Vikings Centers

The Minnesota Vikings might be best known for the receivers and defensive linemen that they've had over a franchise history that dates to 1961. Among the receivers, Cris Carter and Randy Moss are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If Ahmad Rashad had played his entire career in Minnesota he might be honored in Canton as well. Gene Washington, John Gilliam, Sammy White, Anthony Carter, and Jake Reed add to the receiver tradition. Current receivers, Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, continue it. Alan Page, Carl Eller, Chris Doleman, and John Randle are the Vikings' Hall of Famers from the defensive line. Jared Allen and Kevin Williams should/could join them. Many say that Jim Marshall should as well. Keith Millard would be in Canton if injuries hadn't derailed his dominant career. As with Diggs and Thielen continuing a receiver tradition, a well-stocked current defensive line continues the Vikings' strong tradition at the position.

It might not be as star-studded as receiver and defensive line but the Vikings have a fine tradition at the center position. It's a position tradition that is boosted, if not simply made, by the Hall of Fame career of Mick Tingelhoff. In short, he played forever. Actually, he played, started, starred (as much as centers star) for 17 years. In football years that's forever for an offensive lineman. Every Vikings center since has had Tingelhoff as their model. None have quite reached that level of play. Some have come close for short stretches. Matt Birk made the Pro Bowl six times. Jeff Christy made it three times. The main strength of the Vikings center tradition is consistency and durability. Over 58 years, the Vikings' center position has been capably, at times superbly, manned by ten players.

Games	Player	Years Played
240	Mick Tingelhoff	1962-78
123	Matt Birk	1998-2008
101	Dennis Swilley	1978-83, '85-87
93	John Sullivan	2008-15
92	Jeff Christy	1993-99
86	Kirk Lowdermilk	1985-92
48	Joe Berger	2011-17
27	Pat Elflein	2017-present
17	Adam Schreiber	1990-93
13	Bill Lapham	1961

Joe Berger bounced between the three interior line positions over his seven years with the Vikings.

For 53 of the franchise's 58 years, seven players handled the center position for the Minnesota Vikings.

Player	Years
Mick Tingelhoff	17
Matt Birk	10
Dennis Swilley	7
John Sullivan	7
Jeff Christy	6
Kirk Lowdermilk	6

I've always been intrigued by the Vikings strong, consistent center tradition. That's one of many reasons why I'm so excited to see rookie Garrett Bradbury continue it. Despite this long, strong center tradition the Vikings have never had one with this sort of obvious potential. Tingelhoff was undrafted at a time when the draft went 20 rounds. Birk was a seventh-round tackle out of Harvard. John Sullivan was selected in the fifth round. The Vikings haven't taken many offensive linemen in the first round. They've never taken a center that high. Centers typically aren't taken that high. From his athletic ability to his intelligence to his leadership to his work ethic, Bradbury is the sort of center that is taken in the first round. He looks like the sort of center around which an offensive line is built. He looks like the sort of center that will continue a strong Vikings tradition at the position.