The Vikings’ Championship Drought Grabbed Headlines Again
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings have famously never won a Super Bowl nor, unless you want to count the 1969 season, a true championship during the 63-year history of their franchise.
This is one of the longest droughts in the “Big Four” North American sports which includes the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL. On Wednesday, that championship drought made headlines once again as the Texas Rangers finished a World Series title by winning Game 5 over the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-0.
The Vikings Championship Drought Grabbed Headlines Again
With that World Series victory, the Rangers officially won their first championship in their 63 years as an MLB franchise. Previously, they had made the fall classic in both 2010 and 2011, but they lost those series to the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
As Texas now comes off the list of teams in these “Big Four” leagues, the Vikings now hold the honor(?) of being the oldest franchise to never win a title. Minnesota has made four Super Bowls during its history, but it has fallen short in all of 1969, 1973, 1974, and 1976.
Over the past decade or so, we’ve seen a number of wild title droughts come to an end. The Chicago Cubs famously won the World Series in 2016, their first title since 1908 (the same year Henry Ford invented the Model T), ending a 107-year drought.
The Philadelphia Eagles would end a 56-year Super Bowl drought one year later during the 2017 season, and in 2019, the St. Louis Blues won their first ever Stanley Cup, ending their own 50-year drought. Then, just a few months ago, the Denver Nuggets also ended their own drought by winning their first NBA Finals in the 56th year of their existence.
If anything, this recent trend suggests that the Vikings’ time is coming. However, without QB Kirk Cousins around, it seems unlikely that it will happen this year, meaning that Minnesota will probably extend their drought into its 64th year of existence.
Still, there are signs of hope in the franchise. They have franchise cornerstones all over their roster. Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson look like they will be one of the best wide receiver duos for years to come, and the Vikings boast an excellent tackle tandem in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell came in during 2022 and immediately turned an 8-9 team into a 13-4 NFC North champion. Before Cousins got hurt, it seemed like things were turning around for the 2023 team as well.
Now, Minnesota gets a chance this weekend to see if they have anything in QB Jaren Hall as well. The rookie is set to make his first career start against the Atlanta Falcons. If he plays well, the Vikings may have found their potential young QB of the future, something that fans have been wanting for years.
The Vikings’ drought is likely to continue another year, but there are signs of hope. One day, the drought will come to an end, and hopefully, it happens sooner rather than later.
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.