1984 Minnesota Vikings season

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The 1984 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 24th in the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a 3–13 record, their worst record since the AFL–NFL merger, later equaled by the 2011 team, and the team's second worst overall record by win percentage (only 1962 was worse).

1984 Minnesota Vikings season
General manager	Mike Lynn
Head coach	Les Steckel
Home field	Metrodome
Results
Record	3–13
Division place	5th NFC Central
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	K Jan Stenerud
AP All-Pros	K Jan Stenerud (2nd team)
Uniform

← 1983 Vikings seasons 1985 →

The Vikings' 484 points allowed (30.3 average points per game) was the most by any NFL team between 1983 and 2000,^[1] and the most any Vikings team allowed in one season. At the time, it was the third-most allowed in a 16-game season, trailing only the 1981 Baltimore Colts (533, still the record going into the 2021 season) and 1980 New Orleans Saints (487).

The team was coached by Les Steckel after Bud Grant retired; after the bad season, Steckel was fired and Bud Grant was re-hired.

1984 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order		Player name	Position	College	Notes
Round	Selection	Player name	Position	College	Notes
1	13	Keith Millard	Defensive tackle	Washington State
2	40	Traded to the Houston Oilers^[a]
3	67	Alfred Anderson	Running back	Baylor
4	100	Traded to the Houston Oilers^[a]
5	127	Traded to the Los Angeles Raiders^[b]
5	140	Allen Rice	Running back	Baylor	from Raiders^[b]
6	154	Dwight Collins	Wide receiver	Pittsburgh
7	181	John Haines	Defensive tackle	Texas
7	196	Lloyd Lewis	Guard	Texas A&I	from Raiders^[b]
8	208	Paul Sverchek	Defensive tackle	Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
9	235	Keith Kidd	Wide receiver	Arkansas
10	268	James Spencer	Linebacker	Oklahoma State
11	295	Edgar Pickett	Linebacker	Clemson
11	308	Lawrence Thompson	Wide receiver	Miami	from Raiders^[b]
12	321	Mike Jones	Running back	North Carolina A&T	Originally Packers pick^[c]

^{^[a]} The Vikings traded their second- and fourth-round selections (40th and 100th overall) to the Houston Oilers in exchange for quarterback Archie Manning and tight end Dave Casper.

^{^[b]} The Vikings traded their fifth-round selection (127th overall) to the Los Angeles Raiders in exchange for the Raiders' 5th-, 7th- and 11th-round selections (140th, 196th and 308th overall).

^{^[c]} The Vikings were due to pick 322nd overall but Green Bay passed on the 321st pick, allowing the Vikings to move up one spot.

1984 Minnesota Vikings Supplemental USFL/CFL Draft
Draft order		Player name	Position	College	Pro team
Round	Selection	Player name	Position	College	Pro team
1	13	Allanda Smith	Cornerback	TCU	Los Angeles Express
2	40	Robert B. Smith	Defensive end	Grambling	Arizona Wranglers
3	67	David Howard	Linebacker	Long Beach State	Los Angeles Express

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance^[2]
1	August 4	Atlanta Falcons	W 37–6	1–0	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	51,693
2	August 11	Miami Dolphins	L 7–29	1–1	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	54,003
3	August 18	Philadelphia Eagles	L 10–31	1–2	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	51,743
4	August 24	at St. Louis Cardinals	L 0–31	1–3	Busch Memorial Stadium	31,210

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 2	San Diego Chargers	L 13–42	0–1	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	57,276
2	September 9	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 17–19	0–2	Veterans Stadium	55,942
3	September 16	Atlanta Falcons	W 27–20	1–2	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	53,955
4	September 23	at Detroit Lions	W 29–28	2–2	Silverdome	57,511
5	September 30	Seattle Seahawks	L 12–20	2–3	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	57,171
6	October 7	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 31–35	2–4	Tampa Stadium	47,405
7	October 14	at Los Angeles Raiders	L 20–23	2–5	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	49,276
8	October 21	Detroit Lions	L 14–16	2–6	Metrodome	57,953
9	October 28	at Chicago Bears	L 7–16	2–7	Soldier Field	57,517
10	November 4	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 27–24	3–7	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	54,949
11	November 11	at Green Bay Packers	L 17–45	3–8	Milwaukee County Stadium	52,931
12	November 18	at Denver Broncos	L 21–42	3–9	Mile High Stadium	74,716
13	November 25	Chicago Bears	L 3–34	3–10	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	56,881
14	November 29	Washington Redskins	L 17–31	3–11	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	55,017
15	December 8	at San Francisco 49ers	L 7–51	3–12	Candlestick Park	56,670
16	December 16	Green Bay Packers	L 14–38	3–13	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	51,197

Week 3: vs Atlanta Falcons

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Game information

First quarter

ATL – Mick Luckhurst 33-yard field goal, 7:32. Falcons 3–0. Drive:
MIN – Jan Stenerud 22-yard field goal, 3:39. Tie 3–3. Drive:

Second quarter

MIN – Jan Stenerud 54-yard field goal, 14:29. Vikings 6–3. Drive:
ATL – Mick Luckhurst 43-yard field goal, 6:04. Tie 6–6. Drive:

Third quarter

MIN – Leo Lewis 42-yard pass from Tommy Kramer (Jan Stenerud kick), 12:10. Vikings 13–6. Drive:
ATL – Stacey Bailey 57-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Mick Luckhurst kick), 9:58. Tie 13–13. Drive:
MIN – Steve Jordan 21-yard pass from Tommy Kramer (Jan Stenerud kick), 5:50. Vikings 20–13. Drive:
MIN – Dwight Collins 43-yard pass from Tommy Kramer (Jan Stenerud kick), 1:59. Vikings 27–13. Drive:

Fourth quarter

ATL – Billy Johnson 32-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Mick Luckhurst kick), 5:43. Vikings 27–20. Drive:

Top passers

ATL – Steve Bartkowski – 14/24, 195 yards, 2 TD, INT
MIN – Tommy Kramer – 15/30, 203 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

ATL – Gerald Riggs – 17 rushes, 83 yards
MIN – Darrin Nelson – 15 rushes, 96 yards

Top receivers

ATL – Stacey Bailey – 4 receptions, 102 yards, TD
MIN – Leo Lewis – 3 receptions, 69 yards, TD

Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers