If you’ve spent any time in a suburban Twin Cities sports bar, you know the drill. Someone brings up the mn vikings quarterbacks history, and within minutes, the air is thick with the names of guys who were supposed to be "The One." We’re talking about a franchise that has started over 40 different quarterbacks since 1961.
That is a lot of turnover. It’s basically a revolving door.
Honestly, the Vikings are the ultimate "what if" team in NFL history. They’ve had Hall of Famers, absolute legends in their twilight years, and a string of first-round picks that... well, let’s just say they didn’t always pan out. From Fran Tarkenton’s scrambles to the 2025 arrival of J.J. McCarthy, the story of the Vikings under center is one of extreme highs and heartbreaking "almosts."
The Legend of Scramblin' Fran
You can't talk about the Vikings without starting with Fran Tarkenton. He wasn't just good; he was a glitch in the system before people even used that phrase. When the team debuted in 1961, they actually started George Shaw. That lasted all of a few minutes before Tarkenton came off the bench to throw four touchdowns against the Bears.
He was traded to the Giants, came back, and then led the team to three Super Bowls. He finished his career with 33,098 passing yards and 239 touchdowns just for Minnesota. Those numbers stood as NFL records for a long time.
Tarkenton basically invented the mobile quarterback. Defensive ends used to get so frustrated because he’d just run in circles until someone got open. He’s the undisputed king of this franchise. Nobody else is even close.
Two-Minute Tommy and the 80s Grind
After Fran retired in '78, things got a bit weird. Enter Tommy Kramer.
People called him "Two-Minute Tommy" because the guy had ice in his veins during the fourth quarter. He had 19 game-winning drives for the Vikings. He also threw for over 3,900 yards in 1981, which was huge for that era. But injuries were his shadow.
The 80s were basically a tug-of-war between Kramer and Wade Wilson. Wade actually made a Pro Bowl in 1988 and led the team to an NFC Championship game, but he never felt like the "franchise" guy in the way Tarkenton did. It was a decade of "good enough" that usually ended with a missed field goal or a dropped pass in the playoffs.
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The Rent-A-Vet Era: Moon, Cunningham, and George
By the 90s, the Vikings decided that instead of drafting a kid, they’d just go shopping for established stars. This is where the mn vikings quarterbacks history gets really fun and also deeply frustrating.
Warren Moon arrived in 1944. He was nearly 40 and still throwing lasers. In two seasons, he put up back-to-back 4,000-yard years. Then came Randall Cunningham in 1998. He was technically a backup to Brad Johnson, but Johnson got hurt, and Cunningham proceeded to lead the highest-scoring offense in league history at the time.
That '98 season still hurts. You know the one. 15-1. Gary Anderson hasn't missed all year. Then... poof.
After Cunningham cooled off, Jeff George came in for a year and looked like a god, then he was gone. It felt like the Vikings were the NFL’s favorite rehab center for elite arms.
The Daunte Culpepper Highs and Lows
In 1999, they finally drafted a big-time prospect: Daunte Culpepper.
The man was a tank. He was 6'4", 260 pounds, and could throw a ball 70 yards while a linebacker was hanging off his waist. His 2004 season was arguably the best statistical year a Vikings QB has ever had. He threw for 4,717 yards and 39 touchdowns.
But then the knee injury happened in 2005. Three ligaments torn. He was never the same, and the Vikings were back to square one. It’s one of the biggest "what-ifs" in team history. If Daunte stays healthy, do they win a ring? Probably.
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The Brett Favre Miracle (and the Pain)
Let’s be real: Seeing Brett Favre in purple felt illegal.
The 2009 season was a fever dream. Favre, at age 40, had the best statistical year of his life. 33 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. He led them to New Orleans for the NFC Championship.
We don't need to talk about the cross-body throw. Every Vikings fan has that image burned into their retinas. The 2010 season was the opposite—a total collapse that ended with a Metrodome roof falling down and Favre finally retiring for good.
The Kirk Cousins Chapter
For six years, Kirk Cousins was the most polarizing man in Minnesota.
He was the first big-name QB the team actually committed to long-term with a fully guaranteed contract in 2018. The stats were always there. He consistently put up 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. He gave them a huge playoff win in New Orleans.
But the "Big Game" narrative followed him everywhere. He was efficient, professional, and honestly better than most people give him credit for. When he tore his Achilles in 2023, the team looked lost. That’s when we saw the "Passtronaut" Josh Dobbs and a carousel of Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens.
Where the Vikings Stand in 2026
Right now, we are in the J.J. McCarthy era. After a bridge year with Sam Darnold in 2024—who actually played surprisingly well and kept them in the playoff hunt—the keys have been handed over to the kid from Michigan.
The mn vikings quarterbacks history is a map of missed opportunities. But it’s also a history of exciting, high-flying football. Most teams would kill for the "bad" years the Vikings have had.
What you should do next:
If you’re looking to settle a debate or just want to see the raw numbers, check out the official Pro Football Reference page for the Vikings. You can filter by era to see how someone like Tommy Kramer stacks up against the modern-day efficiency of Kirk Cousins.
Also, if you're a jersey collector, maybe hold off on the rookie QB threads for a year. History shows that in Minnesota, the backup is always the most popular guy in town until the first interception.