The pandemic caused the postponement of last year's event and reduced the field of participants, continuing a challenging year for nonprofits like the Minnesota Vikings Foundation and those needing help from philanthropic efforts. Vikings Table pivoted last year to continue making a difference while abiding by protocols and found ways to serve more than 16,000 meals. Going... Read more ..read more

En route to the championship, Jefferson – who competed in the "East" category – got an early win over the Packers. He defeated Packers linebacker Za'Darius Smith and his "Kick in the Door" in Round 1, then beat out Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, who has become known for his "Feed Me" celebration. Finally, "The Griddy" edged out Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski and his... Read more ..read more

The Vikings are slated to face both Wagner and Warner during the upcoming season, starting with Wagner in Week 3 when Minnesota hosts Seattle at U.S. Bank Stadium. Dajani said that Wagner "is still the best inside linebacker in football," even at age 31. Whether it's stopping the run or making an impact in defending the pass, Wagner can do either at a high level. His... Read more ..read more

What do all of them have? A Super Bowl ring. Cousins, of course, will need help around him — as every quarterback does. The Vikings went all-in on revamping their defense this offseason, so that unit should be able to give him a few extra possessions this year. There are also a boatload of skill players around him, and Minnesota has invested deeply in the offensive line in... Read more ..read more

Smith is eager for a fresh start, having undergone open-heart surgery last August and now returned to the field. Ekstrom wrote: It's been two years since Smith played significant snaps in a meaningful football game. At USC, he was an exceptional four-year player who specialized in stuffing the run. At the time he was drafted, he fit the archetype of a Ben... Read more ..read more

Monson wrote of Smith: Smith remains one of the best and most consistent safeties in the league, and while he isn't coming off his best season, the same is true for most members of the Minnesota defense. Smith has elite versatility to play any safety role within any coverage shell the Vikings dial up, giving them the ability to play a little bit of every type of... Read more ..read more

Removed from the moment of trying to get things done on his time, Studwell said Cardano was "certainly a true professional." "He had lots of contacts in all of these schools that he would go into," Studwell said. "He had created them over the years; regardless of the area he worked in, he was very well-known from all of the staffs that we visited. "He was very thorough... Read more ..read more

From Marshall, who started 270 consecutive regular-season games for Minnesota, and the other Purple People Eaters to John Randle, Williams has always strived to honor the legacy of the Vikings defensive linemen who went before him. "To get here and learn of the things accomplished and all the games they won and how great they were as a front, and then to have [Chris] Doleman... Read more ..read more

There were the women who worked in the cafeteria at Florida A&M, who used a stick to prop open the door and ensure that football players finishing a late practice would get dinner. There was Coleman's mentor and track coach, James Day. There was his English teacher, Sadie Gaither, who offered to tutor him on Wednesday evenings after class. "Her husband was the legendary... Read more ..read more

According to stats on ProFootballReference.com, the 28-year-old has 62 career tackles (44 solo) with an interception, pair of forced fumbles and a tackle for loss. He also has one career touchdown, returning a blocked field goal 63 yards for a score in 2017 when he was with the Titans. Smith, a North Carolina native, has made a few stops in his NFL career thus far. Smith... Read more ..read more