1983 Minnesota Vikings season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Minnesota Vikings 1983 8–8 4th NFC Central Bud Grant Mike Lynn Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Did not qualify File:Vikings1975-86.png Vikings seasons The 1983 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 23rd in the National Football League (NFL), and their 17th under head coach Bud Grant. After starting 6–2, the Vikings lost six of their next seven – including a home loss to the 0–9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – and were eliminated from playoff contention with one week to play. Even with the loss to Tampa Bay, Minnesota would have won the NFC Central Division championship if not for a 13–2 loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football in week 14. The team finished 8–8 record and failed to reach the playoffs for the third time in five seasons. At the end of the season, Grant retired as head coach, although he returned for a final season in 1985. Offseason 1983 draft 1983 NFL draft Pro Bowler 1983 Minnesota Vikings Draft Draft order Player name Position College Notes Round Selection 1 19 Joey Browner Cornerback USC 2 46 Traded to the Philadelphia EaglesThe Vikings traded a second-round selection (46th overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for DT Charlie Johnson. 3 73 Walker Lee Ashley Linebacker Penn State 4 100 Mark Rush Running back Miami (FL) 5 127 Mark Stewart Linebacker Washington 6 159 Mike Jones Wide receiver Tennessee State 7 186 Carl Lee Cornerback Marshall 8 213 Norris Brown Tight end Georgia 9 239 Rod Achter Wide receiver Toledo 10 255 Melvin Brown Defensive back Ole Miss From RamsThe Vikings traded OT Ron Yary to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a 10th-round selection (255th overall). 266 Walter Tate Center Tennessee State 11 298 Brian Butcher Guard Clemson 12 325 Maurice Turner Running back Utah State Notes Roster 1983 Minnesota Vikings https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/min/1983_roster.htm 12 Steve Dils 11 Wade Wilson American football 33 Rick Bell y 23 Ted Brown American football 32 Tony Galbreath 20 Darrin Nelson 22 Jarvis Redwine 34 Rickey Young 89 Mike Jones wide receiver, born 1960 y 80 Terry LeCount 87 Leo Lewis wide receiver 84 Sam McCullum 88 Mardye McDole 85 Sammy White American football 82 Bob Bruer 44 Dave Casper 83 Steve Jordan tight end 81 Joe Senser 62 Brent Boyd G 61 Wes Hamilton G 51 Jim Hough G 56 Dave Huffman C 76 Tim Irwin T 78 Steve Riley American football T 68 Curtis Rouse T 67 Dennis Swilley C 66 Terry Tausch T 73 Neil Elshire DE 75 Randy Holloway DE 65 Charlie Johnson defensive tackle NT 79 Doug Martin defensive end DE 77 Mark Mullaney DE 72 James White defensive tackle NT 58 Walker Lee Ashley y ILB 59 Matt Blair OLB 50 Dennis Fowlkes y ILB 52 Dennis Johnson linebacker ILB 54 Fred McNeill OLB 57 Robin Sendlein OLB 55 Scott Studwell ILB 21 Rufus Bess CB 47 Joey Browner y FS 45 Tommy Hannon SS 39 Carl Lee American football y CB 29 John Swain CB 37 Willie Teal CB 27 John Turner American football FS  8 Greg Coleman American football P  1 Benny Ricardo K -- Melvin Brown no y CB IR  7 Rick Danmeier K IR  9 Tommy Kramer QB IR  4 Archie Manning QB NF-Ill. 86 Mike Mularkey y TE IR 49 Keith Nord S IR -- Mark Stewart American football y LB IR Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendancehttps://www.profootballarchives.com/1983nflmin.html 1983 Minnesota Vikings The Pro Football Archives September 8, 2018 Notes 1 August 6 vs St. Louis Cardinals W 28–10 1–0 Wembley Stadium (London, England) 32,847 Global Cup 2 August 13 Baltimore Colts L 7–10 1–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 56,061 3 August 19 at Seattle Seahawks W 19–17 2–1 Kingdome 54,402 4 August 26 Denver Broncos W 34–3 3–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 59,435 Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 4 at Cleveland Browns W 27–21 1–0 Cleveland Stadium 70,087 2 September 8 San Francisco 49ers L 17–48 1–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 58,167 3 September 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 19–16 (OT) 2–1 Tampa Stadium 57,567 4 September 25 Detroit Lions W 20–17 3–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 58,254 5 October 2 Dallas Cowboys L 24–37 3–2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 60,774 6 October 9 at Chicago Bears W 23–14 4–2 Soldier Field 59,632 7 October 16 Houston Oilers W 34–14 5–2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 58,910 8 October 23 at Green Bay Packers W 20–17 (OT) 6–2 Lambeau Field 55,236 9 October 30 at St. Louis Cardinals L 31–41 6–3 Busch Memorial Stadium 42,575 10 November 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 12–17 6–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 59,239 11 November 13 Green Bay Packers L 21–29 6–5 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 60,113 12 November 20 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 17–14 7–5 Three Rivers Stadium 58,417 13 November 27 at New Orleans Saints L 16–17 7–6 Louisiana Superdome 59,502 14 December 5 at Detroit Lions L 2–13 7–7 Silverdome 79,169 15 December 11 Chicago Bears L 13–19 7–8 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 57,880 16 December 17 Cincinnati Bengals W 20–14 8–8 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 51,565 Against the Detroit Lions in week 14, the Vikings became the 35th team in NFL history and only the fifth since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger, to score just a safety in a game. This has happened only three times since: by the 1993 Cincinnati Bengals, the 2011 Atlanta Falcons, and the 2013 Jacksonville Jaguars. Standings Statistics Team leaders Category Player(s) Value Passing yards Steve Dils 2,840 Passing touchdowns Steve Dils 911 Rushing yards Darrin Nelson 642 Rushing touchdowns Ted Brown 10 Receiving yards Darrin Nelson 618 Receiving touchdowns Sammy White 4 Points Benny Ricardo 108 Kickoff return yards Jarvis Redwine 838 Punt return yards Rufus Bess 158 Sacks Doug Martin 13 Interceptions John Swain John Turner 6 League rankings Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank(out of 28) Passing offense 3,211 200.7 13th Rushing offense 1,808 113.0 20th Total offense 5,019 313.7 20th Passing defense 2,903 181.4 6th Rushing defense 2,584 161.5 25th Total defense 5,487 342.9 19th References Category:Minnesota Vikings seasons Minnesota Minnesota Vikings