Is 22 the Most Talented Number in Vikings’ History?
Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
When thinking of the best Vikings of all time, people like Randy Moss, Fran Tarkenton, and John Randle come to mind. But when it comes to the best Vikings number of all time, one stands above the rest: 22.
There could be an argument to be made for a number like 93, which includes John Randle and Kevin Williams, or 28 with Ahmad Rashad and Adrian Peterson, but to me, they fall just below 22.
In Vikings history, there have been 14 players to wear number 22, including Bill Butler, Tyrone Carter, Steve Freeman, Ken Irvin, Ken Johnson, Jeff Jordan, Paul Krause, David Palmer, Dick Pesonen, Artose Pinner, Jarvis Redwine, Benny Sapp, Harrison Smith, and Felix Wright
Of those 14 players, 11 were either decent role players or didn’t have a huge role on the Vikings. But three players in this mix do the heavy lifting of putting No. 22 above the rest. Palmer was a part of the Vikings from 1994 to 2000 and was a big part of the return game. He had 162 punt returns for 1,610 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 145 kickoff returns for 3,274 yards and a touchdown. Since his success with the Vikings, the likes of Marcus Sherels and Cordarrelle Patterson have come along and are often talked about more now, but what Palmer did during the 90’s with the Vikings can’t be overlooked.
While Palmer deserves his flowers, the real headliners are Krause and Smith. Krause was drafted back by Washington back in the 1964 NFL Draft but was traded to the Vikings a few years later in 1968. During his 12 years with the Vikings, Krause intercepted 51 passes and only missed four games total. He was every bit the anchor of the Vikings’ defense as the Purple People Eaters, and he was key to the team making four Super Bowls.
The Vikings formed their Ring of Honor in 1998, and Krause was a part of the inaugural class. He also was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Even though Krause retired after the 1979 season, Krause still holds the NFL record with 81 interceptions.
And while Krause is considered the best-ever member of the secondary in Vikings’ history, Harrison Smith has made his argument with his stellar career. The Vikings traded up in the 2012 draft to select Smith with the 29th overall pick. Ever since, he has cemented himself as one of the safeties in NFL history. Even at age 35, he still has an argument for being one of the best right now.
Smith has been named to six Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro in 2017. Others have come and gone in the Vikings secondary, but Smith has stayed consistent. His peak came during the Mike Zimmer days as a roaming safety who could be used all over the field. Heading into the 2024 season, Smith has picked off 34 passes and found the end zone four times.
What Smith has done on the field has been impressive, but his off-the-field contributions and loyalty to the Vikings have also been second tonone. Smith has been involved in Big Tackles, where people contribute a certain amount for each tackle he picks up during the season. The money raised has supported area youth and Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities.
Over the past few years, the talk has been about what other team Smith might play with to end his career, and each year, he finds his way back to the Vikings. He’s come back even when it has required a pay cut. Smith was originally supposed to make $15.3 million this upcoming season, but after re-working his contract, he’s expected to make right around $8 million. While Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter jumped ship this offseason, Smith stayed. Even if 2024 is expected to be bit of a down year, Smith never wavered on his commitment to the Twin Cities.
Smith and Krause are the top two secondary members in Vikings history, and because of the success they had in the Purple and Gold, they have made 22 the best number in team history. Even if the Vikings never retire the number 84 for Randy Moss, after Smith decides to hang it up, the team needs to retire 22 forever. The number probably should have been retired after Krause for his contributions to the Vikings, but there is no excuse now. Whether it’s retired just for Smith, or they do a joint number retirement, Smith needs to be the last player ever to wear 22.
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