarely come along in the NFL.