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This promises to be a truly tough battle in the second round of our Greatest Viking Of All Time Tournament. It involves two of the greatest offensive linemen to wear the purple and gold, and a couple of Hall of Famers as well.
Randall McDaniel
Alma Mater: Arizona State University
Acquired by Vikings: Round 1, 1988 NFL Draft
Seasons in Minnesota: 12 (1988-1999)
Position: Guard
McDaniel's resume pretty much speaks for itself. He started from Day 1 after being drafted by the Vikings, and was named to the Pro Bowl every single year he was a Viking. He was also a first-team All-Pro every year from 1990 to 1998. He was a member of the National Football League's all-decade team for the 1990s, a member of the Minnesota Vikings' Ring of Honor, and was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. If there have been guards in the history of the National Football League better than Randall McDaniel, you could probably count them on one hand. . .and still have fingers left over.
Ron Yary
Alma Mater: University of Southern California
Acquired by Vikings: Round 1, 1968 NFL Draft
Seasons in Minnesota: 14 (1968-1981)
Position: Offensive tackle
One of only two players to be selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Yary was a mainstay on the offensive line during the team's glory years. (To show how big that was, it would be 29 years before another offensive lineman went #1 overall.) He is one of just 10 Vikings players to have appeared in all four of the team's Super Bowl match-ups, and was widely recognized as one of the best in the league during his tenure. He missed just two games due to injury in his career, and was a seven-time Pro Bowler, a first-team All-Pro six consecutive years, and the NFC's Offensive Lineman of the year in 1973, 1974, and 1975.
Not a lot of highlight videos of Ron Yary, unfortunately. That one there is an interview that's about 20 minutes long.
If you need a primer on how the voting for our contest works, we have one for you at this link here. Remember, rec the comments to register your vote. Putting "Vote - Name" in the subject line of a post does not count.
If you want to vote for Randall McDaniel, rec the comment that says "Vote - Randall McDaniel"
If you want to vote for Ron Yary, rec the comment that says "Vote - Ron Yary"
Voting is open for 24 hours, just like always, folks. Have at it!