Minnesota Vikings By The Numbers: #31

We’ve almost completed the 30s in our Minnesota Vikings By The Numbers series, as we’ve now reached the #31. There really hasn’t been a whole lot of impact from the players that have worn this number in team history, but let’s take a look at a few players anyway.

We’ll start with Clancy Osborne, who played for the Vikings’ inaugural team after coming over from the San Francisco 49ers. Osborne was second on the team in interceptions in the Vikings’ first season with 4 (Rip Hawkins had 5), and started 22 of his 28 games for the team over his two seasons in Minnesota. He left the team following the 1962 season and played for two seasons with the Raiders before he was done with football.

Rick Fenney was drafted by the Vikings in the eighth round of the 1987 NFL Draft, and played his entire five-year career for the Vikings. Primarily used as a fullback, Fenney was second on the team in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in 1989, which was his most productive season. He also had 30 receptions that year, good for fourth-highest on the team.

Scottie Graham had a decent run as a Viking, at least for a couple of seasons. A mid-season signing in 1993 following an injury to Robert Smith, Graham wound up leading the Vikings in rushing that season despite playing just seven games (and starting only three). He wound up sticking with the Vikings for a total of four seasons.

And, honestly, there really isn’t a whole lot else to talk about concerning the #31 in the history of the Vikings. Jerick McKinnon had the number for his first two seasons, but then switched to the #21 before last season. Maybe he was on to something.

Vikings that have worn the number 31:

• Clancy Osborne (1961 - 1962)
• Darrell Lester (1964)
• Willie Spencer (1976)
• Eddie Payton (1980 - 1982)
• Rick Fenney (1987 - 1991)
• Eric Everett (1992)
• Scottie Graham (1993 - 1996)
• Duane Butler (1997 - 1998)
• Don Morgan (1999 - 2001)
• Jason Perry (2002)
• Rushen Jones (2003 - 2004)
• Will Hunter (2006)
• Marcus McCauley (2007)
• Chris Cook (2010 - 2011)
• Jerick McKinnon (2014 - 2015)

We will wrap up the 30s tomorrow, everyone!