We continue our trip through the numerical history of the Minnesota Vikings, and our countdown to the start of the 2017 NFL regular season, with the #98. There haven’t been a lot of people that have worn this number over the years, and the most prominent one is likely the guy that’s currently wearing it.
The #98 currently belongs to defensive tackle Linval Joseph, who came to the Vikings as a free agent in 2014. After having a down first season. . .at least partially because he wound up getting shot in the leg at a Minneapolis night club during the preseason. . .Joseph has proven himself to be one of the league’s premiere interior defenders in the NFL over the past couple of seasons. He’s a force at defensive tackle, and has steadily gotten better in each of his three years in purple and gold.
After Joseph, the next. . .ummm, “best”. . .player to wear #98 was probably the guy who had it before Joseph. That player was one of the players we all sort of loved to hate, that being defensive tackle Letroy Guion. Guion was a sixth-round pick of the Vikings in 2008 and stuck with the team for six seasons, departing the Vikings for Green Bay after the 2013 season.
Darrion Scott wore #98 for four seasons as a defensive end for the team from 2004 to 2007, and was relatively productive. Esera Tuaolo had a decent 3 1/2-year run with Minnesota after coming over from Green Bay. Fred Robbins did a decent job for the four seasons that he was a Viking. Outside of that. . .well, there’s not a lot to write home about for the #98 over the course of Minnesota Vikings’ history.
Vikings that have worn the #98:
- Phil Micech (1987)
- George Hinkle (1992)
- Esera Tuaolo (1993 - 1996)
- Ben Williams (1998)
- Fred Robbins (2000 - 2003)
- Darrion Scott (2004 - 2007)
- Letroy Guion (2008 - 2013)
- Linval Joseph (2014 - present)
So, since I guess we have to have a poll here. . .although this probably really isn’t much of a debate. . .let’s put it out there.
Poll
Who is the best Minnesota Viking to wear the #98?
This poll is closed
-
2%
Letroy Guion (2008 - 2013)
-
95%
Linval Joseph (2014 - present)
-
0%
Darrion Scott (2004 - 2007)
-
1%
Esera Tuaolo (1993 - 1996)