Former Vikings linebacker Jeff Siemon, one of the toughest stars from Minnesota’s glory years, has died at 75.
The Vikings announced that Siemon died on Saturday, March 28. For longtime fans, the loss hits hard. He was not just a former first-round pick. He was one of the key defenders who helped power the team to three Super Bowl appearances during one of the most memorable eras in franchise history.
Siemon was selected 10th overall in the 1972 NFL Draft with a pick the Vikings got from New England in the Joe Kapp trade. He went on to spend his entire 11-year NFL career in Minnesota, becoming one of the most dependable players the franchise ever had.
He started 124 games across 156 regular-season appearances and made an immediate impact as a rookie. Wearing No. 50, Siemon became a major force on defense while playing behind the legendary Purple People Eaters during the final stretch of that iconic unit’s run.
Over the course of his career, Siemon made four Pro Bowls and led the Vikings in tackles in 1973, 1974, 1976, and 1978.
He still ranks third in franchise history with 1,375 career tackles, trailing only fellow Vikings legends Scott Studwell and Matt Blair.
Siemon also came up huge in some of the biggest moments. He forced critical turnovers during the Vikings’ 1973 playoff run, helping push the team into Super Bowl VIII. He went on to start in Super Bowls VIII, IX, and XI as Minnesota became one of the NFL’s dominant teams of the 1970s.
After the Vikings lost Super Bowl XI to the Raiders, Siemon gave a brutally honest reaction that still stings for fans today. He admitted it was hard to know if the team would ever make it back.
They never did.
The Vikings have not returned to the Super Bowl since that loss, which gives Siemon’s words an even more haunting edge all these years later.
In 2010, Siemon was named one of the 50 Greatest Vikings, cementing his place among the franchise’s all-time icons.
But to those who knew him, he was remembered for much more than football.
Former teammate Bobby Bryant said Siemon was an even better person than he was a player, describing him as one of the best guys on the team and someone whose faith guided his life.
He now plays for the Lord.