Red McCombs passes away at age 95

A significant. . .and highly controversial. . .figure in recent Minnesota Vikings history is no longer with us.

Billy Joe “Red” McCombs, who owned the Vikings from 1998 to 2005, has passed away at his home in Texas at the age of 95.

McCombs bought the Vikings from the ten-member group that owned the team at the time for a then-whopping sum of $250 million. He then made a significant effort to replace the Metrodome, but was rebuffed on numerous occasions. Following those efforts, he sold the team to the Wilf family for $625 million.

McCombs was never fully embraced by Vikings fans, given that his attempts to replace the Metrodome were accompanied by implications that the team could potentially move if the stadium wasn’t replaced. He also signed off on the trade of Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders after the 2004 season, the details of which could probably be a book all by themselves.

But McCombs’ tenure as the team’s owner was relatively successful, with the Vikings making it to a pair of NFC Championship Games under his watch. While he was the owner, the Vikings went 64-48 and won two NFC North championships, reaching the postseason four times in his seven seasons as the owner.

We here at The Daily Norseman wish to send our condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Red McCombs on his passing.