2011 Minnesota Vikings season
The 2011 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 51st in the National Football League, and the first full season under head coach Leslie Frazier, who served as the team's interim head coach for the final six games of the 2010 season. The team failed to improve on their 6–10 record from 2010, going 2–6 before their bye week, before being eliminated from playoff contention in week 12 with a 2–9 record. The team also suffered its first six-game losing streak since the 1984 season.
The team started the season with a new starting quarterback, Donovan McNabb, who had enjoyed great success with the Eagles but had a subpar year with the Redskins in 2010. McNabb played respectably, having a passer rating of 82.9 and only turning the ball over twice, but his 1–5 record as starter led to him being benched in favor of rookie Christian Ponder in Week 6, and McNabb was later waived on December 1, 2011. Despite a poor year for the team as a whole, Jared Allen set a franchise record for most sacks in a season with 22. The team led the league in sacks with 50, but also tied a team record for fewest interceptions caught in a season with only eight.
Offseason
Players Additions
- Michael Jenkins-signed from the Atlanta Falcons.
- Scott Kooistra-signed from the Baltimore Ravens.
- Donovan McNabb-signed from the Washington Redskins.
Players lost
- Ryan Cook-signed with the Miami Dolphins.
- Ray Edwards-signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
- Brett Favre-Announced to retire.
- Heath Farwell-signed with the Seattle Seahawks.
- Tarvaris Jackson-signed with the Seattle Seahawks.
- Jimmy Kennedy-signed with the New York Giants.
- Ben Leber-signed with the St. Louis Rams.
- Bryant McKinnie-signed with the Baltimore Ravens.
- Sidney Rice-signed with the Seattle Seahawks.
- Lito Sheppard-signed with the Oakland Raiders.
- Frank Walker-signed with the Tennessee Titans.
- Madieu Williams-signed with the San Francisco 49ers.
- Pat Williams-Announced to retire.
2011 draft
After finishing with a 6–10 record in the 2010 season, the Vikings were allocated the 12th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.| Pro Bowler |
'''Notes:'''
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
| Chris Adingupu | Safety | Prairie View A&M |
| David Akinniyi | Defensive end | North Carolina State |
| Conan Amituiana | Guard | Arizona |
| Matt Asiata | Running back | Utah |
| Larry Dean | Linebacker | Valdosta State |
| Marcell Gipson | Cornerback | Wyoming |
| Ryan Hill | Safety | Miami (FL) |
| Andre Holmes | Wide receiver | Hillsdale |
| Rod Huntley | Guard | Texas-El Paso |
| Byron Isom | Guard | Auburn |
| Dominique Johnson | Wide receiver | Cal Poly |
| Allen Reisner | Tight end | Iowa |
| Devon Torrance | Cornerback/Safety | Ohio State |
| Nathan Whitaker | Kicker | Stanford |
Preseason
Schedule
The Vikings' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap |
| 1 | August 13 | at Tennessee Titans | L 3–14 | 0–1 | LP Field | |
| 2 | August 20 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 20–7 | 1–1 | CenturyLink Field | |
| 3 | August 27 | Dallas Cowboys | L 17–23 | 1–2 | Mall of America Field | |
| 4 | September 1 | Houston Texans | W 28–0 | 2–2 | Mall of America Field |
Regular season
Schedule
;LEGEND:Game summaries
Week 8: at Carolina Panthers
Week 10: at Green Bay Packers
After being swept by the Packers, the Vikings dropped to 2–7. As of 2025, this is the Vikings' most lopsided loss to the Packers.Statistics
Team leaders
- *Led the league and a new Vikings single-season record.