Even with some of the high profile names on the Vikings' list of Hall of Famers, the major thing that stands out about the whole list is just how many good offensive lineman have played in Minnesota.
Of the team's 22 listed players on the official Pro Football Hall of Fame website, six of them played either guard, center, or tackle. The Vikings are probably more than happy to live with their reputation as a team with one of the best wide receiver histories in football, but let's not forget to give the big guys up front some love.
The Vikings certainly have! Here's the whole list of former Minnesota players now enshrined in Canton.
Which members of the Vikings are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
NAME | POSITION/TITLE | YEAR INDUCTED |
|---|---|---|
Morten Anderson | K | 2017 |
Cris Carter | WR | 2013 |
Dave Casper | TE | 2002 |
Chris Doleman | LB/DL/DE | 2012 |
Carl Eller | DL/DE | 2004 |
Brett Favre | QB | 2016 |
Jim Finks | Contributor | 1995 |
Bud Grant | HC | 1994 |
Steve Hutchinson | G/OL | 2020 |
Paul Krause | DB/S | 1998 |
Jim Langer | OL/C | 1987 |
Randall McDaniel | OL/G | 2009 |
Hugh McElhenny | HB/FB | 1970 |
Warren Moon | QB | 2006 |
Randy Moss | WR | 2018 |
Alan Page | DL/DT | 1988 |
John Randle | DL/DT | 2010 |
Jan Stenerud | K | 1991 |
Fran Tarkenton | QB | 1986 |
Mick Tingelhoff | OL/C | 2015 |
Ron Yary | OL/T | 2001 |
Gary Zimmerman | OL/T | 2008 |
As for current – or just recently former – Vikings players that may get the nod when they're done playing, here are a few names to keep an eye on.
Justin Jefferson
He's only played four seasons, and there are already, like, a half-dozen crazy stats about Jefferson that legitimately do not sound believable. Like, for instance, how he had over 1,000 receiving yards in only nine starts this past season. Or how he's already approaching 6,000 total receiving yards through his first four years.
He already has three All-Pro nods (one 1st team), three Pro Bowls, and won Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. He just turned 25, so there's conceivably 6-7 years of this type of production still ahead of him. It'll be interesting to see how his stats look with either JJ McCarthy or Sam Darnold throwing him the ball now, but he's already proven that he's capable of putting up huge seasons despite QBs (or injuries).
Jefferson is the best wide receiver in the NFL right now, and typically those guys make the Hall of Fame.
Kirk Cousins
This one's probably not happening, but it's going to be one of the better internet arguments of its era when it arrives.
Cousins is certainly a first ballot Business Hall of Famer, but the "empty calories" argument is going to take on a whole new level of tenacity when it's time to decide whether he gets into the actual Hall.
His box score stats are undeniably impressive: he'll pass 40,000 passing yards this season, has thrown 270 touchdowns so far, and has more than a few advanced stats that speak in his favor. What he doesn't have, notably, is more than one playoff win – and while that's not totally the end of the argument, it kinda is. He'll end up as the posterboy of the Hall of Very Good, which feels right for his career.
Jared Allen
Allen's found some trouble getting in – 2024 was the fourth straight year that he didn't make the final list of candidates. His resume feels like one that'll get him in eventually – he finished his career tied for 16th all time in sacks, has five Pro Bowls and four First Team All-Pro nods. He also holds the Vikings' single-season sack record (22), for what it's worth.
His Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame monitor (72) would suggest that he's a good bit behind what the average NFL HOF defensive end is (104), but there's no denying that at his peak, Allen was one of the game's best defensive ends. He'll get there eventually, even if it ends up taking way longer than it should.