Minnesota Vikings Super Bowl XI Players: Where Are They Now?

To those of you under 40, this one is going to be tough to remember because Super Bowl XI was played on January 9, 1977. I was but a mere 13 and cried until I was 14. I always hated that image of John Madden being hoisted onto the shoulders of his players and carted off the field.

Man that brings back such bad memories, nightmares really. When you’re 13 and your team has been to four Super Bowls already, you think the world is made of lollipops and ice cream and that all is hunky dory, but that is hardly the case. That was an astonishing 34 years ago.

So if you are under 40, you were probably being dressed by mom in Vikings purple running around throwing a little itty bitty football proclaiming one day that you were going to wear the uniform of the Vikings. Well, at least that’s what I thought.

Don’t worry, I am not going into depression, just reflecting, and apparently doing a bang up job of revisiting a terrible time in my youth.

So, this moment has brought me to some nostalgic moment where I began to think about the players I looked up to at that age. Oddly enough, Jeff Siemon was my favorite player. When I met him after a game against the Dolphins, it was the highlight of my trip to the old “hood” stadium, the Orange Bowl, but I really digress here, sorry.

I wish I could, but I can’t include them all, and some of the big names are not included here because those players are still in the spotlight somewhere. Take Fran Tarkenton, most people know about the Tarkenton Group in Atlanta. And Ahmad Rashad stays in the spotlight with his basketball analysis and occasional cameos on sports networks. And, most know that Alan Page is a Minnesota Supreme Court judge.

So, I did some research on some of the more obscure players and the following slides inform you the reader of where these former Viking greats are these days. So, sit back and enjoy this stroll down Vikings History Lane.

1975-6 Starters for the NFC Champion Minnesota Vikings

Offense

QB          Fran Tarkenton

RB           Chuck Foreman

FB           Brent McClanahan

WR         Ahmad Rashad

WR         Sammy White

TE           Stu Voigt

LT            Steve Riley

LG           Charles Goodrum

C             Mick Tingelhoff

RG          Ed White

RT           Ron Yary

Defense

LDE         Carl Eller

LDT         Doug Sutherland

RDT        Alan Page

RDE        Jim Marshall

LLB         Matt Blair

MLB       Jeff Siemon

RLB         Wally Hilgenberg

LCB         Nate Wright

RCB        Bobby Bryant

SS           Jeff Wright

FS           Paul Krause

Special Teams

K             Fred Cox

P             Neil Clabo

Jeff Siemon, LB, 1972-1982

OK, might as well start with my favorite guy at the time. I don’t know why; I was an MLB in youth rec football, and he just filled the spot and was a great player for us. I love it that I can put down that his entire career was spent with the Vikings.

Drafted in the first round out of Stanford, Siemon was the No. 10 pick. He ranks third in Vikings history in total tackles with 1,382, and he holds the Vikings record for solo combined tackles in a season, with 170 in 1978. Jeff was a four-time Pro Bowler.

Today, Siemon works as the Minnesota Search Ministries Division Director.

He and his wife, Dawn, have four grown children and live in Edina, Minnesota. Their daughter Kelley played for the Notre Dame women's basketball team, helping them win the 2001 national championship game.

No. 50, Jeff Siemon is a member of the 50 Greatest Vikings Team

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Siemon

Paul Krause, S, 1968-1979

Despite being drafted by the Redskins in 1964 in round two and playing four seasons for them, most people will associate Paul Krause as a life-long Viking.

Krause was traded to the Vikings in 1968 and retired as a Viking in 1979. He had intercepted more balls (81 total) than any other man in NFL history, and he was an eight-time Pro Bowler. He truly defined the defense’s “centerfielder” nickname. He should have been called “pick-pocket” for as many times as he picked opposing quarterback passes.

Krause was "finally" selected to the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Today, Krause is involved with real estate. He owns several restaurants, including the Dairy Delite in Lakeville, Minnesota.

No. 22, Paul Krause is also a member of the 50 Greatest Vikings team.

Matt Blair, LB, 1974-1985

Once again, I love to say this. Matt Blair was drafted by the Vikings in round two of the 1974 draft and spent his entire career with the Vikings.

In his 12 seasons, Blair was a valuable asset to one of the league’s most dominating defenses, and he was especially good at blocking kicks.

Blair is second on the Vikings All Time List for tackles with 1,452, and he impressively has a total of 20 1/2 blocked kicks, a Vikings record. Maybe that’s a NFL record as well?

Blair published his first book of photography in 2008. "”Photography allows me to capture a moment of time. I hope you enjoy my photographs as much as I have enjoyed taking them."

