1975 Vikings at Bills - The Snowball Game

[@Vaelsung1]

The Vikings have never been to a SB since they changed their culture from an outdoor team that fought through the elements with grit, toughness and skill to an indoor team that plays on astroturf. That change in culture took away one of their great advantages, the weather, especially in the playoffs. I remember a documentary where Jim Marshall was asking Odin to bring the freezing cold to Metropolitan Stadium. That mystique is gone.

[@rddavis003]

i agree with a portion of that. should have put a open roof on US bank stadium. but times change and with all the great players who have worn purple we should have won at least one by now...

[@mobeersplz]

The Vikings' owners wanted an outdoor stadium, the state and local governments would only provide funding for an indoor stadium capable of hosting major events like the Super Bowl and the Final Four. A retractable roof was the trend in 2010s football stadiums. However, retractable roof facilities are not typically designed for the roof to be opened and closed in sub-freezing conditions. When built in temperate climates, retractable roofs are generally kept closed throughout the winter months, both to reduce the stress on the roof and its components and also to reduce or eliminate the need to winterize the stadium's interior. In contrast, to be of any competitive on-field advantage to the Vikings, a retractable roof facility would have needed to be designed to operate in a Minnesotan winter so as to allow the Vikings to play a home game outdoors during the NFL playoffs. Eventually, this design was deemed too expensive.

[@rddavis003]

@@mobeersplz that’s a lot of words you must’ve copied and pasted that info. But understood…

[@kjkuta1]

It's true. The old Met was a miserable place in late November and all of December early January. If you look at the four appearances in the 70's they are .500 team until mid November and all of December. That's when any of the home games they played no opponent was gonna walk out of there with a victory...... In their four appearances the "Neutral" site of the Superbowl (warm weather) was their Achilles tendon.

[@ToddDolce]

@@Vaelsung1 1000% Agree!!! I was a Bills fan growing up (late 60’s and 70’s) and an hour east of Buffalo. I remember how fun it was to go to that miserable stadium in horrific weather conditions knowing that the opposing team, no matter how good would likely get to enjoy the same misery as the Bills did. The Bills would usually lose because of their lack of talent BUT….they at least had a chance with that weather. Across the conference to the NFC, I LOVED LOVED LOVED watching the Vikings play at home in December and had a ton of respect for them because they DID have the talent and great coaching AND embraced the cold and snow while being perfectly ok with winning 14-7 just as much as winning 34-21. They knew how to just grind through it and a win was a win. I hate that they never could translate that into the Super Bowl games.

[@tomfrankiewicz4030]

I really miss 70s NFL

[@JohnHeiling]

When Men were Men

[@fredblassie9523]

Me too, this was before prima donna wide receivers, weather conditions canceling games, no Goodell policies, PRACTICES IN PADS, Hitting the way football was meant to be played, no replay rules, actual kick offs, great great announcers and NFL films every Saturday evening. I miss it so much. I'm glad I was a kid and got to enjoy those days.

[@80sVidLover]

Prima Donnas everywhere! One of the things I really can't stand: guy intercepts a pass, whistle blows because he's down, but he still runs to the opposite end zone and showboats in front of the cameras 😡​@@fredblassie9523

[@obbor4]

What they didn't show was Fran Tarkenton, while running toward the tunnel with an arm load full of snowballs, firing about half dozen of them into the stands at the fans who had nearly blinded Chuck Foreman and tormented the Vikings all game long. I was proud of Tark for that!

[@jason-hy8ci]

The Bills should have been penalized for the crowds stupidity.

[@Icon0827]

When Football was great!!! I thank you for uploading for all to see 👏🏾

[@MikeF-op4gs]

When we were kids we loved playing football in the snow and ice!! Dont see as much like these games anymore with alot of cold weather teams having domes now!!

[@fredblassie9523]

Yep, playing in the street during snow was heaven to us back then. I remember watching THIS IS THE NFL and the NFL GAME OF THE WEEK every Saturday evening back to back. Great times. So many great players and so many great moments.

[@lambloser]

I'm pretty sure after this game, I went outside to play football in the snow.. Great football, great highlight music, and Harry Kalas of course! Great days!

[@jason-hy8ci]

Yeah, and you also don't see kids out playing Football now in ANY weather. 🎮

[@risinbison1106]

Bud Grant wearing a light jacket. Toughest coach ever.

