For years, Vikings fans knew that their city would be hosting the 2018 Super Bowl. But on Sunday, Jan. 14, a wildly unlikely turn of events took their team one step closer to actually appearing in the game for the first time in 41 years.
Moments after quarterback Case Keenum connected with Stefon Diggs for a last-ditch effort that led to a Vikings win over the Saints, fans were exultant over their team’s 29-24 win, and a chance at making club history in the coming weeks.
Thanks to Twitter, fans were able to share their comically exuberant reactions in real time, offering a gallery of videos and messages that show just how jubilant regular folks can get when their city’s team lifts them up.
But before we get to the madness, let’s revisit the play in question that blew the roof off every Vikings household, and no doubt sent Saints fans into a brief spell of catatonic shock.
In fact, the reactions were so visceral that, in at least one instance, medical technology had to tell them to calm down and take a breath.
The last-second heroics of the Vikings left some more casual fans observing — mouth agape, no doubt — as their more invested roommates ran senseless laps around the apartment like an excited puppy learning it was time for a walk.
When an entire family of Vikings fans was watching, they each fed off each other, amplifying the spectacle exponentially.
Even a (supposedly) objective observer, like studio host Scott Hansen of the NFL Network’s RedZone channel, couldn’t help himself as the cameras were (again, supposedly) off, and he was watching the action during a break in the program. Even a seasoned NFL broadcasting vet couldn’t quell his excitement and disbelief as Stefon Diggs tightrope-walked the edge of the field to turn the tables on the Saints.
Lest you think this is much ado about nothing, ESPN broke down the likelihood of a Vikings win before the ball was snapped, and it was a moonshot — relatively speaking.
Even fans attending the Minnesota Wild NHL game at nearby Xcel Energy Center broke away from their contest to catch what many were convinced was the Vikings’ death rattle. No doubt they’re glad they stuck their heads in to check on the action.
Then, of course, not long after the earnest reactions surfaced, as the sun rises in the east, so came the memes…
Was it the ghost of Minnesota legend Prince that influenced this series of events? Of course not, but this is still pretty funny:
There was no shortage of melodrama and theatrics among sports fans after that play, but perhaps a more understated take on the fabled catch will prove the most resonant and enduring.
