They started 0–3 for the second time in the past four seasons. They failed to improve upon their 13–4 record from
2022 after a Week 5 loss to the eventual back to back Super Bowl champion
Kansas City Chiefs and match that record with a Week 11 loss to the
Broncos. However, after having a 1–4 record, the Vikings would win 5 games straight, going to a 6–4 record. During Minnesota's Week 8 game against their division rival, the
Green Bay Packers, starting
quarterbackKirk Cousins ruptured his
achilles tendon, ruling him out for the rest of the season.[1] They went through a quarterback carousel for the rest of the season, going 1–6 in their last 7 games including 4 straight losses to end the season. In Week 16, they were knocked out of division contention following a loss to the
Detroit Lions, and in Week 18, they were eliminated from playoff contention after losing to the Lions again.
For the first time since
2012, wide receiver
Adam Thielen was not on the roster, as he was released on March 10.[2] Additionally, for the first time since
2016, four-time
Pro Bowl running back
Dalvin Cook was not on the roster, as he was released on June 9.[3] This was also the first season after the death of legendary coach and team advisor
Bud Grant on March 11.[4]
^
abThe Vikings traded a second-round selection (55th overall) and a 2024 third-round selection to the Detroit Lions in exchange for TE
T. J. Hockenson, a fourth-round selection (119th overall) and a conditional 2024 fourth-round selection.
^
abcdThe Vikings traded a third-round selection (87th overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for third-, fifth- and seventh-round selections (102nd, 164th and 222nd overall).[7]
^
abThe Vikings traded a fourth-round selection (119th overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a fourth-round selection (134th overall) and a
2024 fifth-round selection.[7]
^The Vikings traded a fourth-round selection (126th overall) and a 2022 fifth-round selection to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2022 fourth-round selection.
^
abcThe Vikings traded a fifth- and sixth-round selection (158th and 211th overall) to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a fifth-round selection (141st overall).[7]
^
abThe Vikings traded a sixth-round selection (201st overall) to the Houston Texans in exchange for DE
Ross Blacklock and a seventh-round selection (219th overall).
^The Vikings traded a seventh-round selection (219th overall) and a conditional 2024 fourth-round selection to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for WR
Jalen Reagor.
^The Vikings traded DE
Stephen Weatherly and a seventh-round selection (241st overall) to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round selection.
Rookies in italics
53 active, 12 inactive, 15 practice squad
Preseason
The Vikings' preseason schedule was announced on May 11, 2023, along with the regular season schedule. They will first travel to the Pacific Northwest to play the
Seattle Seahawks, before returning to Minnesota for their remaining two games, first against the
Tennessee Titans and then the
Arizona Cardinals.[13]
The Vikings scored the only points of the game after both teams went over 58 minutes without scoring, in the lowest scoring NFL game since 2007.[14] The Vikings improved to 7–6 and remained in the playoff race.
Week 15: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 15: Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
With this loss, the Vikings finished the season on a four-game losing streak, their first since
2016. They were also swept by the Lions for the first time since that same season. Their 7–10 record was their first double-digit losing season since
2013, which also saw the Vikings go through a quarterback carousel driven by injuries and poor play.
^
abcSan Francisco finished ahead of Dallas and Detroit based on conference record.
^
abDallas finished ahead of Detroit based on head-to-head victory.
^
abTampa Bay finished ahead of New Orleans based on common record. (Tampa Bay is 8–4 against Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis, while New Orleans is 6–6 against the same teams.)
^
abcGreen Bay and Seattle finished ahead of New Orleans based on conference record.
^
abGreen Bay finished ahead of Seattle based on strength of victory, claiming the 7th and final playoff spot.
^
abMinnesota finished ahead of Atlanta based on head-to-head victory. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Chicago (see below).
^
abMinnesota finished ahead of Chicago based on common record. (Minnesota is 5–7 against Tampa Bay, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina, Kansas City, Green Bay, Atlanta, New Orleans, Denver, Las Vegas, and Detroit, while Chicago is 4–8 against the same teams.)
^
abChicago finished ahead of Atlanta based on head-to-head victory.
^
abWashington finished ahead of Arizona based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.
