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Retiring jersey numbers have been a bit of a hot topic this offseason. Rookie New York Giants EDGE rusher Abdul Carter asked for the permission of Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms to wear their retired numbers, but was shot down by each. Some wondered why an unproven rookie would have the nerve to ask for a number when they are supposed to be retired for a reason.
In college, controversy arose when the University of Colorado football team retired Shedeur Sanders' number. His No. 2 jersey was retired along with Heisman-winning receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter's No. 12. Some wondered how much the honor had to do with Sanders' play and how much with his Hall of Fame father being the team's head coach.
The Minnesota Vikings have only retired six numbers in their history. Cris Carter's No. 80 was the last number to be retired back in 2003, so the team has been stingy with adding to the list. But that doesn't mean the list can't grow at some point.
Today, we'll look at three numbers that the Vikings could retire.
Smith is the longest-tenured Viking, having spanned three coaching regimes since being drafted in 2012. He's the active leader in interceptions (37) and last year became the sixth player in league history to record 35 interceptions and 20 sacks in his career.
Despite this, Smith has been somewhat underrated over his career due to his quiet, stoic demeanor. Although he has had six Pro Bowl appearances, he has only been selected as a First Team All-Pro once (2017). Fortunately, the national media doesn't vote on jersey retirements, and Smith is one of the most popular Vikings among the fans, local media, and organization.
What could hold Smith back from seeing his number retired is that Paul Krause, who played from 1964-78 and is the NFL's all-time interception leader, also wore 22. That could cause angst with one of the greatest Vikings legends of all time. However, fans may not have a problem seeing them have their number retired together.
It feels inevitable that Jefferson's No. 18 jersey will be retired when his career ends. But, in a similar vein to Krause, retiring No. 18 and not Randy Moss' No. 84 could irritate Moss. That's not Jefferson's fault, but it could hold him up for a while.
Still, no one in league history averages more receiving yards per game than Jefferson (96.5). He was the NFL Offensive Player Of the Year in 2022 after catching 128 passes for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns. And his "Griddy" celebration has spawned plenty of good and bad tributes.
A postseason run could go a long way in cementing Jefferson's status in Vikings history, although it isn't necessarily required. But being the top target on a pass-first Super Bowl-winning team could put Jefferson on Moss' level. Speaking of postseason success....
Yes, you read that right. And no, I do not regret forcing you to make that face.
McCarthy has yet to play a down in the NFL after tearing his meniscus during his first preseason game as a rookie. Kevin O'Connell hasn't officially named him the team's starting quarterback. And we don't even know if McCarthy can replicate Sam Darnold's 2024 season, yet. So why the hell is McCarthy on this list?
The answer is simple: he's the quarterback. And because the Vikings have never won a Super Bowl, the guy who leads the team to their first championship will be treated like royalty.
Could McCarthy be the second coming of Christian Ponder? Sure. But he could also be the first true franchise quarterback the team has had in decades. The Vikings haven't had a long-term answer at quarterback since the Fran Tarkenton and Tommy Kramer days. What kind of success could the Vikings see with a quarterback who has ten chances at getting to the Super Bowl?
Minnesota has seen early playoff exits twice in O'Connell's tenure. Those came with Kirk Cousins and Darnold, not exactly quarterbacks synonymous with spectacular play under pressure. McCarthy's last meaningful football game ended with him hoisting the National Championship trophy. If he can lead the Vikings to those levels, his jersey retirement will be announced shortly after he retires from playing.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Will any current Vikings see their numbers be retired?
Continue reading...
In college, controversy arose when the University of Colorado football team retired Shedeur Sanders' number. His No. 2 jersey was retired along with Heisman-winning receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter's No. 12. Some wondered how much the honor had to do with Sanders' play and how much with his Hall of Fame father being the team's head coach.
The Minnesota Vikings have only retired six numbers in their history. Cris Carter's No. 80 was the last number to be retired back in 2003, so the team has been stingy with adding to the list. But that doesn't mean the list can't grow at some point.
Today, we'll look at three numbers that the Vikings could retire.
No. 22, Harrison Smith
Smith is the longest-tenured Viking, having spanned three coaching regimes since being drafted in 2012. He's the active leader in interceptions (37) and last year became the sixth player in league history to record 35 interceptions and 20 sacks in his career.
Despite this, Smith has been somewhat underrated over his career due to his quiet, stoic demeanor. Although he has had six Pro Bowl appearances, he has only been selected as a First Team All-Pro once (2017). Fortunately, the national media doesn't vote on jersey retirements, and Smith is one of the most popular Vikings among the fans, local media, and organization.
What could hold Smith back from seeing his number retired is that Paul Krause, who played from 1964-78 and is the NFL's all-time interception leader, also wore 22. That could cause angst with one of the greatest Vikings legends of all time. However, fans may not have a problem seeing them have their number retired together.
No. 18, Justin Jefferson
It feels inevitable that Jefferson's No. 18 jersey will be retired when his career ends. But, in a similar vein to Krause, retiring No. 18 and not Randy Moss' No. 84 could irritate Moss. That's not Jefferson's fault, but it could hold him up for a while.
Still, no one in league history averages more receiving yards per game than Jefferson (96.5). He was the NFL Offensive Player Of the Year in 2022 after catching 128 passes for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns. And his "Griddy" celebration has spawned plenty of good and bad tributes.
A postseason run could go a long way in cementing Jefferson's status in Vikings history, although it isn't necessarily required. But being the top target on a pass-first Super Bowl-winning team could put Jefferson on Moss' level. Speaking of postseason success....
J.J. McCarthy, No. 9
Yes, you read that right. And no, I do not regret forcing you to make that face.
McCarthy has yet to play a down in the NFL after tearing his meniscus during his first preseason game as a rookie. Kevin O'Connell hasn't officially named him the team's starting quarterback. And we don't even know if McCarthy can replicate Sam Darnold's 2024 season, yet. So why the hell is McCarthy on this list?
The answer is simple: he's the quarterback. And because the Vikings have never won a Super Bowl, the guy who leads the team to their first championship will be treated like royalty.
Could McCarthy be the second coming of Christian Ponder? Sure. But he could also be the first true franchise quarterback the team has had in decades. The Vikings haven't had a long-term answer at quarterback since the Fran Tarkenton and Tommy Kramer days. What kind of success could the Vikings see with a quarterback who has ten chances at getting to the Super Bowl?
Minnesota has seen early playoff exits twice in O'Connell's tenure. Those came with Kirk Cousins and Darnold, not exactly quarterbacks synonymous with spectacular play under pressure. McCarthy's last meaningful football game ended with him hoisting the National Championship trophy. If he can lead the Vikings to those levels, his jersey retirement will be announced shortly after he retires from playing.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Will any current Vikings see their numbers be retired?
Continue reading...
