His dead ,vikings former head coach dead was announced by the vikings after…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Bud Grant, the stern and demanding Hall of Fame coach who led the Minnesota Vikings and their formidable Purple People Eaters defense to four Super Bowls in eight years but lost all of them, died Saturday. He was 95.
The Vikings revealed Grant’s death via social media.
“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,” said the message. “We, like all Vikings and NFL fans, are shocked and saddened by this terrible news.”
Grant’s steely sideline look became synonymous with his teams as he wore his characteristic purple Vikings cap and maintained a stone-faced expression. He was a standout among his era’s coaches, who featured Don Shula, Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, John Madden, and Hank Stram. However, Grant seemed unconcerned with praise.
“The only reason I can see for a head coach getting credit for something good is that he gets so much blame when something is bad,” Grant once stated. “The whole secret, I think, is to not react to either the good or the bad.”
He led the Vikings from 1967 to 1985, with a one-year hiatus in 1984, with a 158-96-5 record and 11 division titles in 18 seasons. He finished 10-12 in the playoffs. Grant retired with the eighth most victories in NFL history.
After replacing another Hall of Famer, Norm Van Brocklin, Grant put together the renowned defensive line known as the Purple People Eaters. The line, whose slogan was “Meet at the Quarterback,” was joined by a potent offensive that helped Minnesota win the Super Bowl in 1970, the final edition of the event before the AFL-NFL merger.
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