The Minnesota Vikings and the University of Minnesota reportedly have come to a tentative agreement on how much the team will pay the school to play at TCF Stadium while a new Vikings stadium is being built, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported Monday. Vikings spokesman Lester Bagley would not reveal the amount, but he said that the agreement would add about 3,000 temporary end-zone seats to the university's 50,000-seat stadium. "We have close to 53,000 season-ticket owners, so we're trying to at least get to... [Read More]
The Minnesota Vikings are going younger this offseason in their attempt to catch up with the rest of their division. Some of their most experienced starters have contracts and ages that make them candidates for a pay cut—or for simply being cut altogether. One of them is five-time first-team All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson, who is scheduled to make $6.95 million in 2012, the final installment of a seven-year deal worth as much as $49 million. “I know what the cap situation is and all that, but it’s out of my control,”... [Read More]
Ravens running back Ray Rice would like his next deal to be similar to the seven-year, $100 million contract running back Adrian Peterson signed with the Minnesota Vikings last year, according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King. Rice, 25, is likely to be given a franchise tag by the Ravens this month in order to keep him from becoming an unrestricted free-agent. Last season Rice ran for 1,364 yards and 12 touchdowns while also hauling in 76 passes for 704 yards and three touchdowns through the air. It marked the third... [Read More]
Multiple anonymous sources told the Minneapolis Star Tribune Friday that a preliminary agreement has been reached to pay for a new stadium to be built for the Minnesota Vikings in downtown Minneapolis. The newspaper reported that the team, the city and the state of Minnesota have agreed on how to fund the $975 million stadium, with the city set to pay $150 million (in addition to $180 million in operating costs over 30 years) and the state putting up $398 million. The Vikings would shoulder the largest portion of the... [Read More]
Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is scheduled to start running on Feb. 28, he told KFAN 100.3 FM on Friday morning via Tim Yotter of Vikingupdate.com. Peterson had surgery on Dec. 30 to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and spent New Year’s in the hospital. After Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery in Alabama, Peterson returned to Minnesota to check in with the Vikings’ medical personnel and has since been rehabilitating in Houston and “working hard,” he said. “I’m definitely making... [Read More]
A deal to build a Minnesota Vikings stadium next to the Metrodome neared completion Thursday, as stadium planners worked late to put the finishing touches on an agreement among the state, the team and Minneapolis. How to make it all work was the subject of a midday conference call involving numerous executives and business leaders, a call that reinforced talk a deal was imminent, to be announced as soon as Friday or early next week. Even a signed deal, however, still must win the support of many legislators and... [Read More]
A committed relationship with Christian Ponder won't keep the Vikings from checking out the top quarterbacks in this year's NFL draft. "I know we're very confident in Christian, but if one of those quarterbacks is too good to pass up, you also have to weight that in, too," Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman said. "But we're very, very confident in what Christian Ponder brings. As we go through this process and our coaches come into this process and we put this thing together in April, I don't know... [Read More]
Vikings GM Rick Spielman says that Adrian Peterson will be close to recovered from ACL surgery by the beginning of the season according to Michael Fabiano. Peterson has 6752 career rushing yards, and the injury riddled 2011 was the first season he did not reach 1,000 yards, although he did have 970. He has 67 total touchdowns in his career, 23 more touchdowns than Brett Favre had in his celebrated Vikings career.
Randy Moss has starred in some of his own online videos this week as the 35-year-old wide receiver begins what he hopes will be a successful comeback bid. We can rule one destination out for the future Hall of Famer. The third time will not be the charm for the Minnesota Vikings. General manager Rick Spielman said today he is not interested in pursuing Moss even though you could make a case that wide receiver is one of the club’s bigger needs. “We'll be moving on," Spielman said, according to the Minneapolis Star... [Read More]
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield is ahead of schedule in his efforts to return from a broken collarbone, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. Winfield reportedly thinks he could play now if he were needed. He is finishing off the final stages of his rehab routine at the Vikings' team facility. Winfield was ruled out for the season after breaking his collarbone in a Week 10 game against the Green Bay Packers.
The Minnesota Vikings will not file paperwork with the NFL signalling their want to relocate before Wednesday’s deadline, according to an Associated Press report. Vikings vice president Lester Bagley told the AP that “there is no point” in filing with the NFL. Bagley indicated that the team and state lawmakers are working towards building a stadium at the same site as the Metrodome, where the team currently plays their home games. Many team supporters — including Minnesota governor Mark Dayton — fear that no new... [Read More]
The Minnesota Vikings this week are losing one of the weapons they've wielded to get action on a new stadium: the perception that it needs to get done now or else. If the Vikings are going to relocate for the 2012 season, they must tell NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell by Wednesday. After that, the team is locked into playing in Minnesota for another year even though it no longer has a Metrodome lease. "The Vikings have tried to create the impression, through somewhat subtle threats, that they could move," said... [Read More]
The Minnesota Vikings announced the promotion of Director of Player Personnel George Paton to Assistant General Manager. "George has been an integral part of our personnel department since he arrived in 2007," Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman said on Saturday. "His work ethic, leadership , professionalism and keen eye for identifying talented football players will continue to be a major asset for our organization as we take on the challenges of competing in the NFC North and winning the Super... [Read More]
A Minnesota Vikings spokesman said Friday that team owners don’t like a new proposal to fund a $1 billion stadium in the Twin Cities suburbs using ticket fees and other game-related charges. The latest proposal floated by several Ramsey County commissioners was meant to replace a previous stadium financing plan that relied on a county food and liquor sales tax. Instead, it would draw $20.6 million annually from stadium user fees, an admissions surcharge, a stadium sales tax and parking lot naming rights. Lester Bagley,... [Read More]
