Minnesota Vikings' Wiley Veterans: Top Seven QBs Acquired After Age 30

Most Vikings fans are of the opinion that Brett Favre will be wearing purple again before the season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Much has been made about "Grandpa" Favre's age, as he will turn 41 this coming October.

After having, statistically, the best season in his 19-year career, expectations for another solid run at the Super Bowl are especially high.

Looking back over Vikings history, Favre is one of eight quarterbacks the team has signed after they had surpassed the ripe old age of 30. In fact, Favre is not even the first 30-plus-year-old, Super Bowl-winning quarterback they signed.

The following criteria was used to rank these senior slingers:

1. QB rating as a Viking
2. Super Bowl appearances
3. Winning percentage in Minnesota
4. Seasons they played in purple
5. TD/game
6. TD/INT ratio

Here is the ranking for the seven quarterbacks not named Favre:

No. 7: Brad Johnson—2005-2006, age 37, 13-10 record, 66.4 QB rating.

Johnson was all set to be the Vikings starter in 1998 when, after starting the season 2-0, he when down with an injury.

Randall Cunningham took over, and the Vikings cruised to a 15-1 record.

Johnson was traded to the Washington Redskins the next season and spent two seasons there, before moving on to Tampa Bay, where he led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory in 2002.

Two years later he was back in purple. This time the results were not as stellar.

From 1994 to 1998 Johnson was 15-8 as a starter. In 2005 and 2006 he would go only 13-10 before leaving the Vikings and ending his career as a backup in Dallas.

No. 6: Jim McMahon—1993, age 34, 8-4 record, 76.2 QB rating.

Like Favre and Johnson, McMahon came to the Vikings with a Super Bowl win to his credit.

The former Chicago Bear brought his swagger to the Metrodome after playing seven seasons with Chicago, a single season with the Chargers and another three with the Philadelphia Eagles.

He only played one season with the Vikings, leading them to a second-place finish in the NFC North.

His career ended as a backup QB for the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in 1996.

No. 5: Gus Frerotte—2008, age 37, 8-3 record, 73.7 QB rating.

Frerotte could have been ranked twice on this list.

In 2003 and 2004 Frerotte served as a backup to Daunte Culpepper, only starting four games.

In his 15-year career Frerotte would play for seven different teams, amassing a 45-47-1 record.

In 2005 he left the Vikings only to return three years later in 2008, his last season in the NFL.

Tarvaris Jackson opened the season as the starter. After the team went 0-2, Frerotte took over, going 8-3 over the next 11 games, before losing the starting role back to Jackson. 

The Vikings won the division that year, only to lose at home to the Eagles in the opening round of the playoffs.

No. 4: Warren Moon—1994, age 38, 21-18 record, 82.8 QB rating.

After 10 years playing for the Houston Oilers, Moon signed with the Vikings.

Over the next three seasons he would start 39 games, splitting the '96 season with Johnson.

In 1994 he led the Vikings to a 10-6 record and a division title.

The Vikings would lose the wild-card game at home against division rival Chicago, a team they had swept during the regular season.  

No. 3: Jeff George—1999, age 32, 8-2 record, 94.2 QB rating.

For the overall No. 1 pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 1990, this would be the only season George played for Minnesota.

Following the record-breaking season of 1999, the Vikings opened the season going 2-4.

This spelled the end of the Cunningham era. George would take over, winning eight of 10 games and earning a wild-card berth in the playoffs.

George defeated the Cowboys in the playoffs before losing to the St. Louis Rams, ending his brief career with the Vikings.

No. 2: Randall Cunningham—1997, age 34, 16-7 record, 94.2 QB rating.  

After playing 11 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles, Cunningham signed as a backup QB in 1997.

When Johnson went down after two games in 1998, Cunningham took over, and never looked back.

He led the Vikings to a 15-1 season and an NFL scoring record.

He had one of the best receiver tandems in Vikings history, in 1998, with Cris Carter and rookie Randy Moss. For the season he would throw for 34 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. His 106 quarterback rating was the best in his 16-year career.

No. 1: Fran Tarkenton—1972, age 32, 64-27 record. 81.5 QB rating.

Like Johnson, Tarkenton would return to the Vikings.

His 13 seasons for the Vikings would be split by five seasons with the New York Giants. 

He would play until the age of 38, in 1978, his last season in the NFL.

Over the final seven-years of his career he would lead the Vikings to a 64-27-2 record, throwing 126 touchdowns.     

He was a part of the greatest era of Vikings football as he led the Vikings to three Super Bowl appearances in four years following the '73, '74, and '76 seasons. 

No other quarterback has had as much impact on this franchise as Tarkenton.

The only way to supplant his position would be a Super Bowl victory for the Purple and Gold.