100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players: 80-71

The Flea Flicker countdown of the 100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players continues with players ranked 80-71. 

100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players: 80-71

  80. Bryant McKinnie, OT

  79. Chester Taylor, RB

  78. Percy Harvin, WR

  77. Ed Sharockman, CB

  76. Nate Wright, CB

  75. Lonnie Warwick, LB

  74. Greg Coleman, P

  73. Roy Winston, LB

  72. Chris Kluwe, P

  71. Brian Robison, DE

Bryant McKinnie had the physical talents to be one of the best offensive tackles of his era. Or any era. More often than not, he didn’t seem to care about much on the field. He and Dwayne Rudd are the most frustrating Vikings players during my lifetime as a fan. McKinnie for his apparent apathy. Rudd for his self-interest and self-celebration. McKinnie still played well enough to be #80 on this list. Imagine where he’d be if he’d played to his enormous talent. Rudd didn’t play long enough or well enough for the Vikings. 

Percy Harvin should be higher on this list. To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure why he isn’t. It just seemed to fall this way. Perhaps it’s the shortness of his time in Minnesota. Perhaps it’s the disappointment and frustration with his departure. Who knows? Despite being a Top 25 talent he falls to #77. He was a fun football player. 

Nate Wright is best known for being the player shoved to the ground by Drew Pearson in the 1975 playoffs. Despite that unfortunate play, Wright was one of the best corners in Vikings franchise history.

Two punters in this group. I go back and forth between Greg Coleman and Chris Kluwe for title of best punter in Vikings franchise history. Coleman was a really fun punter. Or as fun as a punter can be. Kluwe was a really good punter. 

Lonnie Warwick and Roy Winston were two-thirds of the linebacker trio that played in the giant shadow of the Purple People Eaters. Warwick, Winston, and Wally Hilgenberg were a solid trio. 

Brian Robison is an example of a player getting a boost on this list for the person that he is. He was a terrific football player but he was also really great with the fans. He still is. His “96 Questions” was a blast.