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 seveteenth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Sam Bradford opening up U.S. Bank in incredible fashion.
The 2016 season felt like it was primed to be a special one. The Vikings had won the NFC North the year prior and the team was gelling with a quarterback on a rookie deal. Mike Zimmer’s team was falling into place.
Unfortunately, things didn’t play out perfectly. Teddy Bridgewater tore up his knee in a freak accident just two weeks prior to opening day and the Vikings were in a pickle. Their backup plan was Shaun Hill and that’s not good enough for a team that was primed to make a Super Bowl run.
That prompted the Vikings to trade a first-round and fourth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Sam Bradford. The move was seen as a panic one at the time and, while it didn’t work on long-term for the Vikings, it did give us some incredible moments but none of them were better than his first start in a Vikings uniform.
After a 25-16 win over the Tennssee Titans, the Vikings hosted the Green Bay Packers in week two for the first regular season game at the brand new U.S. Bank Stadium.
After being acquired by the team just 17 days prior, Bradford didn’t just start the game, he looked like the future of the franchise. He operated the offense like he had been in it for years, not just a few weeks. He was slinging the ball everywhere, including touchdowns to Kyle Rudolph and Stefon Diggs, the first one is in the below clip.
What if Sam Bradford stayed healthy… pic.twitter.com/tDwFvmWEkk
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) April 8, 2021
The Vikings went onto win 17-14 in Bradford’s first start but injuries derailed the team’s ultimate path to success. Despite his short time due to his own injuries, Bradford’s highlights will always be some of the best in Vikings’ 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
Cris Carter catches number 1,000
Resurgence of Randall Cunningham