Vikes’ Grant tributes to feature his ‘Bud’ signature

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings will honor the late Bud Grant with a jersey patch in Week 1 and a helmet sticker throughout the 2023 season, owner Mark Wilf announced Tuesday.

Both items will feature Grant’s signature “Bud” autograph.

Here is a look at the uniform patch the Vikings will wear in Week 1 to honor Bud Grant (L) and the helmet sticker they will wear all season (R).

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The patch will be worn in conjunction with the debut of the Vikings’ “classic” uniform in the regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at U.S. Bank Stadium. The classic uniforms are designed to honor and commemorate the 1960s and ’70s Vikings teams that Grant coached to four Super Bowls.

“It’s certainly very fitting that we honor Bud along with the introduction of the uniform,” Wilf said, “because it all goes hand-in-hand in honoring and celebrating our great history and traditions. It’ll be a special night.”

Grant died March 11 at the age of 95. He coached the Vikings from 1967 to 1983, and then one final season in 1985.

In his 28 seasons as a head coach in Canada and with the Vikings, his teams reached the playoffs 20 times, played in 10 championship games and won four titles.

Grant was the first person to be inducted into both the CFL Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He had a career regular-season record of 158-96-5 in the NFL and 102-56-2 in the CFL and went a combined 26-20-1 in the postseason between the two leagues.