The Vikings announced earlier this week that Randy Moss would be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor on Sept. 11. Wednesday, he talked about the honor with the media. But the most emotional moment came when he was asked what he would say to his former coach Dennis Green, who passed away in July of 2016:
Randy Moss was overcome with emotion remembering the late Dennis Green
Moss will be inducted into the Vikings’ Ring of Honor in September. He was choked up when asked about his former coach.
Moss attempted to collect himself, and began, “I really don’t know why I was treated the way I was treated on draft day, but Coach Green gave me an opportunity, man, and I told him ‘Coach, you’re not going to regret this.’”
Moss was drafted by the Vikings 21st overall in the 1998 NFL draft. He was considered a top talent in the class but fell due to previous off-the-field issues, as well as missing the NFL Combine.
“So you asked me what I would say to him? Man, I would probably just fall in his arms and give him a hug man,” he added. “There’s no words I could tell him.”
Moss also told a story about how Green was good with rhythm, and how it set the tone for the Vikings offense in 1998:
“Coach Green is up here at a podium kind of like this, if any of you knew Coach Green he could play the drums, he knew rhythm very good. So he’s up here playing a beat on the podium, so we never knew why he was playing that beat. So, when he starts playing the beat, he was basically telling Randall Cunningham, Randall McDaniel, the offense, Cris Carter and them, ‘This is the rhythm that we’re going to have to play to the whole night in order for us to be successful.’
“The rest is history.”
A disciple of Bill Walsh, Green’s 1998 Vikings went 15-1, setting the NFL record for most points in a season. The record now belongs to Peyton Manning and the 2013 Denver Broncos.
During that season, Moss pulled down 69 receptions for over 1,300 yards while collecting 17 touchdowns, the most in the NFL.
Along with Moss, Ahmad Rashad will be inducted into the Vikings’ Ring of Honor later in the season.
Moss’ induction should be an eventful night. It’s the Vikings’ first game of the season, which will be on Monday Night Football. They’re also hosting the Saints, which will be Adrian Peterson’s first time playing against his former team.
Moss was clearly excited about the whole thing on Twitter:
Moss finished his career with 15,292 receiving yards, which is still third-most in NFL history. He’s also second in touchdown receptions with 156. Many of those came with Green and the Vikings, and Moss’ heartfelt speech on Wednesday showed the appreciation he still has for his former coach.
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