1975 Minnesota Vikings season

The 1975 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 15th in the National Football League.

The Vikings began with a 10-game win streak before losing by one point to the Washington Redskins, though there was generally very little expectation they would equal the 1972 Dolphins' perfect season. The 1975 Vikings had an even easier schedule than the often-criticized one of the unbeaten Dolphin team, and in fact had according to Eddie Epstein clearly the easiest schedule of any team between 1950 and 2001, with their fourteen opponents having a winning percentage excluding Vikings games of .346. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, only the Super Bowl-winning 1999 Rams have since had a weaker schedule than the 1975 Vikings, playing only one opponent with a winning record during the regular season. Nine of fourteen opponents finished 4–10 or worse, and like the 1972 Dolphins only two had winning records. Football journalists noted during their streak how the Vikings had been playing very weak schedules for several seasons and flattered thereby.

The Vikings’ 10–0 start was not subsequently equaled until the 1984 Miami Dolphins began 11–0. They sealed their third straight NFC Central title on Thanksgiving Day in this same week when the Detroit Lions lost to the Los Angeles Rams.

The Vikings finished with a record of 12 wins and two losses, before losing to the Dallas Cowboys, 17–14 in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at home due to a play known as the "Hail Mary". Earlier in the season, the New York Jets made their first appearance in Minnesota in a much-anticipated match between Super Bowl quarterbacks Fran Tarkenton and Joe Namath, in what had been the first regular season game sold out during the summer.

Third year halfback Chuck Foreman became the first Vikings running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

1975 Draft

 * undefined The Vikings originally held the 51st overall selection but passed, allowing Pittsburgh to move up before making their pick 52nd overall.
 * undefined The Vikings traded CB Charlie West to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Detroit's third-round selection (63rd overall).
 * undefined The Vikings traded the third-round selection they acquired from Detroit (63rd overall) to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for OL Andy Maurer.
 * undefined The details of this trade are unknown.
 * undefined The Vikings originally held the 259th overall selection but moved up to 258th overall when the Oakland Raiders passed.
 * undefined The Vikings originally held the 337th overall selection but moved up to 336th overall when the Washington Redskins passed on the 334th overall selection and allowed Miami, San Diego, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Miami, Baltimore, Atlanta, Cleveland, Chicago, and New Orleans to move up.
 * undefined The Vikings originally held the 389th overall selection but moved up to 388th overall when the Oakland Raiders passed.
 * undefined The Vikings originally held the 415th overall selection but moved up to 414th overall when the Baltimore Colts passed and allowed Minnesota and Pittsburgh to move up.

Awards and records

 * Fran Tarkenton, Bert Bell Award, and AP MVP
 * AP First Team All-Pro selections: RB Chuck Foreman, S Paul Krause, DT Alan Page, QB Fran Tarkenton and T Ron Yary
 * Chuck Foreman, set an NFL record with 73 receptions, most by a running back
 * DE Jim Marshall, recovered 26th fumble, a new league record
 * Pro Bowl selections: Bobby Bryant, Chuck Foreman, John Gilliam, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Jeff Siemon, Fran Tarkenton, Ed White and Ron Yary

Team leaders
* Vikings single season record.