Former MN Vikings RB Hangs Up Cleats

There have been some truly incredible running backs to wear Minnesota Vikings purple over the years. You don’t have to go back as far as Chuck Foreman when the franchise has rostered Robert Smith, Adrian Peterson, Dalvin Cook, and Aaron Jones litter recent memory.

The league has changed a lot since Foreman, and even moreso since Peterson. There are very few bell cow backs across the NFL at this point, and that means the running back room needs to be a strong collection of its parts.

Minnesota has been fortunate to select the right names behind their starter as well. Latavius Murray is among those solid backups, and his brief run with the Vikings was a successful one.

Latavius Murray calls it a career

Last season former Minnesota Vikings running back Latavius Murray was without an NFL team willing to put him on the field. Rather than wait around for another suitor after training camp this season, he’s ready to be done.

Murray signed with the MN Vikings prior to the 2017 season. Dalvin Cook played just four games that season so it became the Murray and [Jerick] McKinnon show. Murray turned 216 carries into 842 yards and eight touchdowns.

His opportunities diminished in 2018 with Cook coming back from injury, but he remained a productive part of the offense. He ran for 578 yards and another six touchdowns.

Murray signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2019 and found plenty of playing time with the consistent uncertainty of health tied to Alvin Kamara. The former UCF product turned in a nice ten-year career after being a sixth round pick.

Now 35 years old, Murray leaves the game with 6,552 yards and 59 touchdowns to his credit. Rarely the lead guy, he constantly produced when given opportunities. He made a Pro Bowl with the Oakland Raiders in 2015 and walks away with more than $22.1 million in career earnings.

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As was the case with Murray behind Cook, the Minnesota Vikings will look for quality production from Jordan Mason behind veteran Aaron Jones this season. They kick off the exhibition schedule on August 9 against the Houston Texans.