The Minnesota Vikings have been the recipient of some not-so-memorable sports moments. Four Super Bowl losses come to mind, and then there was the NFC title game loss to the Atlanta Falcons during a season the Vikes put together a 15-1 campaign.
However, there is one moment that still lives on for Viking fans. That moment became dubbed as the “Minneapolis Miracle.”
What Happened During the “Minneapolis Miracle?”
Facing elimination in the 2017 season, and potentially wasting a first-round playoff game after a 13-3 campaign, WR Stefon Diggs reminded fans there was still plenty of football left.
Five seconds, to be exact.
With the Vikings down 24-23 to the New Orleans Saints, and the need to get into field goal range, Diggs instead did the unthinkable … he scored the final touchdown with that amount of time left.
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With Case Keenum throwing him the ball, Diggs managed to leap over Saints DB Marcus Williams mid-catch, who missed his tackle attempt. With nothing but green and a purple-colored end zone in front of him, Diggs scored the 61-yard touchdown to send Minnesota to the NFC title game.
The play went down as one of the greatest last-second plays in NFL history. The league placed it as the ninth-best play ever made as a part of the celebration of the NFL’s 100th anniversary.
What Came After the Miraculous Play? Was There a Rematch?
Unfortunately for the Vikings, that final touchdown was their last playoff moment of the 2017 season.
The Philadelphia Eagles ended their season in dominating fashion, executing a 38-7 romp at Lincoln Financial Field before eventually winning Super Bowl LII.
But did Minnesota manage to put together more successful seasons after the Minneapolis Miracle?
The following year, the Vikings went 8-7-1 but missed the playoffs, but in 2019, Minnesota put together a 10-6 run that included a home playoff game. And the Vikings’ opponent? A rematch with the Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium.
This time, the two teams played into overtime, and Kyle Rudolph was the one nabbing the final touchdown. He only needed four yards and a red zone lob to send Minnesota to the NFC Divisional Round, eventually falling 27-10 to the San Francisco 49ers.
But as for the Vikes-Saints series, there was another chapter added to their sudden rivalry: Nov. 12, 2023. In that game, Joshua Dobbs was catapulted from NFL journeyman quarterback to league fame. Dobbs led Minnesota to the 27-19 in Week 10 last Sunday in just his second game with the Vikes after being acquired via trade.
While the Vikings have had some heartbreaking moments for their fans, the fanbase had one of their more revered moments against the Saints. And five years later, the Minneapolis Miracle remains in Minnesota sports lore.
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