On Thursday, the Minnesota Vikings announced the loss of another link to the team’s illustrious past.
Linebacker Matt Blair, one of the most underrated players in franchise history, has passed away. He was 70 years old.
Blair was a second-round pick of the Vikings in the 1974 NFL Draft out of Iowa State University. He made an immediate impact with the team, both on defense and on special teams, en route to being named to the NFL’s All-Rookie team in 1974. He made six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1977 to 1982, and was named to the All-NFL First-Team in 1980.