In 1968, the Minnesota Vikings experienced their first postseason appearance in franchise history, leading to a swift defeat by the Baltimore Colts.
However, the NFL introduced an unusual concept during the ’60s – the Playoff Bowl, often dubbed “The Losers Bowl” as it involved the two losing teams competing for third place.
Reflecting on this, Tom West, the Vikings’ director of legends relations, expressed the peculiar nature of the concept, highlighting that before the AFL and NFL merger, a third-place game was played.
Dave Osborn, a Vikings running back during 1965-1975, referred to it as the “Losers Bowl,” a mere token game with minimal significance.
The Vikings faced the Cowboys in a rain-soaked Miami match, witnessed by a sparse crowd of around 22,000. Despite its inconsequential nature, both teams approached the game seriously.
Bobby Bryant’s 81-yard punt return for a touchdown initially gave the Vikings the lead, but the Cowboys rallied to win 17-13.
Remarkably, the game holds such little importance that even dedicated Vikings fans are often unaware of its existence. The NFL itself downplays its significance by not counting the statistics in official records, leaving many to question the purpose of the Playoff Bowl.
According to Osborn, the game served as a filler for television during an off week in the schedule. The Vikings’ sole appearance in this ill-fated Playoff Bowl occurred in 1968, and the event met its end the following season, marking the conclusion of one of the NFL’s oddest experiments.
Considering this historical oddity, there arises the question of whether the NFL would ever consider resurrecting such a game.
However, Tom West finds it improbable, humorously noting the difficulty in convincing players, who just missed out on a Super Bowl opportunity, to regroup and determine the third-best team in the league.
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