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Jim Ross On Vince McMahon Considering Buying the Minnesota Vikings in 1998, How Far The Idea Went

June 18, 2019 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
Vince McMahon Minnesota Vikings Image Credit: WWE & NFL

– Jim Ross confirmed in the latest Grilling JR that Vince McMahon considered buying the Minnesota Vikings in 1998. The Vikings were up for sale at the time, and the story went around that there was some interest from Vince McMahon in purchasing the team. No offer ended up being made and the NFL team was ultimately sold to San Antonio businessman Red McCombs for $250 million.

Highlights from JR’s recollections on the topic are below, along with the full podcast:

On McMahon’s interest in the Vikings: “Vince talked to me about that, because he knew — and sometimes begrudgingly — my love for football. I had a great deal with him in the sense that I didn’t have any hobbies. He knew I needed to have time to stick my head above water occasionally. So he would fly me and Jan, if she wanted to go, to the [Oklahoma University] games when we were living in Connecticut. So I would go to the OU games on Vince’s dime, fly first-class, took great care of me. I’m very appreciative of that. So he knew I was a football mark, for lack of a better term, so he talked to me about it. And not to get my blessing, just a general — because he had not kept up with football.”

On how far the idea went: “I don’t think it ever got past the talking stage. I don’t think it ever got [to] major meetings with the Vikings. He may have had a casual meeting with the investors or something. But I think bottom line is that it was just a talking thing. They were on sale, they were for sale. I don’t know the seriousness of it. Long shot at best, but there was dialogue.”

On the XFL never having existed if McMahon had bought the Vikings: “Exactly, yeah. I can’t see that happening.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the NotSam Wrestling Show with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.

article topics :

Jim Ross, NFL, Vince McMahon, XFL, Jeremy Thomas