2017 Minnesota Vikings season


The 2017 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 57th in the National Football League, and their fourth under head coach Mike Zimmer. With the team's home stadium, U.S. Bank Stadium, scheduled to host Super Bowl LII at the end of the season, the Vikings attempted to make history as the first team to play the Super Bowl on their home field; in recording their best regular season record since 1998, they clinched a first-round bye for the first time since 2009 and became the eighth team in the Super Bowl era to qualify for the playoffs in a season in which their stadium hosted the Super Bowl. They defeated the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round 29–24 on a walk-off play referred to as the "Minneapolis Miracle", but lost 38–7 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
This was the first season since 2006 without star running back Adrian Peterson on the roster, as the team declined his contract option in February.

Roster changes

Draft

Draft trades
PlayerPositionCollege
Wes LuntQBIllinois
Terrell NewbyRBNebraska
R.J. SheltonWRMichigan State
Josiah PriceTEMichigan State
Aviante CollinsOTTCU
Nick FettOTIowa State
Freddie TagaloaOTArizona
Tashawn BowerDELSU
Caleb KidderDEMontana
Sam McCaskillDEBoise State
Dylan BradleyDTSouthern Miss
Eric WilsonLBCincinnati
Shaan WashingtonLBTexas A&M
Horace RichardsonCBSMU
Tommy Armstrong Jr.SNebraska

Transactions

DatePlayer namePositionContract terms
January 2, 2017Moritz BöhringerWR
January 2, 2017Kyle CarterTE
January 2, 2017Cayleb JonesWR
January 2, 2017Marquis LucasOT
January 2, 2017Tre RobersonCB
January 2, 2017Bishop SankeyRB
January 2, 2017Sterling BaileyDT
January 2, 2017Austin ShepherdOT
January 2, 2017Cedric ThompsonS
March 8, 2017Jeremiah SirlesOT1 year / $690,000
March 15, 2017Terence NewmanCB1 year / $3.25 million
March 15, 2017Adam ThielenWR3 years / $17 million
March 24, 2017Brian RobisonDE2 years / $7.5 million

DatePlayer namePositionNoteNew team
February 10, 2017Brandon FuscoGReleasedSan Francisco 49ers
February 10, 2017Mike HarrisGReleased
March 6, 2017Chad GreenwayOLBRetired
March 9, 2017Rhett EllisonTEUFANew York Giants
March 9, 2017Matt KalilOTUFACarolina Panthers
March 9, 2017Jeff LockePUFAIndianapolis Colts
March 10, 2017Charles JohnsonWRUFACarolina Panthers
March 10, 2017Captain MunnerlynCBUFACarolina Panthers
March 11, 2017Audie ColeLBUFAJacksonville Jaguars
March 13, 2017Cordarrelle PattersonWR/KRUFAOakland Raiders
March 14, 2017Andre SmithOTUFACincinnati Bengals
March 24, 2017Scott CrichtonDTReleased
May 4, 2017Marquis LucasOTWaived
May 4, 2017Sterling BaileyDEWaived
May 4, 2017Cedric ThompsonSWaived
May 16, 2017B. J. DuboseDTWaived
May 17, 2017Toby JohnsonDTWaived
May 27, 2017Matt AsiataRBUFADetroit Lions
May 31, 2017Mitch MathewsWRWaived

DatePlayer namePositionPrevious teamContract terms
January 3, 2017Reid FragelOTKansas City Chiefs
January 3, 2017Marshall KoehnKMiami Dolphins
January 3, 2017Taylor SymmankP
March 9, 2017Riley ReiffOTDetroit Lions5 years / $58.75 million
March 10, 2017Mike RemmersOTCarolina Panthers5 years / $30 million
March 14, 2017Datone JonesDEGreen Bay Packers1 year / $3.75 million
March 16, 2017Latavius MurrayRBOakland Raiders3 years / $15.0 million
March 30, 2017Terrell SinkfieldCBBC Lions
March 30, 2017Mitch MathewsWRCleveland Browns
March 30, 2017Nick TruesdellTECleveland Gladiators
March 31, 2017Case KeenumQBLos Angeles Rams1 year / $2.0 million
April 3, 2017Ryan QuigleyPArizona Cardinals1 year / $2.0 million
May 10, 2017Michael FloydWRNew England Patriots1 year / $1.5 million
May 17, 2017Will SuttonDTChicago Bears

Staff

Roster

Preseason

Schedule

The Vikings' preliminary preseason schedule was announced on April 10.
WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceNFL.com
recap
1at Buffalo BillsW 17–101–0New Era Field60,459
2at Seattle SeahawksL 13–201–1CenturyLink Field68,550
3August 27San Francisco 49ersW 32–312–1U.S. Bank Stadium66,551
4Miami DolphinsL 9–302–2U.S. Bank Stadium66,409

Game summaries

Week 1: at Buffalo Bills

Week 2: at Seattle Seahawks

Week 3: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Week 4: vs. Miami Dolphins

Regular season

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. New Orleans Saints

Week 2: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 3: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions

Week 5: at Chicago Bears

Week 6: vs. Green Bay Packers

Week 7: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Week 8: at Cleveland Browns

NFL London Games

Week 10: at Washington Redskins

Week 11: vs. Los Angeles Rams

Week 12: at Detroit Lions

NFL on Thanksgiving Day

Week 13: at Atlanta Falcons

Week 14: at Carolina Panthers

Week 15: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Week 16: at Green Bay Packers

Week 17: vs. Chicago Bears

Standings

Division

Conference

Postseason

Schedule

Game summaries

NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (#4) New Orleans Saints

NFC Championship: at (#1) Philadelphia Eagles

With their win against the Saints in the NFC Divisional Round, Minnesota became the first team in the Super Bowl era to advance to the conference championship game the same year they hosted the Super Bowl. Despite going to Lincoln Financial Field as three-point favorites, primarily due to a general lack of confidence in Eagles second-string quarterback Nick Foles, the Vikings lost in a massive upset to the number 1 seeded Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 38–7. Although the Vikings took an early lead on their opening drive via a pass from Case Keenum to Kyle Rudolph, the Eagles leveled the scores on a 50-yard Patrick Robinson interception return before scoring a further 31 unanswered points over the final three quarters. This loss extended the Vikings' NFC title drought to 41 seasons, second only to the Detroit Lions' 48.

Pro Bowl

Four Vikings players were elected to the Pro Bowl when the rosters were announced on December 19, 2017, with three-time selection Everson Griffen, two-time selection Xavier Rhodes and first-timer Adam Thielen all named as starters, while Griffen's fellow third-timer Anthony Barr was named on the bench at outside linebacker behind the Cardinals' Chandler Jones and the Redskins' Ryan Kerrigan. Safety Harrison Smith was rated as the best safety in the league by Pro Football Focus over the course of the season, but was not included in the roster for the Pro Bowl, leading to some considering him to be one of the biggest snubs of the season.
Smith was eventually named to the NFC's Pro Bowl roster on January 22, after New York Giants safety Landon Collins withdrew due to injury. Kyle Rudolph was also included after Jimmy Graham pulled out with an injury, while Linval Joseph took the place of the Super Bowl-bound Philadelphia Eagles' Fletcher Cox. Smith will be appearing in his third straight Pro Bowl, while Rudolph and Joseph are appearing in their second career Pro Bowls. Barr and Griffen also pulled out of the Pro Bowl due to injury, replaced by Thomas Davis and Michael Bennett respectively.

Statistics

Team leaders

Source: Minnesota Vikings' official website

League rankings

Source: NFL.com.