Vikings Fans Can Attend Bud Grant’s Celebration of Life
Back on March 11th, the Vikings family tragically lost legendary head coach Bud Grant at the age of 95. Since then, many folks have put out touching tributes for Grant, and how he impacted their lives. This week, the Vikings announced that their will be a celebration of life for Grant, and Vikings fans will be able to attend.
The event will take place on Sunday, May 21st at noon CST and will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium. Tickets can be reserved here, and it is free to attend. The following is the Vikings official description of the event, titled Bud Grant- He Did It His Way:
“A free public celebration of Grant’s life will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, May 21. Speakers, panel discussions and memorial videos will pay tribute to the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and honor his contributions to the region as an avid outdoorsman, supporter of veterans and legendary athlete and coach. Entry to U.S. Bank Stadium for the event will be through the Legacy Gate on the West end of the stadium. All tickets are digital and doors will open at 11:00AM. For any questions, please contact the Minnesota Vikings Ticket Office at 612-338-4537 or email [email protected].”
The link leads to the team’s official customer service email.
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.
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.
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.