Editing Minnesota Vikings (section)

====2009====
[[File:BFAVREVIKE.jpg|thumb|left|[[Brett Favre]] played for the Vikings in 2009 and 2010.]]

On August 18, 2009, after months of speculation and negotiations, twice-retired veteran [[quarterback]] [[Brett Favre]], who until 2007 had played 16 years for division archrival [[Green Bay Packers]], signed a two-year, $25&nbsp;million deal with the Vikings.<ref name="g782">{{cite web |last=Cimini |first=Rich |title=Purple reign: Favre signs with Vikings |website=ESPN.com |date=August 18, 2009 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4406963 |access-date=July 31, 2024 }}</ref>

On October 5, 2009, the Vikings hosted the Green Bay Packers as Favre played his former team for the first time. With a 30–23 victory on [[Monday Night Football]], the Vikings moved to a 4–0 record.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/min/2009.htm |title=2009 Minnesota Vikings Statistics & Players |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |access-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-date=January 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131200822/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/min/2009.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Favre became the first quarterback in NFL history to defeat all 32 current teams as a starter. Over 21.8&nbsp;million viewers tuned in to watch the game, beating the previous record for a [[cable television]] program set by a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in 2008 (18.6&nbsp;million viewers).<ref>{{cite news |title=Fox goes light on Favre fawning |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/richard_deitsch/11/02/media.circus/index.html |work=CNN |date=November 2, 2009 |access-date=May 4, 2012 |archive-date=November 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105022759/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/richard_deitsch/11/02/media.circus/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Vikings beat the New York Giants, 44–7, in Week 17 to help the team clinch the second seed in the conference and a first-round-bye with an Eagles loss later that same day.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> The Vikings ended the regular season with a 12–4 record, their best record since 2000 and the first 11-plus win season since their record-setting 1998 campaign.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> The Vikings played the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round on January 17, 2010, and won the game by a score of 34–3, advancing the Vikings to the NFC Championship game, the ninth in franchise history.<ref name="r377">{{cite web |title=Favre's 4 TD passes power Vikings past Cowboys 34-3 |website=Galesburg Register Mail |date=January 18, 2010 |url=https://www.galesburg.com/story/sports/2010/01/18/favre-s-4-td-passes/45515611007/ |access-date=August 6, 2024 }}</ref> This would also be the first NFC Championship game for the team since the 2000 season. Minnesota would travel to New Orleans the following week to face the top-seeded Saints in the first conference championship game held at the [[Louisiana Superdome|Superdome]]. Despite out-gaining the Saints on offense by nearly a twofold margin, the Vikings were severely hindered by five turnovers, including a Favre interception in the final minute of the fourth quarter in Saints territory. They were ousted in overtime, 31–28, as the Saints won the coin toss and kicked a 40-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime.{{NoteTag|Due in part to this outcome, during the subsequent off-season the NFL rules committee adjusted the overtime rules for the 2010 postseason, and in 2011 for both regular season and postseason games. The new rules state that unless the first possession of overtime ends in a touchdown or safety, both teams must have the opportunity to possess the ball. Under the new rules, the Vikings would have had an opportunity to possess the ball after the Saints kicked a field goal on the overtime's first possession in the NFC Championship.<ref name="ReferenceA" />}}<ref name="n189">{{cite web | last=Wilner | first=Barry | title=Saints beat Vikings in OT, reach first Super Bowl | website=The Patriot Ledger | date=January 25, 2010 | url=https://www.patriotledger.com/story/sports/pro/2010/01/25/saints-beat-vikings-in-ot/40233171007/ | access-date=August 29, 2024}}</ref>