The Minnesota Vikings are at an exciting moment in their 63 year history. With the departure of Kirk Cousins, the team is pivoting at the quarterback position. Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy were added this offseason. At the soon-to-be age of 27, Darnold has become something of a journeyman quarterback. Initially selected with the third pick of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, he’s now with his fourth team. The Jets were picking at #3 for a reason. They were terrible. After three forgettable seasons, team and player went in different directions. He was traded to a nearly as terrible Carolina Panthers team in 2021. After two forgettable seasons, team and player went in different directions. He was a backup for the San Francisco 49ers last season. With the Vikings, Darnold has the opportunity to pump some life into his NFL career. He still has the talent that got him selected at #3. He now has the opportunity to play with some offensive talent and a coaching staff that can effectively tap into that talent. The only negative to his new situation is the Vikings selecting J.J. McCarthy with the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was selected to be the quarterback of the future. Darnold has a great opportunity but he’s clearly holding the place until McCarthy is ready. That could be as early as the first game of this season, as late as the first game of next season, or any game in between. Change is exciting. This moment in Vikings history is exciting. It’s been a long, frustrating, and often painful search for a long-term answer at quarterback. Right now, the future, and even the present, feels so promising.
Since their first season in 1961, the Vikings have selected five quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Tommy Kramer (1977)
Daunte Culpepper (1999)
Christian Ponder (2011)
Teddy Bridgewater (2014)
J.J. McCarthy (2024)
Tommy Kramer was always fun and often great when he was on the field. Unfortunately, he wasn’t on the field enough. Injuries kept disrupting consistency and progress. His is definitely a career of what might’ve been. Daunte Culpepper was on an upward trajectory until a knee injury ended his time in Minnesota. Christian Ponder was drafted to be a quarterback that he never had the talent to be. As with Culpepper, a horrible knee injury ended whatever future Teddy Bridgewater might’ve had with the Vikings. Each of the four quarterbacks was drafted to be the next great Vikings quarterback. Two showed great potential, one had potential, and the fourth was Ponder. The Vikings are still searching for their next great quarterback. Hopefully, McCarthy rises to that role.
Considering that Tarkenton is the Vikings all-time franchise quarterback, it’s shocking that the team once traded him away. At least the same decision-makers had the bright idea to bring him back five years later.
With last year’s merry-go-round quarterback situation and the current transition period at the position, I’ve been thinking often about the Vikings quarterback past. I’ve been thinking about the consistency and excellence of Fran Tarkenton. In the 1970s, his presence gave me so much confidence and comfort in the present and future. As a naive little kid, I thought that he’d always be the Vikings quarterback. I’ve been thinking about the long, frustrating search for the team’s next franchise quarterback. I’ve been thinking about Darnold’s opportunity and I’ve been thinking a lot about McCarthy’s potential and bright future.
Whether it’s Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy, a new quarterback will be under center when the Minnesota Vikings open the 2024 season against the New York Giants. Here’s a look at every quarterback that’s started a game for the Vikings.
The number of starts are in parentheses.
