Tommy Mason: The Vikings’ First Draft Pick Made an Early Impact in Minnesota
The Minnesota Vikings needed to make a splash in the 1961 NFL Draft. They had yet to hire a head coach for the upcoming season, and they hadn’t had their expansion draft yet to select veteran players from other rosters. The Vikings were entering the draft with an empty roster.
A Surprising Start for a Franchise Without a Roster
General manager Bert Rose used the first overall pick on Tulane running back Tommy Mason. The 6-foot-1, 196-pound running back had just dominated the SEC during the 1960 season, leading the conference with 662 rushing yards, 5.5 yards per carry, and eight rushing touchdowns. His five receiving touchdowns also led the conference.
Some fans questioned the decision to select a player from a smaller school. But Mason, who was born in Lake Charles, La., could have played for a bigger program. He turned down an offer from LSU to play with his brother, Claude “Boo” Mason, at Tulane.
Mason didn’t make a significant impact at halfback as a rookie. He suffered a pinched nerve in his neck while preparing for the Chicago All-Star Game before his first season. Further complicating matters was that Mason was also stuck behind Hall of Fame running back Hugh McElhenny, part of the San Francisco 49ers’ “Million Dollar Backfield” in the 1950s. McElhenny was one of two Vikings to make the Pro Bowl in their inaugural season.
Although his impact on offense was minimal as a rookie, Mason did show promise as a returner. He averaged 10.4 yards per punt return. As a kick returner, Mason gained 603 yards on 25 returns, a 24.1-yard average.
From Return Man to Pro Bowl Back
Mason showed he could showcase that ability in the backfield in 1962. Carrying the workload, Mason made his first Pro Bowl that season, running for 740 yards and gaining 603 yards receiving during the 14-game season. He scored eight touchdowns and averaged 6.6 yards per touch. The Vikings used him less as a kick returner, but Mason still averaged 25.1 yards per touch on 12 kick returns.
The 1963 season saw Mason take his career to new heights. He accumulated 1,128 yards from scrimmage and scored nine times. Once again, Mason made the Pro Bowl. But this year, he was also selected as a First-Team All-Pro, the first Viking ever to receive the honor.
In 1964, Mason made the Pro Bowl for a third straight season. But for the first time, he experienced overall success with the Vikings. Minnesota finished the season 8-5-1, their first winning season in franchise history. They had just hired Hall of Fame general manager Jim Finks, who used that pick to select Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller. The future was beginning to look bright for the Vikings.
Injuries began to impact Mason’s career in 1965. A knee injury held him out of four games, and he had to get surgery after the season. Still, Mason gained 918 yards from scrimmage and scored a career-high 11 touchdowns that year.
But another surgery on his left knee and shoulder limited him to just seven games in 1966, where he gained 274 all-purpose yards, the fewest of his Vikings career. After the season, new head coach Bud Grant traded Mason, tight end Hal Bedsloe, and a second-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Rams for the 15th overall pick in the 1967 draft. There, the Vikings would select Hall of Fame defensive tackle Alan Page.
Mason never replicated the personal success in LA that he had in Minnesota, although the Rams went 40-13-3 during his time there. He started nine of the 44 games he played for the Rams in four seasons. Mason played one season for Washington in 1971, finishing with only 195 all-purpose yards in ten games, before retiring.
In 11 seasons, Mason ran for 4,203 yards and 32 touchdowns. He caught 214 passes for 2,324 yards and 13 touchdowns and even threw a 30-yard touchdown pass in 1964. Mason’s 3,252 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns as a Viking rank ninth in team history.
Although he was a great football talent, Mason had many off-field interests. He loved music, beginning singing at four years old and later learning to play the guitar. After a game against Vanderbilt in 1960, where he scored two touchdowns, Mason and some teammates attended the Grand Ole Opry. There, Mason joined the stage with Chet Atkins to sing “Cocaine Blues”.
Mason died on Jan. 22, 2015, at the age of 75, in Newport Beach, Calif. Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton, a fellow 1961 draft pick, was close friends with Mason and played with him from 1961-66. When asked for a statement on Mason’s passing, Tarkenton said, “Tommy was an enormous talent. He was a great player, a humble man and an outstanding teammate. I will always cherish the years I spent with Tommy.”
Tommy Mason’s Legacy as a Viking Pioneer
The Minnesota Vikings’ early years are easily forgotten. As an expansion team in the same division as longtime NFL powers like the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Detroit Lions, the Vikings’ path to NFL relevance was tough to come by. They didn’t make the playoffs until 1968, and their dominance in the 1970s secured the loyalty of fans for generations to come.
Tommy Mason wasn’t fortunate enough to be part of those teams, but he helped the Vikings find their first successful season in 1964. The first All-Pro in team history did so without a playoff roster around him. He also amassed over 1,000 total yards in each of his first five seasons.
At a time when players weren’t known to flaunt their other interests, Mason continued to express his love for music. He had a pet monkey, “Dutch”, who was named after Vikings head coach Norm Van Brocklin. The old-school coach once shared a clip of Mason missing a block on a defender who ended up sacking Tarkenton.
“Gentlemen,” Van Brocklin said, “that is how a guy blocks who has a Cadillac and a banjo.”
But Mason ultimately earned the respect of his coach. In 1964, Van Brocklin praised his “do-it-all” star.
“He’s the best blocker on our team,” Van Brocklin said. “If he played defense, he’d be our best defensive back.”
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