2000 Minnesota Vikings

2000 was the 40th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 81st regular season of the National Football League.

Led by first-year starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper, the Vikings had a 2000 season in which Robert Smith ran for a team record 1,521 yards and 7 touchdowns. The Vikings started out 7-0 and were 11-2 after 14 weeks, but slumped briefly, losing their last three to the Rams, Packers and Colts while Culpepper was hampered by injury. However, they would return to the playoffs again for the fifth straight year. After easily beating the Saints in the Divisional game 34-16, they were humiliated 41-0 by the New York Giants in the Conference Championship, and to top that, Robert Smith retired at the end of the year, after only playing eight NFL seasons.

NFC Divisional Playoffs

 * stadium= Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
 * time= 11:30 a.m. CST
 * weather= Played indoors, domed stadium
 * TV=Fox
 * TVAnnouncers= Dick Stockton, Matt Millen, and Pam Oliver
 * referee= Walt Coleman
 * attendance= 63,881

NFC Championship Game
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 * stadium= Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
 * time= 12:30 p.m. EST
 * weather= 40 °F, cloudy
 * TV=Fox
 * TVAnnouncers= Pat Summerall, John Madden, D.J. Johnson, and Pam Oliver
 * referee= Tony Corrente
 * attendance= 79,310

Awards and records

 * Gary Anderson, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 8
 * Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 14
 * Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Month, December
 * Cris Carter, All-NFL Team (as selected by the Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly, and the Pro Football Writers of America)
 * Cris Carter, NFC Pro Bowl Selection
 * Daunte Culpepper, NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Week 6
 * Duante Culpepper, NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Week 12
 * Chris Hovan, PFW/Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team
 * Randy Moss, All-NFL Team (as selected by the Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly, and the Pro Football Writers of America)
 * Randy Moss, PFW/PFWA All-Pro Team
 * Robert Smith, NFC Offensive Player of the Month, December

40 year team
The team recognized an all-time team in 2000 by announcing the 40th-season all-time team. 

VIKINGS 40TH SEASON ALL-TIME TEAM 1961-2000
 * OFFENSE
 * WRs: Ahmad Rashad, Cris Carter
 * Ts: Ron Yary, Tim Irwin
 * Gs: Ed White, Randall McDaniel
 * C: Mick Tingelhoff
 * TE: Steve Jordan
 * QB: Fran Tarkenton
 * RBs: Chuck Foreman, Robert Smith
 * K: Fred Cox
 * Special Teams Coverage: Bill Brown
 * DEFENSE
 * DEs: Jim Marshall, Carl Eller
 * DTs: Alan Page, John Randle
 * LBs: Jeff Siemon, Matt Blair, Scott Studwell
 * Ss: Paul Krause, Joey Browner
 * CBs: Bobby Bryant, Carl Lee
 * P: Greg Coleman
 * Special Teams Returns: Darrin Nelson
 * Head Coach: Bud Grant