1961:
George Shaw (4)
Fran Tarkenton (10)
1962
Fran Tarkenton (14)
1963:
Fran Tarkenton (13)
Ron Vander Kelen (1)
1964:
Fran Tarkenton ((14)
1965:
Fran Tarkenton (14)
1966:
Fran Tarkenton (12)
Ron Vander Kelen (1)
Bob Berry (1)
1967:
Joe Kapp (11)
Ron Vander Kelen (3)
1968:
Joe Kapp (14)
1969:
Joe Kapp (13)
Gary Couzzo (1)
1970:
Gary Couzzo (12)
Bob Lee (2)
1971:
Gary Couzzo (8)
Bob Lee (4)
Norm Snead (2)
1972:
Fran Tarkenton (14)
1973:
Fran Tarkenton (14)
1974:
Fran Tarkenton (13)
Bob Berry (1)
1975:
Fran Tarkenton (14)
1976:
Fran Tarkenton (13)
Bob Lee (1)
1977:
Fran Tarkenton (9)
Bob Lee (4)
Tommy Kramer (1)
1978:
Fran Tarkenton (16)
1979:
Tommy Kramer (16)
1980:
Tommy Kramer (15)
Steve Dils (1)
1981:
Tommy Kramer (14)
Steve Dils (2)
1982:
Tommy Kramer (9)
1983:
Steve Dils (12)
Tommy Kramer (3)
Wade Wilson (1)
1984:
Tommy Kramer (9)
Wade Wilson (5)
Archie Manning (2)
1985:
Tommy Kramer (15)
Wade Wilson (1)
1986:
Tommy Kramer (13)
Wade Wilson (3)
1987:
Wade Wilson (7)
Tony Adams (3) - replacement games
Tommy Kramer (5)
1988:
Wade Wilson (10)
Tommy Kramer (6)
1989:
Wade Wilson (12)
Tommy Kramer (4)
1990:
Rich Gannon (12)
Wade Wilson (4)
1991:
Rich Gannon (11)
Wade Wilson (5)
1992:
Rich Gannon (12)
Sean Salisbury (4)
1993:
Jim McMahon (12)
Sean Salisbury (4)
1994:
Warren Moon (15)
Sean Salisbury (1)
1995:
Warren Moon (16)
1996:
Warren Moon (8)
Brad Johnson (8)
1997:
Brad Johnson (13)
Randall Cunningham (3)
1998:
Randall Cunningham (14)
Brad Johnson (2)
1999:
Jeff George (10)
Randall Cunningham (6)
2000:
Daunte Culpepper (16)
2001:
Daunte Culpepper (11)
Spergon Wynn (2)
Todd Bouman (3)
2002:
Daunte Culpepper (16)
2003:
Daunte Culpepper (14)
Gus Frerotte (2)
2004:
Daunte Culpepper (16)
2005:
Daunte Culpepper (7)
Brad Johnson (9)
2006:
Brad Johnson (14)
Tarvaris Jackson (2)
2007:
Tarvaris Jackson (12)
Kelly Holcomb (3)
Brooks Bollinger (1)
2008:
Gus Frerotte (11)
Tarvaris Jackson (5)
2009:
Brett Favre (16)
2010:
Brett Favre (13)
Tarvaris Jackson (1)
Joe Webb (2)
2011:
Donovan McNabb (6)
Christian Ponder (10)
2012:
Christian Ponder (16)
2013:
Christian Ponder (9)
Josh Freeman (1)
Matt Cassel (6)
2014:
Matt Cassel (3)
Teddy Bridgewater (12)
Christian Ponder (1)
2015:
Teddy Bridgewater (16)
2016:
Shaun Hill (1)
Sam Bradford (15)
2017:
Sam Bradford (2)
Case Keenum (14)
2018:
Kirk Cousins (16)
2019:
Kirk Cousins (15)
Sean Mannion (1)
2020:
Kirk Cousins (16)
2021:
Kirk Cousins (16)
Sean Mannion (1)
2022:
Kirk Cousins (17)
2023:
Kirk Cousins (8)
Jaren Hall (2)
Josh Dobbs (4)
Nick Mullens (3)
Through 63 years, the Minnesota Vikings have started 42 quarterbacks.
George Shaw
Fran Tarkenton
Ron Vander Kelen
Bob Berry
Joe Kapp
Gary Couzzo
Bob Lee
Norm Snead
Tommy Kramer
Steve Dils
Wade Wilson
Archie Manning
Tony Adams - replacement games
Rich Gannon
Sean Salisbury
Jim McMahon
Warren Moon
Brad Johnson
Randall Cunningham
Jeff George
Daunte Culpepper
Spergon Wynn
Todd Bouman
Gus Frerotte
Tarvaris Jackson
Kelly Holcomb
Brooks Bollinger
Brett Favre
Joe Webb
Donovan McNabb
Christian Ponder
Josh Freeman
Matt Cassel
Teddy Bridgewater
Shaun Hill
Sam Bradford
Case Keenum
Kirk Cousins
Sean Mannion
Jaren Hall
Josh Dobbs
Nick Mullens
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