That would be a lie, though. The truth: most of us (myself included) know exactly how much the football gods hate the Minnesota Vikings. And I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but I am growing increasingly sensitive to how much other teams and fanbases continue to benefit from an entire history of MN Vikings’ unfortunate events.

For example — did you know that prior to 2010, NFL playoff overtimes were straight sudden-death? It didn’t matter who got the ball first or what the first score was — field goal, safety or touchdown. The first team to score in OT won the game.

When Minnesota Vikings misfortune forces NFL rule changes…

Of course, that seems absurd now. I mean, it’s not difficult to imagine a “hypothetical” playoff scenario where a rule like that could prove disastrous. Let’s say, just as an example, your favorite team is playing in one of the greatest NFC Championship games of all time, a shootout on turf only held back by an unholy number of turnovers by each team.

As the second half of this unimaginable rollercoaster — filled with highs and lows of excitement on seemingly every drive — wears on, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that this is one of those ‘last team with the ball is going to win’ type of football games.

We’re talking about a (literally) bloody, knock-down, drag out, haymaker-filled heavyweight bout lead by two Hall of Fame quarterbacks who can both smell a rare chance at the Lombardi Trophy. As happens quite often in legendary playoff games like this one, four quarters isn’t enough to declare a winner.

To set the scene, let’s just say that one of the veteran QBs in this “hypothetical” matchup just threw the dumbest and most consequential across-the-body interception in playoff history, with under 10 seconds remaining in regulation, and now you’re heading to overtime with the score… oh, let’s just call it, 28-28.

Related: Former Vikings Emergency QB1 Quietly Signs with Rival

Up next… the most important part of the football game… an overtime coin toss. The way these QBs are cooking, everyone knows that whoever wins the toss to start OT is going to the Super Bowl. Even after that devastating INT, 35 yards for these two offenses is as likely to happen as the sun rising in the East tomorrow morning.

Of course, we all know what happened next during our not-so-hypothetical 2009 NFC Championship game between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints. The Bountygate Saints won the toss and, as expected, Drew Brees drove them into field goal range… and Garrett Hartley knocked it through the middle of the uprights. Just like that, all of our Super Bowl hopes and dreams were shattered yet again.

The Final NFL "Sudden Death" Postseason #Overtime Game

The 2009 NFC Championship, 13 years ago today#Vikings QB Brett Favre throws an ill-advised interception with :19 left in regulation, forcing overtime

The #Saints win the coin toss, then win on a Garrett Hartley 40-yard FG pic.twitter.com/oy76Ot5q7q

— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 25, 2023

Not to worry, though! That offseason, the OT sudden-death rule was changed to how it stands now. Starting in 2010, playoff overtimes began allowing both teams a chance with the football, unless the team possessing it first scores a touchdown.

If the first possession of OT ends in a field goal, like the Saints’ did in 2009, the coin toss loser is now allowed a chance on offense to either tie with a FG or win with a TD. Yeah, you’re welcome. Don’t worry about us Vikings fans. Favre probably would’ve thrown the game away again anyway… [pain].

Minnesota Vikings misfortune forcing more NFL rule changes

Want a more recent example of the Minnesota Vikings misfortune forcing rule changes? How about just last season, when quarterback Sam Darnold was ripped to the ground by his facemask in the closing seconds of the Vikings’ week 8 matchup vs the Rams?

The next week, rumors surfaced that there could be a rule change this offseason allowing facemasks to become reviewable. Well earlier this week, that rule was officially changed. Going forward, NFL replay assist has been expanded to include called facemask, horsecollar and pass interference penalties.

Here’s the full proposal, which applies only to objective elements of fouls called on the field. pic.twitter.com/u0a4dRe8ky

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 1, 2025

I know, I know… this rule change doesn’t directly apply to the Sam Darnold NON-CALL facemask from week 8, since a flag was never thrown on that play. But, had replay assist been available to fix incorrect penalty flags back then, is it more likely that the refs would have thrown a flag after seeing Darnold fall to the ground awkwardly and then lose his mind at the no-call? It’s certainly plausible.

And without a doubt, that week 8 no-call helped trigger the discussions surrounding expanded replay assist, as it pertains to penalty flags, even if the Vikings technically would not have benefitted from the final changes, on that play. So again, you’re welcome.

