Iconic NFL Coach Bud Grant Dies at Age 95

The sports world is mourning the loss of Bud Grant, the iconic coach of the Minnesota Vikings, who passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the age of 95.

Grant was a monumental figure in Minnesota’s professional sports history, having played professional basketball for the Minneapolis Lakers and starred in the NFL before becoming the winningest coach in Vikings history.

Grant led the Vikings to four Super Bowls in 18 seasons and earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He remained an important fixture in the organization until his final months, with his own office at the team’s facilities. Born and raised in Superior, Wisconsin, Grant embodied a hard-working Midwestern mentality that Minnesotans are known for.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell commented on Bud’s passing, “Bud was gracious with his time, meeting in his office weekly to discuss football and life. I will forever cherish those conversations because they made me a better coach, a better husband and father, and a better person.”

The team’s principal owners, Zygi and Mark Wilf, added, “No single individual more defined the Minnesota Vikings than Bud Grant. A once-in-a-lifetime man, Bud will forever be synonymous with success, toughness, the North, and the Vikings.”

Minnesota has lost a sports icon, but Bud Grant’s legacy will live on forever in the hearts of the people who knew and loved him. Share your memories of Bud Grant and his impact on Minnesota sports in the comment section below.