On Saturday morning, the Vikings announced that the iconic local legend was dead at the age of 95.

We are absolutely devastated to announce legendary Minnesota Vikings head coach and Hall of Famer Bud Grant has passed away this morning at age 95.

We, like all Vikings and NFL fans, are shocked and saddened by this terrible news. pic.twitter.com/z2NNlNAY44

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 11, 2023

Professional Athlete

Bud Grant won an NBA Championship with the Minneapolis Lakers in 1950, but his NBA career only lasted just 1.5 seasons. Basketball wasn’t what he wanted to do. So he flipped career paths and joined the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted him in 1950, for the 1951 NFL season.

Grant played defensive end in his rookie season and led the Eagles in sacks. He switched to wide receiver in year two and ranked 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards (997). The guy was good at everything.

Contract disputes with the Eagles made Grant jump borders to Canada where he quickly became a CFL legend. Here’s what his Wikipedia page says about his Canadian football career.

[Grant] played for the Blue Bombers until 1956 as an offensive end and was named a Western Conference all-star three times.^[12][19] He led the Western Conference in pass receptions for the 1953, 1954, and 1956 seasons and receiving yards for the 1953 and 1956 seasons.^[12] He also holds the distinction of having five interceptions in a playoff game, played on October 28, 1953, which is a record in all of professional football.^[4][20] The Blue Bombers played for the Grey Cup in 1953, but lost to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 41st Grey Cup game.^[12]

Wikipedia

Coaching Career

Bud Grant cut his coaching teeth in Canada, where he led the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to Grey Cup appearances in six of his ten seasons as head coach, finishing as champions in 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962. His final record was 122-66-3 as a CFL head coach.

In 1967, Grant was hired by the Minnesota Vikings and he remained the head coach for 18 seasons, through 1985. He won the Central division 11 times and made the playoffs 12 times. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to win any of the four Super Bowls he and the Vikings participated in.

Grant was named to the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and remained a much better hunter than me until damn near the day he died.

RIP to a legend.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Tommy Kramer Most Memorable Game BONUS #3- Bud Grant Show. Bud, in pre-telestraotr days, uses the chalk board to show fans his design of the onside kick that was perfectly executed to allow the Vikes comeback win vs SD in 1981. #vikings @Kramer9Tommy @HPBudGrant
@gregcoleman8 pic.twitter.com/9rnppO5byM

— VikeFans (@VikeFans) May 8, 2020

Flashback to October, 1981 via UPIArchives.com:

With 1:51 left and the Vikings within 31-30 after Tommy Kramer’s 43-yard touchdown pass to Terry LeCount, Danmeier was wide left with an extra point attempt.

But Minnesota got new life and recovered an onside kick. Danmeier then kicked a 38-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining to give Minnesota a stunning 33-31 victory over the Chargers.

Kramer completed 27-of-43 passes for 444 yards as Minnesota improved its record to 4-2. The Chargers’ Dan Fouts completed 20-of-38 passes for 310 yards as the Chargers fell to 4-2 in the AFC West.

UPI Archives – Oct. 11, 1981 – Stew Slavin

I came across this video, while keeping up on the zombie land that is the sports world today, and had to share it. Obviously Bud Grant is THE Minnesota Legend.

He was better than you at everything and he is still a better deer hunter than me. We’re talking about a guy who played two different professional sports and then grew up to be the best Vikings coach in the history of a historic franchise.

That’s what most know him for. So, seeing him break down football back in his prime is always a must-see opportunity. However, it’s not very often that fans get to see anyone breakdown a successful onside-kick… let alone with Bud Grant as your teacher.

First, you know it was early in NFL history when terms are used, that are no longer prevalent, like “short-kick” instead of “onside-kick”, but the endorsement of this video goes beyond that.

Give Bud Grant a football question and a chalk board…. then stand back and watch the man work. Unfortunately for us, cameras were much more scarce back then, but this video is crisp, clear and shows Bud Grant in one of his best lights.

A legendary football coach.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Alright, so we all know Bud Grant is one of the most badass human beings to ever be associated with the state of Minnesota. This is  the same guy who led one of the most legendary defenses in NFL history to 4 Super Bowl appearances, coaching on the frozen Met Stadium turf. He has 283 victories between the CFL (where he coached 10 seasons and won 4 “Grey Cups”) and NFL, making him the 3rd most successful professional football coach in history, behind just Don Shula and George Halas. 

Of course, all of that coaching success came AFTER Grant lettered in basketball, baseball, and football at the University of Minnesota BEFORE going on to play for the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBA, alongside George Miken, where he won an NBA Championship in 1950. He then went on to play in the CFL, because of a contract dispute with the Eagles, after deciding to pursue football professionally instead of basketball.

Fast-forward about 60-70 years and 88-year-old Grant was taking a coin toss, for a Vikings’ home playoff game at TCF Bank Stadium as an alumni, in just a t-shirt, with a windchill of -30 degrees F….

Legendary Vikings head coach Bud Grant turned 92 today. Here's a reminder that in January 2016, at the age of 88, he did the ceremonial coin toss in short sleeves when the temperature was -6 degrees pic.twitter.com/xxWnBZKPjr

— Heart of NFL (@HeartofNFL) May 20, 2019

Now, 4 years later, 92-year-old Bud Grant is just showing off. While I was up in the stand for the last two weekends and saw ZERO whitetail deer, Bud was doing the same thing… except he was shooting massive bucks… because he is 92-year-old Bud Grant and I’m 30-year-old me.

#Vikings coaching legend Bud Grant (@HPBudGrant) is still finding success. These days, it's in the wild. This week's @StribOutdoors deer hunting photos aren't to be missed https://t.co/KiEKjmZZbs

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) November 20, 2019

I’m convinced that both Sid Hartman (99) and Bud Grant will both outlive me…. and I plan on living into my 70’s, at least. I’m just never willing to rule either of those two out… ever.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan