1995 Minnesota Vikings season

The 1995 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 35th in the National Football League (NFL). Under head coach Dennis Green, they finished with an 8–8 record and still had a chance to make the playoffs entering Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals; however, victories by the Chicago Bears and the Atlanta Falcons in their final games rendered the Vikings' defeat to the Bengals inconsequential, and Minnesota missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1991 season. Despite the team's poor play, rookie safety Orlando Thomas recorded a league-leading 9 interceptions of the season.

1995 Minnesota Vikings season
Head coach	Dennis Green
Home stadium	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Results
Record	8–8
Division place	4th NFC Central
Playoffs	Did not qualify
All-Pros	G Randall McDaniel (1st team) DT John Randle (1st team) WR Cris Carter (2nd team)
Pro Bowlers	WR Cris Carter G Randall McDaniel QB Warren Moon DT John Randle
Uniform
← 1994 Vikings seasons 1996 →

Offseason

Additions	Subtractions
LB Jeff Brady (Buccaneers)	DT Henry Thomas (Lions)
DB Donald Frank (Raiders)	FS Vencie Glenn (Giants)

1995 expansion draft

Main article: 1995 NFL expansion draft

Vikings selected during the expansion draft

Round	Selection	Name	Position	Expansion team
11	22	Dave Garnett	Linebacker	Carolina Panthers
26	52	William Sims	Linebacker
32	63	Eric Guliford	Wide receiver

1995 draft

Main article: 1995 NFL draft

Pro Bowler

1995 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order		Player name	Position	College	Notes
Round	Selection
1	11	Derrick Alexander	Defensive end	Florida State	From Broncos, via Falcons[A]
	24	Korey Stringer	Offensive tackle	Ohio State
2	42	Orlando Thomas	Safety	Southwestern Louisiana	From Broncos[B]
	55	Corey Fuller	Cornerback	Florida State
3	89	Traded to the Houston Oilers[C]
4	111	Chad May	Quarterback	Kansas State	From Broncos[D]
	121	Traded to the Denver Broncos[D]
5	157	James Stewart	Running back	Miami (FL)
6	189	John Solomon	Defensive end	Sam Houston State	From Giants[E]
	196	Traded to the Denver Broncos[D]
7	232	Jose White	Defensive tackle	Howard
	243	Jason Fisk	Defensive tackle	Stanford	Compensatory pick

Notes:

1. The Vikings traded DE Chris Doleman and a 1994 second-round selection (45th overall) to the Falcons in exchange for a first-round selection (11th overall) and a 1994 second-round selection (40th overall).
2. The Vikings traded OT Gary Zimmerman to the Broncos in exchange for a second-round selection (42nd overall) and 1994 first- selection and sixth-round selection (18th and 179th overall).
3. The Vikings traded a third-round selection (89th overall) and a 1994 fourth-round selection (119th overall) to the Oilers in exchange for QB Warren Moon.
4. The Vikings traded fourth- and sixth-round selections (121st and 196th overall) to the Broncos in exchange for the a fourth-round selection (111th overall).
5. The Vikings traded S Vencie Glenn and a 1996 sixth-round selection (182nd overall) to the Giants in exchange for the a sixth-round selection (189th overall) and a 1996 fifth-round selection (137th overall).

Staff

1995 Minnesota Vikings staff

Front office Chairman of the board – John Skoglund President/chief executive officer – Roger Headrick Head coaches Head coach – Dennis Green Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Brian Billick Quarterbacks – Ray Sherman Running backs – Carl Hargrave Receivers – Chip Myers Tight ends/assistant offensive line – Chris Foerster Offensive line – Keith Rowen

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Tony Dungy Defensive line – John Levra Inside linebackers – Foge Fazio Outside linebackers – Trent Walters Defensive backs – Richard Solomon Special teams coaches Special teams – Gary Zauner Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Steve Wetzel Assistant strength and conditioning – Mark Asanovich

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Roster

1995 Minnesota Vikings roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 14 Brad Johnson  5 Chad May  1 Warren Moon Running backs (RB) 29 Chuck Evans FB 31 Scottie Graham 32 Amp Lee 30 Bobby Phillips 26 Robert Smith 28 James Stewart Wide receivers (WR) 80 Cris Carter 82 Qadry Ismail KR 22 David Palmer 86 Jake Reed 81 Chris Walsh Tight ends (TE) 87 Adrian Cooper 85 Greg DeLong 89 Andrew Jordan 83 Mike Tice

