As the fight song goes:

“V-I-K-I-N-G-S, Skol Vikings, Let’s Go!”

For the past 47 years, the Minnesota Vikings have epitomized winning. The Men in Purple have always been near the top of the division standings. Only four NFL teams have played in more Super Bowls, and one the Dallas Cowboys, have more playoff appearances.

Although the Vikings did not prevail in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI, few NFL teams can say they’ve provided their fans with more pleasure, more thrills or more edge-of-your-seat excitement than the Vikings.

Sure, part of being a Vikings fan is having the ability to feel comfortable on football’s emotional roller coaster, but if you’re a Vikings fan, you can’t ever say you’ve been bored.

In fact, from the moment they first took the field, the Vikings began providing their fans with unforgettable moments.

In their opening game on September 17 1961, the Vikings gave their followers a little taste of what the next 47 years would be like. After a slow start rookie quarterback Fran Tarkenton jumped off the bench and began working his magic. Tarkenton threw four touchdown passes and ran for another as he led the Vikes to a 37-13 victory over the Chicago Bears.

In 1986, exactly 25 years later, Tarkenton would become the first Vikings player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

In 1967, the Vikings brought in a new head coach. Bud Grant, a Minnesotan who had been leading the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers to glory, arrived in the T win Cities and turned the struggling Vikings into an instant winner. Just two years after Grant arrived, the Vikes began an incredible streak of 11 division titles in 13 seasons.

The Vikings won the NFL championship in 1969 and NFC titles in 1973, ‘74 and ‘76. From Ahmad Rashad to Cris Carter, from Jim Marshall to Randall McDaniel and from Matt Blair to John Randle, the Vikings have been among the most exciting teams ever to strap on the pads.

V-I-K-I-N-G-S! Skol Vikings, Let’s go!