They started 0–3 for the second time in the past four seasons. They failed to improve upon their 13–4 record from
2022 after a Week 5 loss to the eventual back to back Super Bowl champion
Kansas City Chiefs and match that record with a Week 11 loss to the
Broncos. However, after having a 1–4 record, the Vikings would win 5 games straight, going to a 6–4 record. During Minnesota's Week 8 game against their division rival, the
Green Bay Packers, starting
quarterbackKirk Cousins ruptured his
achilles tendon, ruling him out for the rest of the season.[1] They went through a quarterback carousel for the rest of the season, going 1–6 in their last 7 games including 4 straight losses to end the season. In Week 16, they were knocked out of division contention following a loss to the
Detroit Lions, and in Week 18, they were eliminated from playoff contention after losing to the Lions again.
For the first time since
2012, wide receiver
Adam Thielen was not on the roster, as he was released on March 10.[2] Additionally, for the first time since
2016, four-time
Pro Bowl running back
Dalvin Cook was not on the roster, as he was released on June 9.[3] This was also the first season after the death of legendary coach and team advisor
Bud Grant on March 11.[4]
^
abThe Vikings traded a second-round selection (55th overall) and a 2024 third-round selection to the Detroit Lions in exchange for TE
T. J. Hockenson, a fourth-round selection (119th overall) and a conditional 2024 fourth-round selection.
^
abcdThe Vikings traded a third-round selection (87th overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for third-, fifth- and seventh-round selections (102nd, 164th and 222nd overall).[7]
^
abThe Vikings traded a fourth-round selection (119th overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a fourth-round selection (134th overall) and a
2024 fifth-round selection.[7]
^The Vikings traded a fourth-round selection (126th overall) and a 2022 fifth-round selection to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2022 fourth-round selection.
^
abcThe Vikings traded a fifth- and sixth-round selection (158th and 211th overall) to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a fifth-round selection (141st overall).[7]
^
abThe Vikings traded a sixth-round selection (201st overall) to the Houston Texans in exchange for DE
Ross Blacklock and a seventh-round selection (219th overall).
^The Vikings traded a seventh-round selection (219th overall) and a conditional 2024 fourth-round selection to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for WR
Jalen Reagor.
^The Vikings traded DE
Stephen Weatherly and a seventh-round selection (241st overall) to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round selection.
Rookies in italics
53 active, 12 inactive, 15 practice squad
Preseason
The Vikings' preseason schedule was announced on May 11, 2023, along with the regular season schedule. They will first travel to the Pacific Northwest to play the
Seattle Seahawks, before returning to Minnesota for their remaining two games, first against the
Tennessee Titans and then the
Arizona Cardinals.[13]
The Vikings scored the only points of the game after both teams went over 58 minutes without scoring, in the lowest scoring NFL game since 2007.[14] The Vikings improved to 7–6 and remained in the playoff race.
Week 15: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 15: Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
With this loss, the Vikings finished the season on a four-game losing streak, their first since
2016. They were also swept by the Lions for the first time since that same season. Their 7–10 record was their first double-digit losing season since
2013, which also saw the Vikings go through a quarterback carousel driven by injuries and poor play.
^
abcSan Francisco finished ahead of Dallas and Detroit based on conference record.
^
abDallas finished ahead of Detroit based on head-to-head victory.
^
abTampa Bay finished ahead of New Orleans based on common record. (Tampa Bay is 8–4 against Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis, while New Orleans is 6–6 against the same teams.)
^
abcGreen Bay and Seattle finished ahead of New Orleans based on conference record.
^
abGreen Bay finished ahead of Seattle based on strength of victory, claiming the 7th and final playoff spot.
^
abMinnesota finished ahead of Atlanta based on head-to-head victory. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Chicago (see below).
^
abMinnesota finished ahead of Chicago based on common record. (Minnesota is 5–7 against Tampa Bay, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina, Kansas City, Green Bay, Atlanta, New Orleans, Denver, Las Vegas, and Detroit, while Chicago is 4–8 against the same teams.)
^
abChicago finished ahead of Atlanta based on head-to-head victory.
^
abWashington finished ahead of Arizona based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.