Mick Tingelhoff Minnesota Vikings

"We don’t get very high or very low from week to week. We try to stay even keel. When we get behind, we don’t get very excited. We go to work and do the job.”

Mick Tingelhoff was originally signed by the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent out of the University of Nebraska in 1962. Tingelhoff earned a starting nod at center as a rookie and never relinquished the role for the remainder of his stellar 17-season career.

At 6’2”, 237 pounds, he was known for his durability, toughness and perseverance. He never missed a game and started all 240 regular-season games of his career that ended with his retirement after the 1978 season. He also played in 19 playoff games during his NFL career.

Tingelhoff anchored an offensive line that helped the Vikings claim 10 divisional titles in an 11-season span from 1968 to 1978. Minnesota recorded 10 or more wins during the time of 14-game seasons seven times in an eight-year span.

A team leader, he was adept on pass protection for his scrambling quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who became the NFL’s all-time leading passer. During two different stints in Minnesota, the Hall of Fame quarterback eclipsed the 2,500-yard passing mark nine times. Tarkenton became the Vikings’ first 3,000-yard passer when he aired it out for a franchise record 3,468 yards in Tingelhoff’s final season. A great run blocker, Tingelhoff also paved the way for Chuck Foreman, who strung together three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons (1975-77).

Tingelhoff guided the Vikings to victories in four of the five NFL/NFC championships in which the team played and helped the club reach four Super Bowls (IV, VIII, IX, and XI).

As a center, he had to take on opponents’ middle linebackers, and he played in an era and a division that included three notable Hall of Famers in Joe Schmidt of the Detroit Lions, Ray Nitschke of the Green Bay Packers and Dick Butkus of the Chicago Bears.

Tingelhoff received national accolades by his third season in 1964 that marked the first of seven consecutive seasons in which he was named first-team All-NFL. In 1969, he was named to the 1,000-yard Club as the NFL’s top blocker. He was also elected to the Pro Bowl six consecutive years from 1965 to 1970. Tingelhoff was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor in 2001.

Mick Tingelhoff's Stats

Year	Team	G
1962	Minnesota	14
1963	Minnesota	14
1964	Minnesota	14
1965	Minnesota	14
1966	Minnesota	14
1967	Minnesota	14
1968	Minnesota	14
1969	Minnesota	14
1970	Minnesota	14
1971	Minnesota	14
1972	Minnesota	14
1973	Minnesota	14
1974	Minnesota	14
1975	Minnesota	14
1976	Minnesota	14
1977	Minnesota	14
1978	Minnesota	16
Career Total		240

Mick Tingelhoff's Championship Games

Championship Games

• 
  1969 NFL – Minnesota Vikings 27, Cleveland Browns 7
  Tingelhoff started the game at center.
  
  1973 NFC – Minnesota Vikings 27, Dallas Cowboys 10
  Tingelhoff started the game at center. He had one fumble recovery
  
  1974 NFC – Minnesota Vikings 14, Los Angeles Rams 10
  Tingelhoff started the game at center.
  
  1976 NFC – Minnesota Vikings 24, Los Angeles Rams 13
  Tingelhoff started the game at center.
  
  1977 NFC – Dallas Cowboys 23, Minnesota Vikings 6
  Tingelhoff started the game at center.
   

Super Bowls

Super Bowl IV – Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7
Tingelhoff started the game at center.

Super Bowl VIII – Miami Dolphins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7
Tingelhoff started the game at center.

Super Bowl IX – Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6
Tingelhoff started the game at center.

Super Bowl XI – Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14
Tingelhoff started the game at center.

Mick Tingelhoff's Career Highlights

All-League Teams

 

 

All-Pro: 1968 (PFWA) • 1969 (HOF, PFWA, NEA)

All-NFL:  1964 (AP, UPI) • 1965 (AP, UPI, NEA, NY) • 1966 (AP, UPI, NEA, PFWA, NY) • 1967 (UPI, NEA, NY) • 1968 (AP, UPI, NEA, NY, PW) • 1969 (AP, UPI, NEA, PW, NY) • 1970 (PFWA, PW)

All-NFL Second Team: 1964 (NEA) • 1967 (AP) • 1970 (NEA)

All-Western Conference: 1964 (AP) • 1965 (SN) • 1966 (SN) • 1967 (SN) • 1968 (SN) • 1969 (SN)

All-NFC: 1970 (AP, PW)

All-NFC Second Team: 1970 (UPI)

 

 

Pro Bowls

 

 

(6) – 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970

 

 

In the NFL Record Book

(at time of his retirement following 1978 season)

•  [2nd] Most Consecutive Games Played – 240

 

 

Team Records

Vikings records held by Tingelhoff
(Records through the 1978 season, Tingelhoff’s final season with Minnesota)

• [2nd] Most Consecutive Games Played – 240

Postseason Records
• [Tied for 1st] Most Consecutive Playoff Games Started, Career – 19
• [Tied for 1st] Most Consecutive Playoff Games Played, Career – 19
• [Tied for 1st] Most Playoff Games Played, Career – 19
• [Tied for 1st] Most Playoff Seasons, Career – 10
• [Tied for 2nd] Most Super Bowls Played, Career – 4

 

 

 

 

Awards and Honors

• 1969 National 1,000 Yard Club Award (NFL’s Outstanding Blocker)

 

 

 

 

Year-by-Year Team Records

 

 

Year	Team	W	L	T	Division Finish
1962	Minnesota Vikings	2	11	1	(6th)
1963	Minnesota Vikings	5	8	1	(5th)
1964	Minnesota Vikings	8	5	1	(3rd)
1965	Minnesota Vikings	7	7	0	(5th)
1966	Minnesota Vikings	4	9	1	(7th)
1967	Minnesota Vikings	3	8	3	(4th)
1968	Minnesota Vikings	8	6	0	(1st)
1969	Minnesota Vikings	12	2	0	(1st)
1970	Minnesota Vikings	12	2	0	(1st)
1971	Minnesota Vikings	11	3	0	(1st)
1972	Minnesota Vikings	7	7	0	(3rd)
1973	Minnesota Vikings	12	2	0	(1st)
1974	Minnesota Vikings	10	4	0	(1st)
1975	Minnesota Vikings	12	2	0	(1st)
1976	Minnesota Vikings	11	2	1	(1st)
1977	Minnesota Vikings	9	5	0	(1st)
1978	Minnesota Vikings	8	7	1	(1st)

Mick Tingelhoff's Career Capsule

Full Name: Henry Michael Tingelhoff

Birthdate: May 22, 1940

Birthplace: Lexington, Nebraska

High School: Lexington High School (NE)

Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: January 31, 2015

Other Members of the Class of 2015: Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, Bill Polian, Junior Seau, Will Shields, Ron Wolf

Pro Career: 17 seasons, 240 games

Transactions:  Signed as a free agent by Minnesota, 1962

Uniform Number: 53

Mick Tingelhoff Enshrinement speech

Fran Tarkenton on behalf of Mick Tingelhoff:

Mick's a man of little words but a lot of action.  He's so proud to be in this Class of 2015.  He waited 37 years to get to the Hall of Fame.  He just wanted me to tell all of his teammates who are here and thank them for being here, our great coach and fellow Hall of Famer, Bud Grant, all of the Viking fans who have come from all over the country and all the rest of you fans, and even you Steeler fans who beat us in that Super Bowl. Thank you.