[@MichaelBecker-px5sy]

Forgot Bud

[@artvandelay8090]

And the worst coach ever. He had the best team ever, but was outcoached in 4 Super Bowls. The '72 team had 6 players that made the NFL HOF. No team has ever had that many HOF'ers on it at the same time. Bud Grant did not game plan to take away opponents' strengths and exploit their weaknesses. He had the same approach to every game. And he didn't even have the team practice in the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. He's probably the worst coach of all time, but a lot of people credit him for being great. He wasn't great, he was a reject from the Canadian Football League who took a great Vikings team with the greatest GM of all time, Jim Finks and he screwed it all up for them.

[@josephsuiter6137]

I remember watching that game. It was on a Saturday afternoon and little did I know about the heartbrake about to happen in the playoffs against Dallas 😢

[@MrProsat]

I remember BEING there. I froze my butt off. The best part of the game was the fans knocking Chuck Foreman out of the game....

[@victorkreitner754]

If you remember 2 years earlier Minnesota came into Dallas and beat them on their own home field in the 73 NFC Championship. Dallas got revenge 2 years later.

[@oldredbarnman]

@@MrProsat OJ broke Gale Sayers td record, Tarkenton broke Unitas' td record. and the best part for you at this historic game was Chuck Foreman getting hit in the eye with an iceball. I think your brain is STILL frozen......

[@rddavis003]

i remember too, and then me, my brother and mother were at met stadium for the saddest loss in team history against push -off drew pearson and the cowboys... thought we had a SB winning team that year.

[@rddavis003]

@@MrProsat why was that the best part,? seeing someone get pelted by snowballs that injured his eye, instead of witnessing NFL RECORDS BEING SET by players on both teams... odd??

[@andygrenn680]

Gotta like the soundtrack…Music from a thousand years ago!

[@MichaelBecker-px5sy]

70's man

[@andygrenn680]

@ Best decade of my life. I turned 70 last August. If I could go back in age to one decade it would be the ‘70’s. It’s not even close…

[@jason-hy8ci]

Yeah, no stupid, redundant hip hop beats. 🙄

[@andygrenn680]

@ Hip Who…

[@countdown2xstacy]

I see OJ was cutting and slashing back in 75’ too.

[@Robert_J528]

too soon!

[@starguy2718]

The way that Juice would knife through the defense!

[@nojunkwork5735]

@@starguy2718 Just like with his wife and Ron Goldman.

[@scottmitchell3641]

OJ the Simpson. re red rum re red rum !!!!

[@michaelcrockette8694]

OJ was an all time great. he had a beautiful running style. he was among the most beloved athletes in America. too bad he ruined his life and so many others.😔

[@jamesrfb]

Love these old school uniforms. Wish they’d bring them back.

[@BeandipCartography-i3z]

Same here. Alot of the new uniforms look goofy.

[@jason-hy8ci]

Every week, every team has to put on a New Clown outfit to sell to the nit wit fan boys. IMAGINE how much those guys spend on those Jerseys"???? I'm sure most of them can't afford it either.

[@Richard_K1630]

The Bills are playing right at this moment but I'd rather watch this. Thank you for uploading this. I really enjoyed it.

[@MrStupidHead]

This game was horrible. Joe Ferguson was a middlin qb. Not like Josh or Jim Kelly. Todays game was awesome.

[@jason-hy8ci]

Me too....... less commercials, among other things.

[@martysykes3221]

This was back when I liked professional football.

[@ToddDolce]

It’s hard to even identify this with the garbage that is called the NFL today. The snowball nonsense and poor fan behavior is about the only thing that still stands in today’s game. The best parts of the game have long since disappeared. It’s too hard to even watch it today and no way I can sit through a full game.

[@johnperrigo6474]

If my team sucked, I'd probably watch a lot less of it now. But I get your point.

[@nibsvkh]

@@ToddDolce Players are better conditioned,protected more by rules and the TV/camera coverage is excellent. Enjoy the old 4:3 ratio videos on KZbin as you live in the past.👍🏻

[@davidnelson6874]

That was kind of an historic game running back wise. I remember pulling for Chuck Foreman to wind up leading the lead in touchdowns in his battle with OJ Simpson. It was a great watch.

[@MCN168]

I remember this game when Chuck Foreman got drilled in the face with a snowball. They played it a couple of times over on instant replay.

[@hammer44head]

Freakin drilled in the eye, he had to come out of the game and he ended up losing the scoring title to OJ by one td and the nfc rushing title to Jim otis for about 5 yards. That pissed my off so bad i hated Buffalo because of it and i hoped it cursed them into losing 4 Super Bowls too. Bunch of dickheads.

