The Minneapolis Miracle gets a deep rewind

Reliving the greatest (and maybe only good) moment in Vikings playoff history

Within minutes of the Minneapolis Miracle actually happening in January 2018, we received suggestions to do it for a Rewinder. Which we didn’t: we like to wait to do episodes because it would be weird for something to happen and a week later we’re saying, “OMG y’all remember when this wild thing happened? Here’s a detailed retelling of everything that went into it!”

Case Keenum’s bizarre road to quarterbacking the 2017 Minnesota Vikings would only have been a couple of months old. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen would’ve been very fresh on your mind. The season the New Orleans defense put up [words]. So, we waited. And appreciated your patience.

But now it’s time to rewind.

When New Orleans and Minnesota met in the NFC divisional round, there was good reason to expect an exciting finish. That said, you’d have probably would’ve thought it would be in favor of the Saints, if only because fate has been extremely cruel to Minnesota.

That’s the biggest thing that this play blotted from my mind. Like a fool, I’d been focused on the good thing Vikings fans were gifted with. But having looked back for this episode — holy shit. Minnesota fans, I’m so sorry. It’s been decades since that last shot at the Super Bowl in 1977, and in the times the Vikings have come close since, they either shit the bed and didn’t show up or they shit the bed when they had the chance to win.

When the Vikings went to three of four straight Super Bowls, they couldn’t even notch a first half point, losing by double digits each time. And even once this moment of greatness fell into their laps, a few years later it’s accompanied by memories of a player who has gone on to have success with another team. Yes, Jordan Jefferson rules, but I mean c’mon — how do Minnesotans still manage to be so nice given everything that has happened to your team? Y’all need to be studied.

I say this not to rub salt in any wounds, but because I’m certain so many non-Minnesotans are just like me: naive as hell about how deep the pain is for Vikings fans. It’s the suffering that elevates the Miracle from mere excitement to something far more cathartic. So, go back up to the top and check it out, then hug a Vikings fan the next time we’re allowed to hug.