A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| 1987 Minnesota Vikings season | |
|---|---|
| General manager | Mike Lynn |
| Head coach | Jerry Burns |
| Home field | Metrodome |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–7 |
| Division place | 2nd NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Saints) 44–10 Won Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 36–24 Lost NFC Championship (at Redskins) 10–17 |
| Pro Bowlers | S Joey Browner WR Anthony Carter DE Chris Doleman TE Steve Jordan LB Scott Studwell T Gary Zimmerman |
| AP All-Pros | S Joey Browner (1st team) T Gary Zimmerman (1st team) DE Chris Doleman (2nd team) DT Keith Millard (2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 1987 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 27th year in the National Football League. A players' strike caused the cancellation of the September 27 game at the Kansas City Chiefs, while the games played on October 4, 11 and 18 were played with replacement players. The Vikings finished with an 8–7 record.
Despite finishing the season only one game over .500, and losing three of their final four games, Minnesota sneaked into the playoffs with the final Wild Card position. There, they won two huge upsets, beating the New Orleans Saints (12–3) and San Francisco 49ers (13–2) on the road. The Vikings were unable, however, to defeat the eventual Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins in the NFC Championship Game.
The last remaining active member of the 1987 Minnesota Vikings was quarterback Rich Gannon, who played his final NFL game in the 2004 season, although he missed the 1989 and 1994 seasons.
Offseason
1987 Draft
| Pro Bowler |
| 1987 Minnesota Vikings Draft | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draft order | Player name | Position | College | Notes | |
| Round | Selection | ||||
| 1 | 14 | D. J. Dozier | Running back | Penn State | from Dolphins |
| 16 | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | ||||
| 2 | 44 | Ray Berry | Linebacker | Baylor | |
| 3 | 72 | Henry Thomas | Defensive tackle | Louisiana State | |
| 4 | 100 | Reggie Rutland | Cornerback | Georgia Tech | |
| 5 | 128 | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | |||
| 6 | 156 | Greg Richardson | Wide receiver | Alabama | |
| 7 | 184 | Traded to the Seattle Seahawks | |||
| 8 | 211 | Rick Fenney | Running back | Washington | |
| 9 | 239 | Leonard Jones | Defensive back | Texas Tech | |
| 10 | 267 | Bob Riley | Offensive tackle | Indiana State | |
| 11 | 295 | Brent Pease | Quarterback | Montana | |
| 12 | 323 | Keith Williams | Defensive tackle | Florida | |
- ^ The Vikings traded their first- and fifth-round selections (16th and 128th overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Miami's first-round selection (14th overall).
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Dale Dawson | Kicker | Eastern Kentucky |
Staff
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
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Roster
NFL replacement players
After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:
Preseason
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 15 | at New Orleans Saints | L 17–23 | 0–1 | Louisiana Superdome | 52,884 |
| 2 | August 22 | Indianapolis Colts | W 37–13 | 1–1 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 49,304 |
| 3 | August 29 | New England Patriots | L 27–38 | 1–2 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 49,339 |
| 4 | September 3 | at Denver Broncos | W 27–17 | 2–2 | Mile High Stadium | 74,081 |