I was curious about Ahmad Rashad even before he came to the Minnesota Vikings in one of the most lopsided trades in team history. The Seattle Seahawks are getting even with the Vikings by recently stealing Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, and Antoine Winfield but in 1976 they gave up Rashad for defensive lineman Bob Lurtsema. "Lurts" might have been a popular player in Minnesota but Rashad took the Vikings passing game to a whole other level. I first became curious about Ahmad Rashad during his single season with the Buffalo Bills in 1974. In an offense dominated by the running of O.J. Simpson, I felt that not enough passes were thrown to a receiver as skilled as Rashad. I would love it if he became the target of Fran Tarkenton. When the receiver became available, the expansion Seahawks got him first. Before he even played a down in Seattle the Vikings traded for him. Good thing. Tarkenton had a Hall of Fame passing career. He had some nice receivers to throw to like Paul Flatley in the early days and John Gilliam in the later days. He had Homer Jones during those five unfortunate New York Giants days. Tarkenton never had a receiver like Ahmad Rashad. And, Ahmad Rashad never had a quarterback like Fran Tarkenton. Well, he had Dan Fouts in college. That was college and Rashad was Bobby Moore then and he was a running back. I think that position versatility increased my interest in the Vikings new receiver. Minnesota had been better known as a team with a ferocious defense and an efficient, ball-control offense. Getting Tarkenton back from the Giants in 1972 started an offensive change. Drafting running back Chuck Foreman a year later changed it even more. Trading for Rashad and drafting receiver Sammie White in 1976 made what was a good offense into a great offense. The Vikings stormed through that season and the playoffs. Unfortunately, that all came to end in Super Bowl XI. Not much went right for the Vikings that sunny day in Pasadena. Pretty much everything went right for the Oakland Raiders.
It seems that nearly all of my days as a fan of the Minnesota Vikings has been spent watching talented receivers. That all started with Ahmad Rashad. Sammie White was terrific too, but Rashad was what I always thought that a receiver should be. Excellent hands. Runs great routes. Gets open. Smart receiver. Gets great body position. If he gets his hands on the ball, he comes down with the ball. Speed is always nice but I've never found it as important as some. Rashad wasn't slow but he was handed the label of "possession receiver." Those important receivers are rarely fast receivers. I loved watching Rashad play football. He played receiver much like Cris Carter played the position a decade later. Rashad only played three years with Tarkenton. They last played together in 1978. Their last regular season game together was the first time that I ever saw the Vikings play live. Vikings-Raiders. A rematch of Super Bowl XI. Raiders won again but it was much closer. The Vikings staged a frantic comeback that fell just short. Rashad caught two touchdowns right in front of me. In my little corner of the world. He made his first Pro Bowl in 1978. Won the MVP award too. He would go to the next three Pro Bowls. Tommy Kramer took over for the retired Tarkenton in 1979. Ahmad Rashad might have achieved greater attention for his time catching passes from Kramer. Ask any Vikings fan about the Cleveland Browns game in 1980 and you'll get the biggest smile you've ever seen. Kramer-to-Rashad tales will never end.
Ahmad Rashad retired following the 1982 season. Most people likely know him better as a television personality. That's too bad as he was a fantastic receiver. One of the best during his time in the league. I've always felt that he'd be in the Hall of Fame if he had played his entire career in Minnesota. Only a couple more seasons with Fran Tarkenton would have done it. I'll never forget what Rashad did on the football field. He showed me how the position of receiver was meant to be played.
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