Offensive linemen (OL) 63 Keith Alex G 62 Jeff Christy C 67 Rick Cunningham T 71 David Dixon G 66 John Gerak G 61 Everett Lindsay G/C 64 Randall McDaniel G 73 Todd Steussie T 77 Korey Stringer T Defensive linemen (DL) 90 Derrick Alexander DE 92 Roy Barker DE 72 Jason Fisk DT 99 James Harris DE 91 Martin Harrison DE 93 John Randle DT 95 Fernando Smith DE 98 Esera Tuaolo DT

Linebackers (LB) 53 Tuineau Alipate 56 Pete Bercich OLB 50 Jeff Brady MLB 52 Richard Brown MLB 55 Jack Del Rio MLB 58 Ed McDaniel OLB 51 Broderick Thomas OLB Defensive backs (DB) 42 Harlon Barnett SS 37 Donald Frank CB 27 Corey Fuller CB 24 Robert Griffith FS 25 Alfred Jackson CB 21 Charles Mincy S 43 Orlando Thomas FS 20 Dewayne Washington CB Special teams (ST) 68 Mike Morris LS  7 Fuad Reveiz K  4 Mike Saxon P

Practice squad 23 Shelly Hammonds CB -- Mike Jerich T -- Earl Mackey LB -- Moses Ware WR -- Jose White DT Reserve 78 Chris Hinton T (IR) 96 Keith Washington DE (IR) Rookies in italics 53 active, 2 reserve, 5 practice squad

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance[2]
1	August 7	at San Diego Chargers	W 23–19	1–0	Jack Murphy Stadium	47,934
2	August 12	at New England Patriots	L 14–21	1–1	Foxboro Stadium	56,241
3	August 18	Oakland Raiders	W 20–17	2–1	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	45,306
4	August 26	Kansas City Chiefs	L 13–17	2–2	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	39,349

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 3	at Chicago Bears	L 14–31	0–1	Soldier Field	63,036
2	September 10	Detroit Lions	W 20–10	1–1	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	52,234
3	September 17	Dallas Cowboys	L 17–23 (OT)	1–2	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	60,088
4	September 24	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 44–24	2–2	Three Rivers Stadium	57,853
5	Bye
6	October 8	Houston Oilers	W 23–17 (OT)	3–2	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	56,430
7	October 15	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 17–20 (OT)	3–3	Tampa Stadium	55,703
8	October 22	at Green Bay Packers	L 21–38	3–4	Lambeau Field	60,332
9	October 30	Chicago Bears	L 6–14	3–5	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	61,238
10	November 5	Green Bay Packers	W 27–24	4–5	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	62,839
11	November 12	at Arizona Cardinals	W 30–24 (OT)	5–5	Sun Devil Stadium	51,342
12	November 19	New Orleans Saints	W 43–24	6–5	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	58,108
13	November 23	at Detroit Lions	L 38–44	6–6	Silverdome	74,559
14	December 3	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 31–17	7–6	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	52,879
15	December 9	Cleveland Browns	W 27–11	8–6	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	47,984
16	December 18	at San Francisco 49ers	L 30–37	8–7	Candlestick Park	64,975
17	December 24	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 24–27	8–8	Riverfront Stadium	34,568

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(3) Green Bay Packers	11	5	0	.688	404	314	W2
(5) Detroit Lions	10	6	0	.625	436	336	W7
Chicago Bears	9	7	0	.563	392	360	W2
Minnesota Vikings	8	8	0	.500	412	385	L2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7	9	0	.438	238	335	L2

Statistics

Team leaders

Category	Player(s)	Value
Passing yards	Warren Moon	4,228
Passing touchdowns	Warren Moon	33
Rushing yards	Robert Smith	632
Rushing touchdowns	Robert Smith	5
Receiving yards	Cris Carter	1,371
Receiving touchdowns	Cris Carter	17
Points	Fuad Reveiz	122
Kickoff return yards	Qadry Ismail	1,037
Punt return yards	David Palmer	342
Tackles	Ed McDaniel	115
Sacks	John Randle	10.5
Interceptions	Orlando Thomas	9
Forced fumbles	Ed McDaniel	6

League rankings

Category	Total yards	Yards per game	NFL rank (out of 30)
Passing offense	4,205	262.8	5th
Rushing offense	1,733	108.3	16th
Total offense	5,938	371.1	4th
Passing defense	4,122	257.6	28th
Rushing defense	1,329	83.1	4th
Total defense	5,451	340.7	20th

Awards and records

• Cris Carter, led NFL in receiving touchdowns
• Cris Carter, All-Pro selection
• Cris Carter, Pro Bowl selection
• Orlando Thomas, NFL interceptions leader (9)

Milestones

• Cris Carter, 100 reception season ^[3]
• Warren Moon, 4th 4,000-yard passing season