Welcome to the 25 SKOL’s of Christmas!
In a similar vein to how Freeform has done the 25 days of Christmas, we will look back at different moments in Vikings history to bring a little extra joy to you this holiday season.
It’s that simple. The holidays can be a trying time for some people and we want to put a smile on people’s faces by reminiscing about some truly joyous times in Vikings’ history.
On the fifteenth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Cris Carter catching his 1,000th pass in the endzone.
The 2000 season was a wild one. The Vikings were coming off a 10-6 season that saw the Vikings start both Randal Cunningham and Jeff George, but they decided to go with their second-year quarterback Daunte Culpepper.
Early on, he showed struggles but as the season went on, he developed a great rapport with Randy Moss and Cris Carter.
After more than a decade in the NFL, Carter was chasing a milestone that had only been done by Jerry Rice: catching 1,000 passes.
He got closer each week and was just five catches away after a Thanksgiving Day win over the Dallas Cowboys. What was fitting is that his next opportunity was also on national television: a Thursday night special on ESPN.
He caught four passes in the first quarter and it didn’t take long for him to catch number 1,000. On the first play of the second quarter, Carter ran a simple sprint out fade to get the fateful 1,000th catch.
For a player that had dealt with a lot of demons, seeing him get number 1,000 was special. His family was on the sidelines and he celebrated with them immediately.
The Vikings won the game 24-17 and Carter etched his name in history.
Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:
Drafting Randy Moss
Vikings 1997 Wild Card Comeback
Jarius Wright Walks Off the Jets
Jared Allen traded to Vikings
Adrian Peterson Sets Rushing Record
Brett Favre Revenge Tour
Bud Grant Rocks a Polo in Freezing Temperatures
Adrian Peterson Stiff Arms Defender to Oblivion
Anthony Carter Dominates the 1987 Playoffs
Kirk Cousins’ First Major Comeback
Randy Moss Dominates Monday Night Football
Tuesday Night Joe Webb
Randy Moss Laterals to Moe Williams
Miracle At The Met