But wait, that isn’t the only rule change discussed at this year’s owners meetings, spurred by unfortunate events that hurt the Minnesota Vikings last season. The other one was not passed or voted down by the owners. Instead, discussions over future playoff seedings were tabled for later this offseason.

Playoff seeding format could change after more 2025 Vikings misfortune

Since the NFL first added Wild Card teams to their playoff format back in 1978, they have seeded those wild card teams behind all division winners, no matter what the records of those teams indicate.

This year, that meant the 14-3 Minnesota Vikings, who finished one game behind the 15-2 Detroit Lions in the NFC North were awarded the conference’s No. 1 wild card (5-seed), behind the 10-7 Tampa Bay Bucs and 10-7 LA Rams, who won the NFC South and West divisions, respectively.

Related: Vikings + Kirk Cousins Reunion is Not Out of the Question

Every year, wild card teams with superior regular season records end up being seeded behind inferior division winners, with worse records. While a possible change in format, to better reward wins vs division titles, has been a fun talker for decades. Still, any rule change ever proposed to shift away from division-weighted playoff seedings has been immediately voted down.

This offseason, however, following the Vikings’ first round exit in the 2024-25 playoffs, higher-seeded wild card teams suddenly has more momentum than ever before. Not only does it have a chance to pass, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport told the Pat McAfee Show (ESPN) on Friday that he thinks it will pass, along with the ban on the tush push.

"I was really surprised that there was a debate on changing the seeding for the playoffs..

I assumed that this would get voted down..

It does seem like there's a little momentum toward if a division winner has a losing record maybe they don't host a playoff game" ~ @RapSheet… pic.twitter.com/WXFBmd2fzV

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 4, 2025

Rapoport: “I have to say, I was really surprised by this. I assumed this would get voted down like it always has been. But then, you started to hear there was some pretty good debate and maybe it gets tabled, and I was just surprised. But it does seem like there is a little momentum toward if a division winner has a losing record, maybe they don’t host a playoff game”…”so I would say yeah, to me, that is a possibility in May as well.”

McAfee: …”the Vikings deserved a home playoff game is pretty much what they’re saying.”

Pat McAfee Show – ESPN

If the deeply rooted NFL insider is correct. then (yet again), the rest of the NFL would benefit directly from recent Minnesota Vikings’ misfortune. Shocker. Yet again, you’re welcome. You should thank us (and we deserve it), but you won’t. It’s okay, we’ll just passive aggressively hold it against you forever.

After trailing 21-3 going into halftime, PJ Fleck & Co surged all the way back, cutting the Michigan lead to just three points (24-27) with 1:37 remaining on the game clock. The Gophers had just one timeout remaining. But even if they had all three, there would have been little choice.

The Minnesota Gophers onside kick miracle that never happened

You have to try for an onside kick, in hopes of getting the ball back with an opportunity to tie or win. The chances of retrieving your own onside kick is miniscule, but it’s still a chance. And boy oh boy, did Minnesota kicker Dragan Kesich bounce a perfect end-over-end football into Michigan no-man’s land.

It was one of the most beautiful onside kicks I’ve ever seen. After Minnesota recovered, a flag was tossed for offsides, ruining what would have been one of the more miraculous plays in Minnesota Gophers history.

Minnesota, down 3, recovers the onside kick but gets called for a flag 😳 pic.twitter.com/BoUkcdDL2a

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 28, 2024

Minnesota recovers the onside kick, but is ruled offside.

Here is when the ball was kicked.

Are we serious with this call? pic.twitter.com/ojVFjdtF5O

— Matt Schick (@ESPN_Schick) September 28, 2024

The Gophers would have had the ball back, near Michigan territory, only needing a field goal to force overtime. Instead, they lined up the onside kicking team and tried again. This time, the Wolverines recovered, ran the clock out, and the Gophers flew back to Minnesota as losers.

Big Ten admits mistake, changes referee position on onside kicks

Obviously, the Gophers were not offsides, but it’s not a reviewable play, so it didn’t matter. The Big Ten isn’t fighting their mistake. On Monday, just two days later, they made an official change to referee alignment during onside kicks. The change comes as a direct result of Minnesota getting screwed on Saturday. The Big Ten conference gave this statement to the Pioneer Press.

