Bud Grant Was Celebrated on Sunday

Dec 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings former head coach Bud Grant acknowledges the crowd during a ceremony before the game with the Detroit Lions at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings win 14-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Back on March 11th, the Vikings family tragically lost legendary head coach Bud Grant at the age of 95. On Sunday, the team held a celebration of life which was free to the public for all the Vikings fans that wanted to come to U.S. Bank Stadium and celebrate the coach and man that not only launched a long history of success in Minnesota, but also embodied the culture of the state perfectly.

Grant took over the Vikings head coaching gig in 1967, six years into the franchise’s creation, and almost immediately, he took a floundering expansion team that had never made the playoffs and turned them into a perennial contender. In just his second year as the head man, Grant led the Vikings to their first playoff appearance in 1968, going 8-6 and winning the NFL Central division.

Vikings Fans: You Can Attend Bud Grant's Celebration of Life
Bud Grant in 1968

This was just the beginning for Grant, though. In 10 of 11 seasons from 1968-78, the Vikings made the playoffs. Grant was the mastermind behind the “Purple People Eaters” defense that ravaged the NFL throughout this time period.

During his first 10 years as the head coach, the Vikings only ranked outside the top 10 in scoring defense once, placing 11th in 1972. From 1969-71, they lead the league in scoring defense, ridiculously holding opponents to under 10 points per game in both 1969 and 1971.

The Vikings made all four of their Super Bowl appearances during Grant’s coaching tenure, but unfortunately, a Super Bowl championship was the one feat that the head coach couldn’t unlock for Minnesota.

In all, over 18 seasons, Grant’s Vikings went a combined 168-108-5 (including playoffs), and he easily holds the record for most wins by a coach of the franchise. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994. Grant’s tenure in Minnesota is one of the most impressive coaching stints in professional sports history and will always be remembered as such.

USA TODAY Sports-Historical
Aug 6, 1983; London, ENGLAND; FILE PHOTO; St. Louis Cardinals head coach Jim Hanifan (right) and Minnesota Vikings head coach Bud Grant talk prior to the inaugural NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Herb Weitman-USA TODAY Sports

On Sunday, all sorts of legends in Minnesota took to the stage to reminisce on what Grant meant to them. One such individual was current head coach Kevin O’Connell, who took over the job just last offseason, leading the Vikings to a 13-4 record in 2022.

Speaking on Grant and what the relationship, albeit a short one, meant to him, O’Connell said, “Although I didn’t know Bud personally long, it was one of the more impactful relationships that I’ve had over the past year since being blessed to become the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.”

O’Connell wasn’t the only person with many kind words for the legendary coach. Former Vikings defensive end Carl Eller was also at the event, and Grant’s former player posted a tweet saying, “Here to celebrate the amazing life of our coach. It’s a beautiful day to honor you, Bud!”

Dec 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings former head coach Bud Grant acknowledges the crowd during a ceremony before the game with the Detroit Lions at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings win 14-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Finally, Bud’s son, Mike, probably put it best when describing his father’s old hunting trips. Grant said, “I fondly remember him hunting deer last year and having breakfast at the Old Homestead Cafe where he was as comfortable as if he was at some fancy restaurant. He chatted with many of the locals as if he was an old friend. I think in many ways, to all of you, he really was an old friend.”

Not only was he honored by Minnesotans, but Grant was also named a national hero by the U.S. Senate during the event. While receiving the award, Mike Grant quipped, “My dad would have looked at this and said, ‘how much could I get at the garage sale for it?'”

To many Minnesotans, Grant really was more than just a football coach. His personality and his mannerisms such as insisting on wearing short polo shirts no matter how bitterly cold the temperature encapsulated the Minnesota toughness that was instilled in the Vikings during his tenure with the team. He was an incredible coach and man that will always be a cornerstone of the Minnesota Vikings franchise.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.

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