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5 Best Quarterbacks in Minnesota Vikings History

Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

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5 Best Quarterbacks in Minnesota Vikings History

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Kaplan | Last updated Jul 24, 2026 4:03 PM ET

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From Brett Favre's heel turn, to Rich Gannon's early days, to Hall of Famers like Warren Moon, the Minnesota Vikings have an array of high-level quarterbacks worth mentioning when delving into the best in franchise history.

In fact, the organization has a pattern of taking veterans and making them highly productive, including, more recently, Sam Darnold and a player to be named later in this article.

Here are the five quarterbacks who, in our estimation, stand out most when talking about the purple and gold.

5. Wade Wilson (1981-1991)

Wilson threw 66 touchdowns and 75 interceptions across 76 games in Minnesota, which in today's day and age, wouldn't even come close to earning top-five consideration on a franchise ranking list.

Also nearly unheard of is playing 18 respectable years in the league; after leaving Minnesota, Wilson played for the Falcons, Saints, Cowboys, and Raiders across 19 total years in the NFL.

Considering Wilson was mostly a backup for half of his time in Minnesota, only making 10 starts from 1981 to 1986 (with the notable asterisk being the 1982 strike), the fact that he currently sits fifth in passing yards among Vikings players is worthy of highlighting.

Before really finding his form from 1987 to 1989, Wilson showed flashes, including his 23-0 comeback against the Eagles with 8:23 to play in 1985, his only start that season.

Still, Wilson made the 1988 Pro Bowl, notched three NFC Offensive Player of the Week nods from 1986 to 1988, and led the Vikings to a surprise Super Bowl XXII berth that included an upset of the No. 1-seeded 49ers, who finished the season 13-2.

4. Tommy Kramer (1977-1989)

Kramer was the player who prevented Wilson from getting more starts. In fact, Kramer started all but one game he appeared in from 1979 to 1987.

That 1979 season was the only year Kramer started all 16 games in a season, as the Rice product was often plagued with injuries, including an estimated 14 concussions throughout his career, which has contributed to his battle with dementia.

Still, when he played, he was highly productive, racking up the second-most passing yards in a career by a Vikings player (24,775) and the third-most touchdowns (159). He also threw the second-most interceptions (157), but again, those were more common in that era.

He'll always be remembered by Vikings fans for orchestrating the "Miracle at the Met" game-winning touchdown pass against the Browns in 1980, as well as his electrifying 1986 Pro Bowl season in which he led the NFL with a 92.6 passer rating.

3. Daunte Culpepper (1999-2005)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper runs with the ball at Soldier Field.Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Culpepper's time in Minnesota was short, but very mighty. He finds himself at No. 3 on this list because of his accomplishments in such a short time span, including three Pro Bowls in seven years and two Divisional Round appearances.

His 248.9 yards per game ranks second among the top five Vikings passing yard leaders, and his 135-86 touchdown/interception ratio still holds up.

Culpepper's incredible 2004 campaign, in which he set an NFL record for most total yards by a quarterback (5,123 combined pass and rush yards) and led the league in passing yards and rating (110.9), makes his legacy easily among the best in franchise history.

Culpepper had a very atypical build for a quarterback, being more built like a linebacker, and as a result, was challenging to bring down in the pocket. It helped that he had an offense that worked around him, designed with scrambles and mobile plays.

The Daunte-to-Moss aerial assault with Randy Moss was among the most electrifying in sports at that time, and it's worth wondering what could have been had Culpepper not torn his ACL, MCL, and PCL in 2005, derailing a Hall of Fame trajectory.

2. Kirk Cousins (2018-2023)

Vikings fans may well disagree with the placement of Cousins at No. 2 on this list. Yes, he did not have the apex of Culpepper.

No, he did not sign a team-friendly contract and put the team on his back like many of his contemporaries in the NFL.

What he did do, though, is put together one of the best short-term stints at QB in Vikings history, leading all Vikings quarterbacks in yards per game (264.4), and finding the end zone 171 times, the second-most among all Minnesota signal-callers.

He was hardly ever intercepted, too, and his 3.1 TD/int ratio (171 touchdowns to 55 picks) is by far the best in franchise history. He made three Pro Bowls with Minnesota and even led the NFL in game-winning drives (8) in 2022.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson alongside former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.© Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

1. Fran Tarkenton (1961-1966, 1972-1978)

Tarkenton puts the king in Vikings quarterbacks, a player who radically changed the quarterback position and captivated an entire city. For one, his 33,098 passing yards is first among Vikings quarterbacks by over 8,000 (or 2-3 seasons' worth today). His 239 touchdowns are also 68 more than Cousins (171), who holds down second place.

A 1986 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Tarkenton led the Vikings to three Super Bowls (just don't ask any fan during that era how those went) and five Pro Bowls.

After a five-year intermission in New York, where Tarkenton thrived and made four Pro Bowls on a fairly poor Giants team, Tarkenton returned to Minnesota and had an excellent late-career run, elevating the careers of journeymen John Gilliam, who would make four Pro Bowls playing with Tarkenton, and Hall of Famer Ron Yary.

Tarkenton made the playoffs in five of his final six years in the NFL after never doing so in his first 12 professional seasons. A true gamer, Tarkenton redefined the position and lifted up his teammates, and he's easily the most accomplished quarterback in Vikings history.