1971 Minnesota Vikings season
The 1971 Minnesota Vikings were in their 11th NFL season. They finished with an 11-3 record, won the NFC Central, and made the playoffs for the fourth straight year. They lost 20-12 at home in the divisional round to the Dallas Cowboys, who went on to win the Super Bowl.
Defensively, the team is famous for being one of the greatest in NFL history. In 2007, ESPN ranked the 1971 Vikings’ defense as the fourth greatest ever, noting their motto “Meet at the quarterback” and how they limited opposing quarterbacks to a very low rating. They shut out three opponents and only one team scored more than 20 points against them. Alan Page became the first defensive player to win NFL MVP. Teammates Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, and safety Paul Krause also earned recognition on the defense.
All-Pros: Carl Eller, Alan Page, Ron Yary. Pro Bowlers: Carl Eller, Bob Grim, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Ron Yary. The Vikings played their home games at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 23:34 (CET).