The 2013 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL). It also marked the Vikings' final season playing their home games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome; the team played their home games at TCF Bank Stadium for the 2014 and 2015 seasons while construction of U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016, took place on the site of the Metrodome. Following a Week 9 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Vikings were no longer able to match their 10–6 record from 2012, and their loss to the Baltimore Ravens five weeks later sealed their elimination from playoff contention.

The Vikings failed to win a road game (0–7–1) for the first time since 2001. Much like in 2001, the Vikings did moderately well (13th) on offensive yardage (344.2 yards per game) despite a quarterback carousel not present in 2001, but ranked among the worst in defensive yardage (397.6 yards per game); only the Dallas Cowboys gave up more yards on defense with 415.3 per game. The Vikings' defense also allowed the most points in the NFL in 2013 at 480 (30.0 points per game), four points shy of matching the most points the team ever allowed in a single season.

It took until Week 10 for the Vikings to record their first win on American soil, their only other victory up to that point having come in the NFL International Series game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at London's Wembley Stadium in Week 4. Despite winning their last four home games to finish with an overall record of 5–10–1, the Vikings fired head coach Leslie Frazier after just over three seasons with the team.

Offseason

2013 draft

Pro Bowler

2013 Minnesota Vikings Draft Draft order Player name Position College Contract Notes Round Overall 1 23 Sharrif Floyd Defensive tackle Florida 4 years / $8 million 25 Xavier Rhodes Cornerback Florida State 4 years / $7.8 million From Seahawks 29 Cordarrelle Patterson Wide receiver Tennessee 4 years / $7.2 million From Patriots 2 52 Traded to the New England Patriots 3 83 Traded to the New England Patriots 4 102 Traded to the New England Patriots From Lions 120 Gerald Hodges Linebacker Penn State 4 years / $2.58 million 5 155 Jeff Locke Punter UCLA 4 years / $2.344 million 6 176 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals From Titans 189 Traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 196 Jeff Baca Guard UCLA 4 years / $2.256 million From Broncos, via Eagles and Buccaneers 7 213 Michael Mauti Linebacker Penn State 4 years / $2.2 million From Cardinals 214 Travis Bond Guard North Carolina 4 years / $2.22 million From Bills via Seahawks 229 Everett Dawkins Defensive tackle Florida State 4 years / $2.2 million From Vikings, via Patriots and Buccaneers

Notes:

Roster changes

+ Re-signings Date Player name Position Contract terms January 7, 2013 Chase Baker DT 2 years / $900,000 March 12, 2013 Joe Berger C/G 1 year / $945,000 Jerome Felton FB 3 years / $7.5 million Erin Henderson OLB 2 years / $4 million Phil Loadholt OT 4 years / $25 million Jamarca Sanford FS 2 years / $5 million Jerome Simpson WR 1 year / $2.1 million March 21, 2013 Andrew Sendejo FS 1 year / $630,000 March 26, 2013 Marvin Mitchell OLB 1 year / $765,000 April 12, 2013 A. J. Jefferson CB 1 year / $1.323 million April 15, 2013 Troy Kropog OT 1 year / $630,000 April 22, 2013 Marcus Sherels CB 1 year / $555,000 October 17, 2013 Brandan Bishop S October 22, 2013 Shaun Prater CB 4 years / $2.285 million October 31, 2013 Chase Ford TE 2 years / $900,000 November 4, 2013 Justin Trattou DE 2 years / $1.05 million November 9, 2013 Audie Cole LB 3 years / $1.71 million November 11, 2013 Kevin Murphy T December 11, 2013 Bradley Randle RB December 16, 2013 Mike Remmers OT 2 years / $900,000 December 18, 2013 Joe Banyard RB 2 years / $900,000 Spencer Nealy DE 2 years / $930,000 December 24, 2013 Robert Steeples CB 3 years / $1.49 million Denotes this is a reserve/future contract. Denotes a signing to the Practice Squad.