[@shruggzdastr8-facedclown]

I live in Frederick, Md -- hometown of Chuck Foreman. Back in the mid '90s, I worked @ a McDonald's managed by one of his sons or nephews (whose name, ironically, was/still is, George -- like the heavyweight boxer)

[@jimcolombo9150]

same old BILLS fans notice no swag on the fans....thank GOD they caught that hooligan and the 1975 JILLS!!!!!

[@christophertracy2807]

Show me one running back in NFL history that is more underrated than Chuck Foreman

[@rcl1955ca]

I was actually at this game, it was the first NFL game I’d ever seen. A bunch of us went from Toronto by bus. It was so cold and snowy we missed the Tarkenton and Simpson records cause we were the washroom trying to stay warm.

[@jason-hy8ci]

Yeah, this was one of those games where you stood for the Whole Game not because it was exciting but to stay WARM.

[@jeffmejia3556]

If this game were played now, flag, flag, flag, flag, TV timeout=3 minutes of commercials, flag, flag, flag another TV timeout=3 minutes worth of commercials, flag, flag, flag, coach stupidly calls timeout because God knows there aren’t enough timeouts in a NFL football game, another 3 minutes of commercials, flag, flag, coaches challenge= yet another 3 minutes of commercials, flag, flag, etc

[@KamilaNovicki]

Fran made 325,000 in his last year. No one in todays game would get out of bed for that type of money, even though it would be about 8 million now.

[@johnperrigo6474]

You seem annoyed with today's NFL. You neglected to mention; play, celebration. play, celebration, turnover, BIG celebration, commercial, commercial, commercial, commercial, play, celebration, play, celebration, play, celebration.

[@jeffmejia3556]

@@johnperrigo6474I stand corrected. Thank you for mentioning that OTHER aspect of the “if this game were played today”.

[@backbay2242]

You forgot listening to the "rules analyst" blah blah blah.

[@tommyparkerparker]

Vin Scully called this game for CBS.

[@silverman785]

Back when the NFL was great

[@myliusbr]

I was at this game!! Great memories!! I think Tarkenton would thrive in today’s NFL, he was fun to watch. Still my dream Super Bowl would be this matchup, O-8 no more for one of em.

[@Jimmy-Legs]

Two teams that not only never won a SB, but lost four of them each.

[@johnyates7566]

I was at that game .

[@briancole1950]

Same here. Still remember where we sat.

[@JohnHeiling]

Just for the hell of it do you remember what you paid for the ticket 🎟️

[@johnyates7566]

I was 15, my dad took me we had end zone seats I don't remember how much, it couldn't have been much because we couldn't afford much.

[@briancole1950]

@@johnyates7566 That was my first Nfl game. For some reason I always remembered the date. We Sat on the bills side away from the scoreboard at around the 5 yard line about half way up.

[@MrProsat]

@@johnyates7566 I was on the 20 yard line, same side of the field that Foreman got hit with the iceball. Man it was cold...

[@KathySchultz-u4w]

Lash was a good receiver but got in Grants dog house when earlier in the season at Washington he started to spiked the ball before crossing the end zone and fumbled costing them the game.

[@sportshistorybuff319]

Three years later (1978), the juggernaut Steelers and moribund Colts also played a late season Saturday game in snow, ending 35-13.

[@Fogman5678]

Chuck Foreman. RB of my youth. Live in Upstate NY where the "Mafia" relishes in the Brutality of Winter. Yet west of that lies the "Purple People Eaters". Like the Bills , an "Underdog". Iconic players. Eller,Page,Foreman,Gilliam, Tarkenton,Winston. Spirit of Bud Grant is alive and well in the State of "Lakes".

[@danielhofer7386]

this game was played on a Saturday. I remember it well I was 13 years old.

[@Patrick-s5o5t]

I don't know if it's me or do you think that the football players look so much more better and authentic in their old school uniforms bigger shoulder pads and all playing in all the different harsh weather elements back in the day

[@jaywysard]

It's always interesting to see these old clips. Yary was a 275 lb tackle and was considered big. Lifting weights was just starting to be a thing so the players are thinner, a vestige of older days when guys went both ways and needed to carry less weight. OJ was a great, great player and would be just as good today as he was then: moves, speed to burn, great balance, and deceptive power.

[@kylemarzion2814]

Minnesota. Dallas ruled the 70s in the NFC

[@WalterUrban-m7e]

Los Angeles was right behind them during the 70's in the NFC.