NEWS: After #Gophers offside call, @PioneerPress understands NCAA has approved Big Ten to modify officiating on onside kicks, moving head line judge and line judge to kicking team's restraining line for multiple officials in "best position to consistently make correct judgment."

— Andy Greder (@andygreder) September 30, 2024

“Effective immediately, the Big Ten has been approved by the NCAA to implement a modified officiating mechanic … on onside kicks by positioning the Line Judge and Head Line-Judge on the kicking team’s restraining line, thereby putting multiple officials in the best position to consistently make the correct judgment.”

Big Ten statement (via TwinCities.com)

PJ Fleck told Andy Greder (Pioneer Press) that he is happy to see the conference make a change like this so quickly. He also noted that Big Ten officials admitted the play was “too tight to flag”.

Related: Who Deserves the Most Blame for Minnesota Gophers Loss @ Michigan?

Unfortunately, those comforting words won’t give Minnesota the ball at their own 36 yard line, with 1:36 remaining and a chance to win vs last year’s National Champions at the Big House. Hey, maybe next time, though…

On the surface, the NFL’s catch-rule is more broken than the recently sued Adrian Peterson. From the majority of fans’ perspectives, the announcement that the league is considering changes to what is (and what isn’t) a reception, is a positive.

via GIPHY

America’s most popular sports league is also flirting with the idea of limiting pass interference (“PI”) penalties, to a maximum of 15 yards. Unlike tweaking the catch rule, this potential game-changer is MUCH more controversial.

A lot of football fans are for the idea of mirroring the college rules. I’m just not one of them. If it wasn’t for the reason below, this proposal would have me a lot more pissed off:

This takes away 2 packers wins next year immediately

— Dane Mosher (@DaneMosher7) February 27, 2018

Touché. A quick shout-out to Dane Mosher (@DaneMosher7) for that one. On behalf of my blood-pressure levels, thank you.

To back up his statement, I peeled back the onion to the 2016 season.

If you’re wondering ‘why not 2017?’, TWO WORDS: Brett Hundley

“Obviously Aaron is Aaron, but I’m Brett, so let’s have some fun.”

Meet #Packers QB @bretthundley7. #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/bWxFpzbtdx

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 22, 2017

You were right, Brett. That shit was fun. #SKOL

Anywho, unlike last year, Aaron Rodgers played the entire 2016 campaign. During that season, the ten accepted defensive PI penalties against the Packers’ opponent, averaged 29.8 yards per flag. For comparison purposes, the Vikings, Lions, and Bears average gain in the same circumstances were 14.5, 20.15, and 20.0 respectively.

When I consider how much altering the PI rule would piss Rodgers and the rest of Wisconsin off, I’m not nearly as opposed to making the switch. With all the losses Green Bay has taken lately, any more defeats and they’ll need some help calming down.

via GIPHY

For proponents of the change, who aren’t part of SKOL Nation; taking game-changing plays out of the refs hands as much as possible, is one of their main pitches behind Tuesday’s announcement.

While that is true, there is one con that I can’t look past:

I dislike this a lot. If a DB gets burned why not just tackle the guy so he can’t catch it?

— Hunter Hanowski (@HunterHanowski) February 27, 2018

To double-down on the shout-outs, appreciated, Hunter Hanowski (@HunterHanowski).

In my opinion, a standard accidental PI where a CB gets his hands on a WR a split-second too early, should NOT have the same consequences as a CB who gets torched deep, only to tackle his man, avoiding a sure touchdown and only 15 yards worth of penalty. Despite its rarity, it bothers me when something similar to that happens in NCAA matchups. If the change is made, with the NFL being much more pass happy than the college game, it’s bound to be more common place at professional level.

I know it seems impossible, but the day the Packers’ don’t start a season with a future HOF QB under center is bound to come. Unless another NFC Championship gives all members of Minnesota Sports Fan a heart attack, we plan to be Vikings’ fans longer than Rodgers is the Packers QB. Pressing for the rule change now, just because it will spite our biggest foe, could come full circle and bite us in the ass, a handful of years down the road.

There has to be a more reasonable, meeting-in-the-middle type of solution. As for what that might be, that’s the type of stuff the league’s stiffs in suits get paid to mess up.

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com