Minnesota Vikings equipment manager Dennis Ryan called it a career after nearly 50 years on Tuesday, ending a tenure with the team that started on June 1st, 1979.
His first assignment was to paint blocking sleds at Midway Stadium, the St. Paul Saints’ longtime ballpark, which the Vikes used for a time as a practice facility.
Ryan was born and raised in St. Paul, and started working for the Vikings at age 16, and served as just one of two equipment in managers in Vikings history.
The job of the equipment manager is one of the strong, silent type.