No. 59 Matt Blair, is also a member of the 50 Greatest Vikings team.

Source: http://www.mattblair.com/about.html.

Doug Sutherland, DT, 1971-1980

Many people do not know, but Doug Sutherland was an integral part to the Vikings Purple People Eaters defensive dominance of the 1970’s, but lived in the shadow of Page, Eller and Marshall.

Originally drafted in 1970 by the New Orleans Saints in the 14th round—back when they had that many rounds—Sutherland became part of the Vikings in 1971 and remained a Viking until 1981 when he joined the Seahawks.

Sutherland replaced Gary Larsen, who played for the Vikings from 1966-1974. 

Mr. Sutherland is currently a Broker Manager at Coldwell Banker East West Realty in Duluth.

No. 69 Sutherland is also a member of the 50 Greatest Vikings team.

Wally Hilgenberg, LB, 1968-1979

This is just my tribute to another of my favorites. Wally Hilgenberg passed away September 23, 2008 of complications of Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Of his 16 seasons in the NFL, Hilgenberg spent his last 12 with the Vikings. “Hilgenberg led the team in total tackles with 110 in 1971, and his 13 combined tackles at Chicago on Oct. 23, 1972, remains tied with Scott Studwell for the most by a Vikings player in a single game. He ranks 12th on the team’s all-time tackles list with 739.”

No. 58 was also a member of the 50 Greatest Vikings team.

Source: http://www.globegazette.com/news/local/article_a7ced79c-9dff-582c-b15c-1d89619e449f.html#ixzz1Rf3J83u8

Bobby Bryant, DB, 1968-1980

Back in the day, if my position was defensive back, I would have wanted to play like Bobby Bryant. He was a fierce competitor who packed a hit in his 170 lb frame.

Bryant was drafted by the Vikings in the seventh round of the 1968 draft.

Yet another member of the 50 Greatest Vikings Team, Bryant played his entire career with the Vikings. For his career, he had 51 INT’s. Paul Krause had 81 over his career, and you add Bryant’s, that’s a lot of INT’s by just two guys.

Today, Bobby Bryant is part owner of Quackt Glass in Columbia, South Carolina. He has had several businesses in the past, but his current venture is something he really enjoys working with. The 67-year-old is still a cagey, gruff and happy-go-lucky southern boy. Oh, how we loved to watch Bobby play.

For more information on Bobby Bryant, check out: http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Where-Are-They-Now-Bobby-Bryant/5c77450e-530f-4431-a750-bb4df19a00d8

Jim Marshall, DE, 1961-1979

A virtual lock for the Hall of Fame, right? One would think so, but apparently not. The Hall’s inability to vote in this guy is borderline football treachery. Here are few stats for these idiots to chew on:

Had 270 consecutive starts (later surpassed by Brett Favre in 2009), as a defensive end no less. 302 total as a defensive linemen

Was a two-time Pro Bowler

Went to four Super Bowls

According to Vikings team records, he had 130 sacks, which would put him in the Top 10.

Had 30 fumble recoveries

One of the top 300 players of all-time and not in the HoF, absolutely disgraceful.

What other player can say they ran the wrong way for an opponent’s TD?

So, what is Mr. Marshall up to these days? Well, he has had some legal issues in the past, along with crashes of one sort or another.

According to The Football Search Engine, Jim has traveled and made appearances throughout the world in his quest to raise the quality of life of youths today.

 He has been recognized as a motivating public speaker by 3M, IBM and Standard Oil, among other corporations.

Source: http://www.thefootballsearchengine.com/JimMarshall/facts/.

Bob Lee, QB, 1968-1972, 1975-1978

Doggone two-timer. Bob Lee is one of the more obscure players chosen here because both times he was in Minnesota, he was the backup. First to Joe Kapp, and second to Fran.

He was selected in round 17. Yep, that’s right 17. He was player No. 441.  Despite being a backup, Lee also punted and was the punter in Super Bowl IV. He filled in for the injured Tarkenton, and in his two stints, had a 9-2 overall record as a starter for the Vikings.

After leaving Minnesota and going to Atlanta, it didn’t take long for Lee to come back to Minnesota. He returned in 1975 and slid back into his backup role. Lee wound up with the Los Angeles Rams in 1979, but retired after the 1980 season. Of the 14 years in the NFL, he spent eight with the Vikings.

Today, Bob Lee is probably more known as Zac Lee’s dad, or Jenna Lee’s dad. Zac is a quarterback at the University of Nebraska, and Jenna works for the FOX Business Network. Lee had worked as the Athletic Director for the University of the Pacific.

