Minnesota Vikings By The Numbers: #17

We’ve got another number with not a lot of history in today’s installment of Minnesota Vikings By The Numbers, but there are a couple of names to look at for this one.

First, we have punter Mitch Berger, who was a member of the Vikings from 1996 to 2001, and was in the top ten in punting average each year from 1998 to 2001. Berger was also one of the first punters (if memory serves me correctly) to handle kickoff duties for the team as well. Berger was a bit eccentric, to say the least. After a kickoff for a touchback, he would head to the Vikings’ sideline and take a bite out of a candy bar that he was keeping in his spare shoe. Given that he handled kickoffs for the 1998 team, I’m surprised he didn’t put on 20 pounds that season.

The other primary option for the Vikings at #17 is wide receiver Jarius Wright. A fourth-round pick of the Vikings in 2012, Wright is still a member of the Vikings, even though it appears the team has tried to forget about him over the past couple of seasons (for reasons that I’m not sure I quite understand). In his five seasons with the team, he has 1,841 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, including this huge one.

And, you know, as long as we’re showing videos, let’s give an Honorable Mention to Greg Lewis. Lewis didn’t have many catches in his two seasons with the Vikings. . .25 to be exact. . .and only had one touchdown. But that one touchdown was pretty freaking great.

Vikings that have worn the number 17:

• Charley Britt (1964)
• Bob Berry (1965 - 1967, 1973 - 1975)
• Bill Cappleman (1970)
• Mitch Berger (1996 - 2001)
• Nick Davis (2002)
• Ben Nelson (2004)
• Maurice Mann (2006)
• Greg Lewis (2009 - 2010)
• Jarius Wright (2012 - present)

That’s it for the number 17, folks. We’ll be back with our next number tomorrow!