1999 Minnesota Vikings season

1999 Minnesota Vikings season
Head coach	Dennis Green
Home field	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Results
Record	10–6
Division place	2nd NFC Central
Playoff finish	Won NFC Wild Card Playoff Lost NFC Divisional Round

The year 1999 was the 39th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 80th regular season of the National Football League.

After going 15–1 in 1998 the Vikings began the 1999 season with high hopes of another great season. Randall Cunningham resumed duties again in 1999, but after a lukewarm 2–4 start, Jeff George was given the starting job. He finished the season with an 8–2 record, and led the Vikings into the postseason once again, with an overall team record of 10–6. Minnesota beat Dallas in the Wild Card Game 27–10, and faced playoff newcomer Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams in the Divisional Round. The game was a shootout which Minnesota led 17–14 at halftime, but the Rams outscored Minnesota 35 to 20 in the second half to win 49–37. St. Louis would go on to win Super Bowl XXXIV.

Offseason

1999 Expansion Draft

Minnesota Vikings selected by the Expansion
Cleveland Browns

Pick	Name	Position
18	Duane Butler	Safety
27	Orlando Bobo	Offensive Guard

1999 Draft

=Pro Bowler

1999 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order			Player name	Position	College	Notes
Round	Choice	Overall
1	11	11	Daunte Culpepper	Quarterback	Central Florida	from Redskins^[a]
	29	29	Dimitrius Underwood	Defensive Tackle	Michigan State
2	13	44	Jim Kleinsasser	Tight End	North Dakota	from Steelers^[b]
	28	59	Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers^[b]
3	12	73	Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers^[b]			from Redskins^[a]
	30	91	Traded to the New England Patriots^[c]
4	25	120	Kenny Wright	Cornerback	Northwestern State	from Dolphins^[d]
	30	125	Jay Humphrey	Tackle	Texas
5	30	163	Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers^[b]
	36	169	Chris Jones	Safety	Clemson	Compensatory pick
6	16	185	Talance Sawyer	Defensive Tackle	UNLV	from Buccaneers via Ravens^[e]
	30	199	Antico Dalton	Linebacker	Hampton
7	30	236	Noel Scarlett	Defensive Tackle	Langston

^{^[a]} Washington traded their 1st round selection (11th overall), 3rd round selection (73rd overall)^[b], and 2000 2nd round selection to Minnesota in exchange for QB Brad Johnson.

^{^[b]} Minnesota traded their 2nd round selection (59th overall), Washington's 3rd round selection (73rd overall), and their own 5th round selection (163rd overall) to Pittsburgh to move up 15 spots to the 44th overall selection and make this pick.

^{^[c]} Minnesota traded their 3rd round selection (91st overall) to New England for CB Jimmy Hitchcock.

^{^[d]} Minnesota received Miami's 4th round selection (120th overall) as compensation for restricted free agent TE Hunter Goodwin.

^{^[e]} Baltimore traded Tampa Bay's 6th round selection (185th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for OL Everett Lindsay.

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	TV Time (CT)	Venue	Attendance
1	September 12, 1999	at Atlanta Falcons	W 17–14	FOX 3:15pm	Georgia Dome	69,555
2	September 19, 1999	Oakland Raiders	L 17-22	CBS 12:00pm	Metrodome	64,080
3	September 26, 1999	at Green Bay Packers	L 20-23	FOX 3:15pm	Lambeau Field	59,868
4	October 3, 1999	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 21–14	FOX 12:00pm	Metrodome	64,106
5	October 10, 1999	Chicago Bears	L 22-24	FOX 12:00pm	Metrodome	64,107
6	October 17, 1999	at Detroit Lions	L 23-25	FOX 12:00pm	Silverdome	76,516
7	October 24, 1999	San Francisco 49ers	W 40–16	FOX 3:15pm	Metrodome	64,109
8	October 31, 1999	at Denver Broncos	W 23–20	FOX 3:15pm	Mile High Stadium	75,021
9	November 8, 1999	Dallas Cowboys	W 27–17	ABC 8:00pm	Metrodome	64,111
10	November 14, 1999	at Chicago Bears	W 27–24 (OT)	FOX 12:00pm	Soldier Field	61,481
11	Bye
12	November 28, 1999	San Diego Chargers	W 35–27	CBS 12:00pm	Metrodome	64,232
13	December 6, 1999	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 17-24	ABC 8:00pm	Raymond James Stadium	65,741
14	December 12, 1999	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 28-31	ESPN 7:30pm	Arrowhead Stadium	78,932
15	December 20, 1999	Green Bay Packers	W 24–20	ABC 8:00pm	Metrodome	64,203
16	December 26, 1999	at New York Giants	W 34–17	FOX 12:00pm	Giants Stadium	78,095
17	January 2, 2000	Detroit Lions	W 24–17	FOX 12:00pm	Metrodome	64,103

