Vikings

The 2001 Vikings Were A Giant 'What If?'

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There were high expectations when the Minnesota Vikings kicked off training camp in 2001. They had just been to the NFC Championship in two of the past three seasons and had one of the league’s most exciting quarterback-receiver duos in Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss.

There were signs that their defense, which had been adequate during this run, was falling apart, but it was assumed their window was still open to win a Super Bowl. By the time the Vikings arrived in Mankato, they were greeted with championship expectations.

Instead, the 2001 season didn’t turn out as they hoped. A string of misfortunes, including Korey Stringer’s death, created a dark cloud over the camp, and they failed to meet expectations once the season started. It would take eight years to reach their next NFC Championship game.

Stringer was one of the fixtures on the offensive line and at 346 lbs, it was understandable if he needed a break as temperatures in Mankato climbed into the 90s. After being unable to complete the first day of practice, Stringer participated in the second day but continued to struggle.

When practice was completed, Stringer felt woozy and was rushed to a hospital. His internal temperature reached 108 degrees; he went into heatstroke and died.

Since then, preventative measures have taken place to make sure a tragedy like this doesn’t occur again. But for the Vikings, this was an unfamiliar feeling. Stringer was one of the foundational pieces of the team and was a tremendous person. After his death, the Vikings created the “Korey Stringer Good Guy Award” for the player that is the most cooperative with the media.

Even before Stringer’s death, there was a lingering bad feeling after the 2000 NFC Championship. However, after the 41-0 loss to the New York Giants, Vikings fans found solace in their offense. Moss and Cris Carter were returning as their top receivers. If Culpepper, 24, took a step forward in his development, Minnesota’s passing attack could have been better in 2001.

But the first sign of trouble was when Robert Smith opted to retire. The news was shocking as Smith led the NFC with 1,521 yards rushing and a career-high seven touchdowns the previous season and left a gaping hole in the Vikings’ backfield.

A big reason for Minnesota’s success in 2000 was that Culpepper walked into a loaded offense. Head coach Dennis Green referred to it as “Daunte’s bus,” but with Smith’s retirement, it suddenly had a flat tire.

The Vikings were not big free-agent spenders during the Red McCombs era, so their best way to replace Smith was in the draft. With the 27th-overall pick, the Vikings selected Wisconsin running back Michael Bennett. With his blinding speed, there was a new facet to the offense.

The idea to replace Smith with Bennett worked out well at the beginning of Bennett’s career. He rushed for 1,296 yards and five touchdowns in his second season in 2002, but he also suffered multiple injuries that year, and in his rookie season. Therefore, he came nowhere near Smith’s production, finishing the season with 682 yards and two touchdowns in 2001.

With Stringer and Smith gone, the Vikings had an uphill battle. Their biggest opponent that year? Father Time.

Carter was entering his age 36 season and his streak of eight straight 1,000-yard seasons came to an end in 2001. What stings more is the selection of Bennett over a successor for Carter. Instead of taking Bennett, the Vikings could have selected Reggie Wayne or Chad Johnson to pair with Moss.

Either player would have given the Vikings a different look throughout the early 2000s. Instead, they were struggling to find a secondary option.

They also fell victim to the salary cap on the defensive side of the ball. The Vikings were $7 million over the cap toward the end of training camp and were trying to re-negotiate John Randle’s contract. With two years remaining on his deal, Randle balked at the idea of a restructure and the Vikings opted to release him right before training camp.

The losses of Smith, Stringer, and Randle, combined with Carter’s decline, put the Vikings in a tough spot. With several key pieces missing, they were able to stay afloat through the first half of the season, going 3-4.

But things fell apart soon after, with the Vikings finishing 2-7, including a 33-3 drubbing at the Metrodome by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15.

Twenty years later, there’s a lot of what-ifs surrounding this team. While the decline of Carter was inevitable, it would be interesting to see if Wayne or Johnson could step in as Moss’ new sidekick. The death of Stringer also played a role, and with Smith in the backfield, the Vikings could have kept their championship window open for at least one more season.

Instead, the Green era ended with a thud and Mike Tice was hired the following offseason. If the Vikings had stayed together, this team could have made one last run at a Super Bowl.

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