[@drewnogy]

@@WalterUrban-m7e Always right behind them from 1973-1978.

[@kylemarzion2814]

@@WalterUrban-m7e with Chuck Knox run game. And and a great D. The Redskins and cardinals and some good runs also

[@joebacon9555]

I was there. I threw two snowballs at the ridiculous two person Buffalo mascot which looked like a camel. My father was pissed at us. That was it for snowballs for us. Foreman happened later, right in front of us .too bad that happened!

[@armusc757]

This was my first Bills game at 13 yrs old. Never forget the shelling of snow balls on that poor 🦬 mascot.

[@MrProsat]

Yea, I remember that, too. And the cheerleaders. And the Viking fans. And anyone sitting closer to the field...

[@thomaslord7995]

Loved that bit with the sweet ladies happily greeting Viking players in the tunnel. Foreman was signing a Bills seat cushion for someone.

[@anthonya2349]

I remember watching this game. Dam I got old.

[@johnhughes6343]

Great regular season for the Vikings. Only (2) losses were on the road by a combined eight pts. Eight days later they would experience their only home loss on a short prayer followed by a long pass. Rams? They were, in those days, frozen custard in Bloomington. Rematch with Pitt, this time in sunny Miami would've, IMO, been much more competitive than the year before.

[@VOTL-hj3ip]

I was there…got to witness 2 records set, and the final appearance of the 2 man Buffalo mascot…pelted with snowballs

[@toddjohnson5504]

If I remember correctly, the Vikings offense went into the locker room before the game ended to avoid the snowball. If the Vikings offense got the ball back the defense was going to play offense with Paul Krause playing quarterback.

[@jeffstoehr4227]

It wasn’t just snow in the snowballs!

[@fredblassie9523]

Chuck Foreman once lead the league in receptions. He was an all around great running back. I always respected the Vikings of the 70's.

[@Charles-d8i8z]

Oh yes, I remember that heartbreak as well. Pearson push off Krauss was waiting for the flag. never came on the next play someone through a bottle at that referee. and one of the security guards kicked Pearson while he was on the ground, Now I hope the 2025 Minnesota Vikings bounce back and meet the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs and get the revenge we Viking fans have been waiting for for so long in the Super Bowl, please Vikings go all the way

[@rddavis003]

for accuracy: drew pearson pushed off on nate wright not paul krause - would have flagged multiple time today and also caught by replay assist....

[@Charles-d8i8z]

@ thank you for the correction Vikings all the way

[@stevemoore3951]

@@rddavis003 No sir. Dave Volsky put together a high definition enhanced video on his KZbin channel that debunks the myth that Drew Pearson pushed off. If anything defensive ass interference should have been called. Check it out if you don’t believe me.

[@jason-hy8ci]

SORRY...... once again. This time, it's the Rams enacting a little 1970's revenge.

[@CSLOVEWELL]

Saw the game. On a Saturday. Chuck 44 was the Man. Buffalo fans were the worst throwing ice balls, at 10 yrs old, thought what losers?

[@williamford9564]

2:33: Simpson set that record two years before, also in a game played in the snow.

[@dpopielinski]

I was at that game , shoveling the yard markers , remember getting hit with many snowballs

[@dyates6380]

It's mind blowing that this video is fifty years old. FIFTY, and Buffalo is just NOW, finally building a new stadium while other teams' have built literally three new ones in this period of time.

[@victorkreitner754]

The stadium was only 4 years old. It was hardly used yet...lol

[@bobbluefield557]

not true..what team ever built their own stadium? the tax payers pay for stadiums not the teams

[@eriktout5084]

What team has built 3 new stadiums in the last 50 yrs ? Like Buffalo, KC is still in an old stadium, all Chicago did was an upgrade. The taxpayers have upgraded Highmark (Bills) multiple times in the last 30 yrs .

[@bobbluefield557]

@@eriktout5084 the taxpayers are paying for the bills to have a new stadium.. just like they paid,for the cowboys new stadium

[@JohnLancaster-i2o]

I remember watching this game.

[@johnkusske7535]

Me too! Ir was very satisfying for a Vikings fan. One of Chuck's best games.

[@martysykes3221]

@@johnkusske7535 Chuck Foreman was my favorite player back then. He was a complete football player.

[@brianvail9212]

I remember you watching this game too

[@johnkusske7535]

@@brianvail9212 You musta been the guy peeping through the window with the periscope.