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers	11	5	0	.688	270	235	W-2
(4) Minnesota Vikings	10	6	0	.625	399	335	W-3
(6) Detroit Lions	8	8	0	.500	322	323	L-4
Green Bay Packers	8	8	0	.500	357	341	W-1
Chicago Bears	6	10	0	.375	272	341	L-2

Postseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance
Wildcard	January 9, 2000	Dallas Cowboys	W 27–10	Metrodome	64,056
Division	January 16, 2000	at St. Louis Rams	L 37-49	TWA Dome	66,194

Statistics

Team leaders

Category	Player(s)	Value
Passing Yards	Jeff George	2,816
Passing Touchdowns	Jeff George	23
Rushing Yards	Robert Smith	1,015
Rushing Touchdowns	Leroy Hoard	10
Receiving Yards	Randy Moss	1,413
Receiving Touchdowns	Cris Carter	13
Points	Gary Anderson	103
Kickoff Return Yards	Robert Tate	627
Punt Return Yards	Randy Moss	162
Tackles	Robert Griffith	128
Sacks	John Randle	10
Interceptions	Robert Griffith	3
Forced Fumbles	John Randle	4

League rankings

Category	Total yards	Yards per game	NFL rank (out of 31)
Passing Offense	3,989 Yards	249.3 YPG	5th
Rushing Offense	1,804 Yards	112.8 YPG	14th
Total Offense	5,793 Yards	362.1 YPG	3rd
Passing Defense	3,980 Yards	248.8 YPG	30th
Rushing Defense	1,617 Yards	101.1 YPG	14th
Total Defense	5,597 Yards	349.8 YPG	27th

Personnel

Staff

1999 Minnesota Vikings staff
Front Office Owner – Red McCombs President – Gary Woods Executive Vice President/General Manager – Tim Connolly Director of Football Administration – Rob Brzezinski Head Coaches Head Coach – Dennis Green Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs – Richard Solomon Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator – Ray Sherman Quarterbacks – Alex Wood Running Backs – Carl Hargrave Wide Receivers – Hubbard Alexander Tight Ends – Dave Atkins Offensive Line – Mike Tice Quality Control – Dean Dalton			Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator – Foge Fazio Defensive Line – Andre Patterson Inside Linebackers – Tom Olivadotti Outside Linebackers – Trent Walters Special Teams Coaches Special Teams – Gary Zauner Strength and Conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Steve Wetzel Assistant Strength and Conditioning – John Kasper

^[1]

Final roster

1999 Minnesota Vikings final roster
	Quarterbacks  3 Jeff George 12 Daunte Culpepper  7 Randall Cunningham Running backs 40 Jim Kleinsasser FB 44 Leroy Hoard 33 Harold Morrow FB 26 Robert Smith 21 Moe Williams Wide receivers 80 Cris Carter 89 Matthew Hatchette 84 Randy Moss PR 19 Yo Murphy 86 Jake Reed (American football) 81 Chris Walsh Tight ends 87 Carlester Crumpler 82 Andrew Glover 85 Andrew Jordan		Offensive linemen 78 Matt Birk C 62 Jeff Christy C 71 David Dixon G 63 Corbin Lacina G 76 Chris Liwienski T 64 Randall McDaniel G 73 Todd Steussie T 77 Korey Stringer T Defensive linemen 91 John Burrough DE 96 Jerry Ball DT 92 Duane Clemons DE 95 Keith Council DT 56 Chris Doleman DE 95 Martin Harrison DE 75 Joe Phillips DT 93 John Randle DE 97 Talance Sawyer DE 94 Tony Williams DT		Linebackers 51 Rob Holmberg 55 Olrick Johnson 58 Ed McDaniel MLB 57 Dwayne Rudd OLB 52 Kailee Wong OLB Defensive backs 30 Antonio Banks CB 32 Anthony Bass CB 43 Greg Briggs CB 24 Robert Griffith SS 37 Jimmy Hitchcock CB 31 Don Morgan CB 29 Chris Rogers DB 28 Robert Tate CB 20 Kenny Wright CB Special teams  1 Gary Anderson K 17 Mitch Berger P 68 Mike Morris LS		Reserve lists 50 Pete Bercich LB (IR) 23 Torrian Gray FS (PUP) 45 John Henry Mills FB (IR) 22 David Palmer RB (IR) 27 Keith Thibodeaux CB (IR) 42 Orlando Thomas FS (IR) Practice squad 50 Antico Dalton LB -- Carlos Jones CB 60 Cory Withrow C Rookies in italics 52 Active, 6 Inactive, 3 Practice squad

References

1. 2009 Minnesota Vikings Media Guide. p. 251. Retrieved 2010-03-06.