Stu Voigt, TE, 1970-1980

Have I mentioned this already, another one of my favorites was Stu Voigt. In fact, when I went on to play college ball as a receiver, I chose No. 83. I really can’t explain it. It wasn’t like he was a star for them, but I just liked the way he played.

Selected in round 10 out of Wisconsin, Voigt brought a certain blue collar toughness that resonated with a young impressionable Vikings fan.

For his career, Voigt had 177 receptions for a 10.8 YPC and 17 TD’s. Voigt is another in a long list of great Vikings TE's, and probably isn't their best ever, but he was a great Viking nonetheless.

He is now Chairman of the Board for the First Commercial Bank in Bloomington.

Sammy White, WR, 1976-1985

As a rookie, White made an immediate splash with the Vikings, teaming up with Ahmad Rashad to make a nice one-two punch at receiver. He was AP’s Rookie of the Year.

In 10 years, White posted 393 receptions and 6,400 yards with 50 touchdowns to his credit.

And, who could ever forget Jack Tatum’s hit on White in the Super Bowl? White was coming over the middle on a crossing route, made the catch and then, bam, Tatum and White hit helmet to helmet. White goes spinning like a pinwheel to the ground. He held onto the ball. That was the kind of player White was.

White was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and retired with the Vikings in 1985.

The last news about Sammy White was that he was the receivers coach for Grambling, and after the 2009 season, would not return. I am sure he is enjoying a little R&R these days.

Mick Tingelhoff, C, 1962-1978

Now, that is one resume bullet many cannot speak of these days, 17 years with one team. Mick was the original Hoff, despite David Hasselhoff’s claim.

There are so many honors bestowed upon Tingelhoff: seven-time Pro Bowler, Vikings Ring of Honor, his No. 53 being retired and starter in four Super Bowls.

However, what most people do not know is that Tingelhoff participated in 240 consecutive games. That is second only to Marshall’s for the Vikings, and as an offensive linemen in the trenches week in and week out is nothing short of unbelievable.

Tingelhoff has yet to be voted into the Hall of Fame. Yet another outrageous crime against "should be" Hall of Fame Vikings and one of the reasons I refuse to visit Canton.

These days, Tingelhoff is happily retired and enjoying retirement by hunting and attending various Vikings events. The original Hoff lives on and plays on.

Ron Yary, T, 1968-1981

A lot of Vikings tackles over the years are probably tired of hearing his name. Why? Ron Yary set the standard for all Vikings tackles.

Drafted No. 1 overall in the 1968 draft, Ron Yary did not disappoint the organization or the fans. Other than an anecdotal final year with the Rams (California his home state), Yary played 14 years for the Vikings.

Most people do not know that the reason the Vikings had the No. 1 pick was because they traded Fran Tarkenton to the Giants. Thank God the man came back to the Twin Cities, Fran that is.

Yary put together a Hall of Fame career that finally resulted in selection to the Hall of Fame in 2001 and was voted into the Vikings Ring of Honor in 2000.

Here is another nugget of information. After winning the starting job in his second year, he missed only two games in his 14 years. And in his last year with the Vikings, he played with a broken foot. Talk about iron men.

Yary was a seven-time Pro Bowler and played in all four Super Bowls. He was named to the All-Decade Team of the 1970’s.

Today, Yary lives in Southern California with his wife and two sons and sells commercial real estate. Ouch! That has to be one tough market right now. No wonder he has talked of moving back to the Twin Cities.

Fred Cox, K, 1963-1977

If we know one thing, we know this. It’s great to post so many players who played their entire careers with one team, and Cox is another added to that list.

Admittedly, Cox is my favorite Vikings kicker of all-time. I also like Jan Stenerud, but he got to us too late, as did Longwell. Remember Fuad Reveiz?

Cox was only selected to one Pro Bowl, but he had a great and consistent career with the Vikings. Straight on kickers did not have the greatest accuracy rate and their range was limited, but Cox chalked up 282 field goals and a 52 yarder in 1975 was his career long.

1975 was Cox’s best year statistically, making 77 percent of his field goals, and an amazing stat is that he never had a field goal blocked. And that was in a day and age when more of those things happened. The Vikings blocked 15 in one season alone, 1975.

A little known fact is that Fred Cox invented the Nerf football.

Today, Cox and his wife live in Arizona in the winter and Minnesota the other times of the year. They have four adult children and 13 grandkids.

To find out more on Fred, go to: http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Where-Are-They-Now-Fred-Cox/28a2116f-76f0-4e7f-b1ee-5cf12634e915.