Minnesota Vikings By The Numbers: #25

In the history of the Minnesota Vikings, a lot of players have worn the number 25. . .20, to be precise (if you count new Vikings running back Latavius Murray, who will wear it this season). But there hasn’t been a whole lot of impact from those players, and certainly not any recently.

Going back through history, the first prominent #25 for the purple was defensive back Nate Allen. Allen joined the Vikings in 1976, his sixth season in the National Football League. He started on the team that went to Super Bowl XI against the Oakland Raiders. In that season, he had three interceptions, which accounted for 60% of his total in his time with the Vikings.

Next there was safety Kurt Knoff, who joined the team in 1979. A native of East Grand Forks, Knoff played for a couple of years with the Houston Oilers before joining the Vikings, and his first play as a member of the Vikings was an interception. That was one of nine interceptions he would have as a member of the Vikings. He started every game in both 1980 and 1981, but only started four games in the strike-shortened 1982 season, after which he announced his retirement.

Last, we have another safety, Vencie Glenn. Glenn came to the Vikings in 1992 after five seasons with the San Diego Chargers and one with the New Orleans Saints. He was a backup in 1992, but claimed a starting spot with the Vikings in 1993, starting 32 consecutive games for the purple. He collected fourteen interceptions in just three seasons with the Vikings.

If you look at the list of players that have worn #25 for the Vikings. . .that’s really sort of it as far as above average play is concerned.

Vikings that have worn the number 25:

• Dean Derby (1961 - 1962)
• Terry Dillon (1963)
• Larry Vargo (1965)
• John Charles (1970)
• Jackie Wallace (1974)
• Nate Allen (1976 - 1979)
• Kurt Knoff (1979 - 1982)
• Marcellus Greene (1984)
• Darryl Smith (1989)
• Alonzo Hampton (1990)
• Vencie Glenn (1992 - 1994)
• Alfred Jackson (1995 - 1996)
• Cris Dishman (2000)
• Eric Kelly (2001 - 2003)
• Terrance Shaw (2004)
• Will Hunter (2005)
• Tank Williams (2007)
• Tyrell Johnson (2008 - 2011)
• Jabari Price (2016)

That just about does it for one of the less prominent numbers in team history, folks. We’ll move on to the number 24 tomorrow.