One moment summed up Bud Grant and his legend in Minnesota, and that was long after he had finished coaching.
In 2016, the Minnesota Vikings played in the playoffs against the Seattle Seahawks. It was an outdoor game before the new indoor Viking stadium was completed and the temperature was 6 degrees below zero. The frost was 25 degrees below zero. At the time, it was the third coldest playoff game in NFL history.
Grant, aged 88 at the time, entered midfield for the pre-game coin toss in short sleeves.
Grant was tough and that’s the main reason he was a great head coach for the Vikings. He died Friday morning at the age of 95, the team said.
Grant remained active in the Minnesota area long after he finished coaching. And no one will forget the day he brushed off the excruciating cold in a polo shirt.
Bud Grant was a multi-sport star
The only thing missing from Grant’s resume was a Super Bowl championship. It was a big part of his football history, but not the only thing he should be remembered for.
Grant went to the University of Minnesota. In Minnesota, he won nine varsity commendations as an outstanding football, basketball, and baseball player. He was born in Wisconsin but has become an important part of Minnesota lore.
In 1950, Grant was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and in the fourth round by the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBA. Grant played 96 games in two NBA seasons with the Lakers. He was part of the Lakers’ 1950 NBA championship team, playing in 11 playoff games that season. He then moved to the NFL and the Eagles for the 1951 season. He played defense at the end of his first season. In his second season, he was switched to offensive receiver and became the first receiver in Eagles history. have 200 yards in the game.
After that season, Grant moved to the Canadian Football League where he played four more seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also started his coaching career. His time as a coach will overshadow his athletic career as a professional athlete.
Grant was a Hall of Famer coach
Grant was a CFL coach for 10 seasons. He won the Gray Cup four timesin 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962. When the Vikings were looking for their second head coach in team history, they hired Grant.
Grant coached the Vikings from 1967 to 1983 before returning for a final season as Minnesota coach in 1985. He has never coached another NFL team.
The Vikings had great success with Grant. Minnesota has won 11 division championships. They have competed in the Super Bowl four times. Grant’s last NFL record was 158-96-5. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Grant’s Super Bowls record is also part of his legacy, as the Vikings won them 0–4.
He is still fondly remembered in Minnesota. For years, he hosted an annual garage sale at his home that attracted Viking fans and the media.
Grant was a legend from his time as a multi-sport college star to great success as a head coach for the Vikings and even after he was a coach. It will forever remain a part of Minnesota history.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