+ Departures Date Player name Position Note New team March 4, 2013 Michael Jenkins WR Released New England Patriots March 11, 2013 Percy Harvin WR Traded Seattle Seahawks March 12, 2013 Antoine Winfield CB Released Seattle Seahawks March 14, 2013 Jasper Brinkley MLB UFA Arizona Cardinals March 15, 2013 Geoff Schwartz G/T UFA Kansas City Chiefs April 30, 2013 Nicholas Taylor CB Released May 6, 2013 Chris Kluwe P Released Oakland Raiders June 10, 2013 Devin Aromashodu WR UFA Chicago Bears August 31, 2013 Brandon Burton CB Released Buffalo Bills Stephen Burton WR Jacksonville Jaguars Tyrone McKenzie LB September 9, 2013 D'Aundre Reed DE Injury settlement San Francisco 49ers October 1, 2013 DeMarcus Love OT Released Jacksonville Jaguars October 8, 2013 McLeod Bethel-Thompson QB Released San Francisco 49ers October 9, 2013 George Johnson DE Released November 6, 2013 Everett Dawkins DT Claimed off practice squad Dallas Cowboys November 13, 2013 Travis Bond G Claimed off practice squad Carolina Panthers November 25, 2013 A. J. Jefferson CB Released

+ Additions Date Player name Position Previous team Contract terms March 14, 2013 Matt Cassel QB Kansas City Chiefs 2 years / $7.4 million March 15, 2013 Greg Jennings WR Green Bay Packers 5 years / $45 million April 30, 2013 Zach Line FB Southern MethodistUndrafted FA 3 years / $1.49 million June 24, 2013 Desmond Bishop LB Green Bay Packers 1 year / $1.5 million October 6, 2013 Josh Freeman QB Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 year / $3.0 million November 26, 2013 Kip Edwards CB Buffalo Bills

+ Signed and released players Date signed Player name Position Previous team Contract terms Date released January 7, 2013 Joe Banyard RB Minnesota Vikings(re-signed) 2 years / $900,000 August 31, 2013 LaMark Brown TE August 26, 2013 Bobby Felder DB October 28, 2013 Chase Ford TE October 29, 2013 Tyler Holmes G August 26, 2013 Kevin Murphy T November 9, 2013 Chris Summers WR August 26, 2013 January 9, 2013 T. J. Conley P New York Jets (2011) 2 years / $1.05 million April 29, 2013 Greg McCoy CB Arizona Cardinals 2 years / $900,000 August 26, 2013 February 11, 2013 Roderick Williams CB Edmonton Eskimos (CFL) 3 years / $1.485 million March 19, 2013 Seth Olsen G/T Indianapolis Colts 1 year / $650,000 September 9, 2013 April 26, 2013 Lawrence Jackson DE Detroit Lions 1 year / $780,000 August 26, 2013 April 29, 2013 Jacob Lacey CB Detroit Lions August 19, 2013 April 30, 2013 Colin Anderson TE Furman 3 years / $1.49 million August 31, 2013 Brandan Bishop S NC State Nicholas Edwards WR Eastern Washington May 6, 2013 Darius Eubanks S Georgia Southern August 31, 2013 Erik Highsmith WR North Carolina August 26, 2013 Mark Jackson OT Glenville State May 21, 2013 Marquis Jackson DE Portland State August 26, 2013 Anthony McCloud DT Florida State August 31, 2013 Bradley Randle RB UNLV August 26, 2013 Rodney Smith WR Florida State August 31, 2013 Collins Ukwu DE Kentucky James Vandenberg QB Iowa August 26, 2013 Camden Wentz C N.C. State Jerodis Williams RB Furman Nathan Williams LB Ohio State August 6, 2013 May 6, 2013 Adam Thielen WR Minnesota State-Mankato 3 years / $1.49 million August 31, 2013 Brandon Keith OT Arizona Cardinals (2011) 1 year / $715,000 May 29, 2013 Stanford Keglar LB Las Vegas Locomotives (UFL) 1 year / $630,000 June 27, 2013 August 6, 2013 August 26, 2013 August 20, 2013 Spencer Nealy DE Detroit Lions August 31, 2013 September 2, 2013 Tristan Okpalaugo DE Miami Dolphins September 10, 2013 September 4, 2013 Bradley Randle RB Minnesota Vikings(re-signed) September 10, 2013 Joe Banyard RB December 16, 2013 September 11, 2013 Robert Steeples CB Miami Dolphins December 21, 2013 October 9, 2013 Justin Trattou DE New York Giants October 26, 2013 October 18, 2013 Jacob Lacey CB Minnesota Vikings(re-signed) October 22, 2013 October 29, 2013 Justin Trattou DE November 2, 2013 November 12, 2013 Spencer Nealy DE December 10, 2013 November 13, 2013 Jamaal Johnson-Webb OT Chicago Bears November 26, 2013 November 25, 2013 Mike Remmers OT San Diego Chargers December 14, 2013

