Bud Grant, legendary Vikings head coach and Hall of Famer, dies at 95

The Minnesota Vikings announced on Sunday afternoon that legendary coach Bud Grant has passed away at the age of 95. 

“We are absolutely devastated to announce legendary Minnesota Vikings head coach and Hall of Famer Bud Grant has passed away this morning at age 95,” the Vikings said in a statement released on Twitter. “We, like all Vikings and NFL fans, are shocked and saddened by this terrible news.”

Grant coached the Vikings for 18 seasons from 1967 through 1985, amassing a 158-96-5 regular-season record and a 10-12 record in the playoffs. The Vikings advanced to the Super Bowl four times during his tenure, though they eventually lost each of those four games. (The Vikings won the final NFL Championship Game in 1969, the season before the AFL-NFL merger. They lost to the AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV.) The steward of the team known for The Purple People Eaters, Grant coached a number of future Hall of Famers including Fran Tarkenton, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Carl Eller, Mick Tingelhoff, and Ron Yary.

Grant was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball) during his playing days, and was selected in both the NFL and NBA Drafts. 

He played two years with the Minneapolis Lakers and was a member of the 1950 championship team. After the conclusion of those two seasons, Grant went back to his football career. He played two seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles, and in 1952, he caught 56 passes for 997 yards and seven touchdowns. He followed his NFL tenure with four seasons with the Winnepeg Blue Bomers of the Canadian Football League. 

After finishing his playing career, Grant coached the Blue Bombers from 1957 through 1966, winning four Grey Cups and a CFL Coach of the Year award before becoming the head coach of the Vikings. A statue of him stands outside the Blue Bombers’ stadium. From 1986 through his death in 2023, Grant was still listed as a consultant for the Vikings, and maintained an office at the team’s facility. He is a member of the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame, the Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.