The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday they will wear a uniform patch during the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in honor of legendary coach Bud Grant, who passed away in March at the age of 95.
“No single individual more defined Minnesota sports and the Minnesota Vikings brand than Coach Grant,” owner Mark Wilf said. “It’s impossible to describe the impact that he’s had on the Vikings and the community.
“As owners, we cherished the nearly 18 years with Bud. We got to know him on a personal level, and it was a tremendous loss for the organization and, of course, the entire state of Minnesota.
“As an organization, we wanted to find meaningful ways to honor Bud both at the time of his passing and throughout this season – and really allow our fans to be involved because of the relationship Bud had with the fans.”
The white oblong patch features Grant’s signature in purple and will be worn on the left chest of the Vikings’ throwback uniforms, which were unveiled last month and match what the team wore when he roamed the sidelines.
Grant led Minnesota to four Super Bowl appearances and 11 divisions titles as head coach from 1967-83 and 1985. He is the franchise’s all-time leader with 168 wins – including the postseason – and a .621 winning percentage.
Prior to that, Grant was a three-sport star at the University of Minnesota. He was drafted by and played for the NBA’s Minneapolis Lakers and NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles before finishing his career with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Grant, who also coached the Blue Bombers to four Grey Cup victories in 1958-59 and 1961-62, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
In addition to the patch, which will only be worn on Week 1, the Vikings plan to wear helmet decals featuring Grant’s signature for the remainder of the season. The decal will be circular, however.
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