The Hall of Fame Series: Mick Tingelhoff
Hall of Fame Class of 2015
Vikings 1962-78
In front of a great quarterback, there is usually a great center. Terry Bradshaw had Mike Webster. Peyton Manning had Jeff Saturday. In the 60s and 70s, Fran Tarkenton had Mick Tingelhoff, one of the NFL’s poster boys for toughness and consistency.
An undrafted free agent center out of Nebraska, Tingelhoff joined the Minnesota Vikings in 1962. Even though he only stood 6-foot-2 and weighed 237 pounds, Tingelhoff immediately broke into the starting lineup, starting all 14 games as a rookie.
This began a remarkable trend as he started every game for the rest of his career. That included 240 consecutive starts in the regular season (the second-most in NFL history at the time of his retirement, only behind teammate Jim Marshall) and 19 playoff games.
But Tingelhoff didn’t just show up every Sunday; he performed at an elite level. He was selected to the Pro Bowl every year from 1964 through 1969. On top of that, he was named first-team All-Pro in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969. Even in his down year, 1967, he was still recognized as a second-team All-Pro. Despite stiff competition, Tingelhoff was named to the 1960s second-team All-Decade team.
Tingelhoff continued to find success in the 70s. He helped guide star running back Chuck Foreman to three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 1975-77. And when Tarkenton returned for his second stint in Minnesota, Tingelhoff protected the older quarterback, whose mobility didn’t allow him to evade rushers as he did in his early years. Tingelhoff was one of 11 Vikings players to have played in all four of the team’s Super Bowls.
After retiring in 1978, Tingelhoff was inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1980. In 2001, Tingelhoff was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor, and his number 53 jersey was retired, one of only six Vikings to do so. Still, the wait to get into Canton was beginning to drag on. First eligible in 1983, Tingelhoff’s career appeared to be overlooked, like several other Vikings, due to their inability to win a Super Bowl.
Finally, in his 32nd year of eligibility, Tingelhoff was rightfully enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, by that time, Tingelhoff was suffering from short-term memory loss.
At first, the plan was for Tingelhoff to say a few words. But at the last minute, Tarkenton and Mick’s wife, Phyllis Tingelhoff, decided it would be best to take the pressure off Mick and let Tarkenton speak. As the two walked onto the stage, an emotional Tarkenton said, “Mick’s a man of little words but a lot of action. He’s so proud to be in this Class of 2015. He waited 37 years to get to the Hall of Fame.”
It was one of the night’s most powerful moments. Tarkenton had said prior that Tingelhoff was his “best friend,” and the short message and image of the two on stage together spoke more to the audience than any 15-minute speech could have done. It was a bond that transcended the football field, a bond that truly matters in the grand scheme of life.
Editor’s Note: Information from ProfootballHOF helped with this article.
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