RIP Matt Blair

Matt Blair was named to 6 Pro Bowls during his 12 NFL seasons and ranks 2nd in team history with 1,452 tackles.

Blair was inducted into the #Vikings Ring of Honor on October 25, 2012. pic.twitter.com/VpddEUFFbn

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 22, 2020

One of my favorite Vikings as a kid watching games in the '70s.
Wow, this is an awful day for the Vikings franchise.

Wow, more sad Viking news.  He was an awesome player.  RIP Matt.

There was always a chance we would block an XP or FG when Blair was lined up on special teams.

Great, great player, criminally underrated.

Criminy.....I'm going back to bed.

Great player, remember him well.  Rest up Matt

RIP Matt...one of very few all around Linebackers.  He didn't receive the recognition he so deserved...

RIP Matt  dam this hurts  was one of my favs as a kid

Damn...and the news keeps getting purpler. I remember that draft, as much as one can remember a draft only read about in the tiny type of the sports section. I was 10 years old and at the height of my Viking fandom. Had the uniform, the stocking cap, the gloves, the jams, the posters.

We drafted Fred McNeil (a superstar at UCLA) in the first and Blair in the 2nd. Both were solid players, but Blair went on to be a much, much better player. Both now dead. God damn I'm getting old. 

I remember that draft mostly because we also drafted a TE named Steve Craig that year...and I had a close friend also named Steve Craig. And because we drafted Sam McCullum, a WR from my home state of Montana. 

Rest in Peace #59. 

Fred McNeil had a real tough go at the end, tragic. 

Whispers up here were that Blair was suffering with Dementia like symptoms for some time. Take that FWIW.

Like many here, I grew up being a huge fan of Matt Blair. 

Today is a sad day indeed. 

RIP Matt, loved watching play.

@"MaroonBells" said: Damn...and the news keeps getting purpler. I remember that draft, as much as one can remember a draft only read about in the tiny type of the sports section. I was 10 years old and at the height of my Viking fandom. Had the uniform, the stocking cap, the gloves, the jams, the posters.

We drafted Fred McNeil (a superstar at UCLA) in the first and Blair in the 2nd. Both were solid players, but Blair went on to be a much, much better player. Both now dead. God damn I'm getting old. 

I remember that draft mostly because we also drafted a TE named Steve Craig that year...and I had a close friend also named Steve Craig. And because we drafted Sam McCullum, a WR from my home state of Montana. 

Rest in Peace #59. 

So very sad, to me, #59 for the Vikes is always Matt Blair.  Such an awesome player and great man.  RIP Matt, thanks for the memories!

Well this day just keeps getting worse.

RIP Matt.

I remember by chance sitting by him at a game in 1998, I think it was against Jacksonville. I didn't want to bother him so only said at the end of the game that I enjoyed watching him play. He just said thank you. RIP Matt.

Matt Blair, Fred McNeil and Jeff Siemon in the middle.  The was the stud linebacking core of the Vikings defense at that time...

@"ArizonaViking" said: Matt Blair, Fred McNeil and Jeff Siemon in the middle.  The was the stud linebacking core of the Vikings defense at that time...

Yep! But have to admit I was at the age where I snickered every time Siemon's name was mentioned in a playcall.
"...and the runner was stuffed by Siemon!"