On a day that would ordinarily mark the start of a new football season, the Vikings paused as a team to grieve and remember Tony Sparano's life.
Vikings players, coaches, front office executives and owner Zygi Wilf were among the group of approximately 250 people who gathered at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Wayzata on Friday to honor Sparano, the offensive line coach who died Sunday of natural causes stemming from arteriosclerotic heart disease.
People from around the NFL traveled to Wayzata for the 56-year-old Sparano's funeral, including Saints coach Sean Payton, former NFL coaches Rex and Rob Ryan and Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell.