Editing Minnesota Vikings (section)

====2000====
{{Main|2000 Minnesota Vikings season}}
In [[2000 NFL season|2000]], the Vikings went 11–5.<ref name="g1781">{{cite web |title=2000 Minnesota Vikings Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |date=September 11, 2005 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/min/2000.htm |access-date=August 6, 2024 }}</ref> The Vikings were 11–2 after 14 weeks, but slumped briefly, losing their last three to the [[2000 St. Louis Rams season|Rams]], [[2000 Green Bay Packers season|Packers]] and [[2000 Indianapolis Colts season|Colts]] while starting [[quarterback]] [[Daunte Culpepper]] was hampered by injury. Nonetheless, the Vikings made the playoffs for the fifth straight year. After easily beating the [[2000 New Orleans Saints season|Saints]] in the Divisional game 34–16, they traveled to New York City to face the [[2000 New York Giants season|Giants]] in the NFC Championship Game. Though they were the road team, the Vikings were favored to win the game (since most considered their 11–2 record with Culpepper more indicative than their 0–3 record when he was out); instead, the Vikings were defeated 41–0, their worst defeat in playoff history.<ref>{{cite web |title=2000 Minnesota Vikings Statistics & Players |url=http://www.profootballreference.com/teams/min2000.htm |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |access-date=December 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061230050525/http://www.profootballreference.com/teams/min2000.htm |archive-date=December 30, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Robert Smith, who ran for 1,521 yards that season,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Robert Smith Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitRo00.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818071833/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitRo00.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2012 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> retired at the end of the year after only playing eight NFL seasons.<ref name="h458">{{Cite web |date=February 7, 2001 |title=Smith leaves as Vikings' rushing leader |url=http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/news/2001/0207/1068054.html#:~:text=The%20agent%20for%20the%2028,as%20an%20unrestricted%20free%20agent. |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated PRess}}</ref>