Preseason

Schedule The Vikings' preseason opponents and schedule were announced on April 4, 2013. Their preseason began with a loss to the Houston Texans at Mall of America Field on August 9, followed by road defeats against the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers; the game against the 49ers was the Vikings' second preseason matchup against the same opposition in two years. The preseason program concluded on a positive note – a home victory against the Tennessee Titans on August 29.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance NFL.comrecap 1 August 9 Houston Texans L 13–27 0–1 Mall of America Field 62,306 Recap 2 August 16 at Buffalo Bills L 16–20 0–2 Ralph Wilson Stadium 60,164 Recap 3 August 25 at San Francisco 49ers L 14–34 0–3 Candlestick Park 69,732 Recap 4 August 29 Tennessee Titans W 24–23 1–3 Mall of America Field 62,603 Recap

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Houston Texans

Week 2: at Buffalo Bills

Week 3: at San Francisco 49ers

Week 4: vs. Tennessee Titans

Regular season

Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance NFL.comrecap 1 September 8 at Detroit Lions L 24–34 0–1 Ford Field 62,461 Recap 2 September 15 at Chicago Bears L 30–31 0–2 Soldier Field 62,181 Recap 3 September 22 Cleveland Browns L 27–31 0–3 Mall of America Field 63,672 Recap 4 September 29 Pittsburgh Steelers W 34–27 1–3 Wembley Stadium 83,518 Recap 5 Bye 6 October 13 Carolina Panthers L 10–35 1–4 Mall of America Field63,963 Recap 7 at New York Giants L 7–23 1–5 MetLife Stadium 79,314 Recap 8 October 27 Green Bay Packers L 31–44 1–6 Mall of America Field 64,134 Recap 9 November 3 at Dallas Cowboys L 23–27 1–7 AT&T Stadium 85,360 Recap 10 Washington Redskins W 34–27 2–7 Mall of America Field 64,011 Recap 11 November 17 at Seattle Seahawks L 20–41 2–8 CenturyLink Field 68,235 Recap 12 November 24 at Green Bay Packers T 26–26 2–8–1 Lambeau Field 77,871 Recap 13 December 1 Chicago Bears W 23–20 3–8–1 Mall of America Field 64,134 Recap 14 December 8 at Baltimore Ravens L 26–29 3–9–1 M&T Bank Stadium 70,921 Recap 15 December 15 Philadelphia Eagles W 48–30 4–9–1 Mall of America Field 64,087 Recap 16 December 22 at Cincinnati Bengals L 14–42 4–10–1 Paul Brown Stadium 61,555 Recap 17 December 29 Detroit Lions W 14–13 5–10–1 Mall of America Field 64,134 Recap Team names in bold indicate the Vikings' divisional opponents.  #  Blue/red indicates the International Series game in London.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Detroit Lions

Week 2: at Chicago Bears

Week 3: vs. Cleveland Browns

Week 4: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers NFL International Series

Week 6: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week 7: at New York Giants

Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers

With Josh Freeman ruled out after suffering a concussion in the previous game, Christian Ponder reclaimed his spot as starting quarterback. Cordarrelle Patterson got the game off to a good start for the Vikings, returning the opening kickoff 109 yards for a touchdown to tie the NFL record. However, Aaron Rodgers responded for the Packers by leading his offense on a 14-play, 90-yard drive, culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson. The sides then exchanged field goals before Rodgers found Nelson again in the second quarter for a 76-yard touchdown. On the Vikings' next possession, they were forced to punt, but Micah Hyde was able to return the kick 93 yards for another Packers touchdown to make the score 24–10. A controversial pass interference call against Packers cornerback Tramon Williams late in the half set the Vikings up with a first down on the Packers' 14-yard line; two plays later, Adrian Peterson had the ball in the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown, which kept the Vikings in with a chance going into the second half.