[@manny4552]

I watched it live on TV

[@vikingsnewstoday]

Let's go Vikings!! SKOL!! 🏈💜💛

[@EdsterIII]

Football like pretty much EVERYTHING else was 1,000% better in the 70's! The Broadcasts were by far better. The announcers were much better. The Pre-game and Post-game shows were by far better! The players weren't little Divas who refused to practice. Or do Training camps. Players todays aren't even near the level of toughness that the players of the 60's and 70's were. The Steel Curtain of Pittsburgh? The Purple People Eaters of Minnesota? Dallas' Ed Too Tall Jones, Oakland's Art Shell, Ted Hendricks? They'd tear your head off. Now if a defensive player pulls a player down from behind its a Personal Foul? HOW in the H*LL can you tackle someone from behind without doing this? Just say screw it and let him go? Football has gone from a hard-nosed tough sport to a Patty-Cake game of butt-slaps and 💋kisses💋. Again players in the 60's and 70's had guts, or 🏉balls🏉 if you will. Quarterbacks got slammed, pounded on, poked in the eyes, gouged, kicked, stomped, and other variables. I'm not saying I want players to play dirty or try and intentionally hurt or injure someone, but the level of intensity in football is gone. Big hits now get penalized. Announcers are constantly blabbing about irrelevant crap. Troy Aikman again is the biggest or most pathetically inept announcer ever heard on TV. Joe Buck used to be decent but after years teamed with a complete goof like Aikman Buck has lost it too. And PLEASE QUIT THE IDIOTIC DANCING AFTER EVERY TACKLE!

[@owencrater3197]

Most touchdowns in a season and most years served in the pen. Sorry. I apologize. Could not resist. I am a Gale Sayers fan.

[@redyullayulla1055]

16:52. OJ runs like the POLICE are chasing him!!

[@ToddDolce]

Little did we know he was just prepping for the future.

[@frankpalancio8471]

His cut backs are devastating

[@deodato585]

He could be a slashing runner at times

[@jaywysard]

He would murder defenses.

[@redyullayulla1055]

@@frankpalancio8471 - LOL

[@wallytverstol8627]

me too. don't I've missed a game on TV or radio since 1961

[@michaeldragonette208]

My third game at Rich Stadium

[@leemark63]

You call that a snow game? C'mon!

[@xeutoniumnyborg1192]

That's what that Vikings team was saying.

[@scottmitchell3641]

TROUBLE Listen up Vikes. You need to forget all about this game and the associated snowballs real quick. Serious trouble is headed your way the very next week back in Metropolitan Stadium.....

[@Jimmy-Legs]

Who would a thought Simpson would turn out to be a murderer.

[@TheMedia69]

I see OJ!

[@teamrecon2685]

7:40 no penalty here...its 1975.

[@richardradice613]

Snowballs i THREW 1 I AM PROUD 2 SAY

[@Mickey63487]

Old time football.

[@MichaelBecker-px5sy]

Snow Ball Bowl

[@nibsvkh]

Outdoor games in the winter cheats the fans of seeing the best from both teams. All that think the NFL was better in the 70’s with no black quarterbacks and players suffering brain injuries with no concussion protocol need to take off the rose coloured glasses.

[@jason-hy8ci]

Here's a late Christmas gift, honey. 👜

[@John_Michael2000]

I'm freezing to death just watching this... Every northern team should have a dome to play in. This is unfair and cruel to make players play in these conditions

[@ToddDolce]

You’re too funny.

[@funkster007]

This was real football, young buck.

[@eriktout5084]

No , they shouldn't .

[@MichaelBecker-px5sy]

2 unlucky franchises, Never won a SB between them, Bills can't get thru KC,

[@JohnVafides-yh3ux]

Another useless dome team

[@markchamberlain9856]

I was there. What idiot would schedule Minnesota and Buffalo in December? Either place was horrid!! Give it to the Juice!!

[@kennymik1509]

Who would schedule such a game? Hmmm....maybe someone who thought people would attend it. Ha ha ha. Only kidding. It's obvious it created a long lasting memory. Go Bills!!!

[@loyevangelists]

Where else would they play?

[@kennymik1509]

Either way. Outdoor football. Winter. Non dome stadium. Sounds like good ol' football to me.

[@TheRoadTripChannel]

Technically speaking, the Buffalo Bills 🦬 (New York State's ONLY NFL football 🏈 team) play in the Town of Orchard Park, Erie County, New York. 👈😃👍 The stadium 🏟️ was first named Rich Products Corporation Stadium 🏟️. 👈😃👍