Mick Tingelhoff

Henry Michael “Mick” Tingelhoff (May 22, 1940-) faced some of the fiercest opponents and middle linebackers of the 1960s and ‘70s like Green Bay’s Ray Nitschke, Detroit’s Joe Schmidt and Chicago’s Dick Butkus, but the 17-year center for the Minnesota Vikings helped lead his team to 10 division titles and four Super Bowls. The Nebraska native played three years in high school before heading to the University of Nebraska. Though Mick was overlooked during the 1962 NFL Draft, going undrafted, the Minnesota Vikings came calling days later and he quickly impressed the Vikings staff. Tingelhoff played three preseason games and earned the starting center spot, guarding Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton and All-Pro running backs Tommy Mason and Chuck Foreman, among others. Mick was a starter from day one of his career at the start of the 1962 season and never relinquished the spot until his retirement in 1978. Tingelhoff played 240 straight games for the Vikes and stands third on the all-time consecutive games played list behind only Brett Favre (297) and Jim Marshall (270). With Tingelhoff leading the Minnesota offense, Tarkenton eclipsed the 2,500 yard passing mark nine times including 3,468 in Mick’s final year (1978) and helped Chuck Foreman post 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons (1975-1977). The Vikings won ten NFC Western or Central Division titles from 1968 to 1978, an 11-year span, and were the NFL Champion in 1969 and NFC Champions in 1973, 1974 and 1976. They unfortunately lost the four Super Bowls in which they participated (IV, VIII, IX, XI). Mick Tingelhoff was a five-time All-Pro First Team selection and played in six NHL Pro Bowls. Over the course of his franchise-record 240 straight games, Mick recovered 13 fumbles. Mick Tingelhoff was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.