According to Norse mythology, the Gjallarhorn (pronounced YAHL-LAR-HORN) was sounded to announce the arrival of the gods. In 2007, the Gjallarhorn found a new home with the Minnesota Vikings and now signals THE VIKINGS ARE COMING along with the start of a great battle on the gridiron. Signaling the entrance of the team is something only a select few can lay claim to.
An Honorary Viking is chosen to sound the horn each game. This honor has included celebrities, Vikings Legends, Olympians, fans and membersof the military. The iconic sound has become an integral part of the Vikings game-dayexperience that fans love and *opponents have grown to fear.*
*A policy is in place that limits the sounding of the Gjallarhorn to one time per person, unless that sounder is a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor. *
In addition to the **100th start** for 10-year veteran Brian Robison, Sunday's Vikings game against the Colts will mark the 100th sounding of the Gjallarhorn, and Vikings Legend Carl Lee has been tabbed for the honor.
Lee played 11 seasons for the Vikings (1983-93) and was selected to three straight Pro Bowls (1988-90). He recorded 29 interceptions, including two that he returned for touchdowns in 1988 when he posted a career-best eight interceptions. Lee recorded at least one interception each season and had five seasons with three or more picks.
Here are 10 highlights from 10 seasons of a uniquely Viking tradition:
1. Legendary original Vikings Mascot Hub Meeds was the first person to sound the Gjallarhorn, launching a new game-day tradition on Aug. 10, 2007, that has added to Vikings lore. The creator of the original Gjallarhorn, T.J. Johnson became the second person to sound it (Aug. 30, 2007).
2. Only one person, Pro Football Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor Coach Bud Grant, has sounded the horn more than once. Grant has sounded it three times (Oct. 28, 2007; Dec. 29, 2013; Sept. 18, 2016), including the final game at the Metrodome and the first regular-season game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
3. All sounders of the horn but one have a tie, in some form, to Minnesota. The one exception is British Professional Boxer David Haye, who sounded the horn when the Vikings "hosted" the Steelers in London (Sept. 29, 2013).
4. Minnesota's first regular-season game in England actually marked the second time that the Gjallarhorn had been sounded overseas. Minnesota National Guard Capt. Dustin Snare sounded the horn live via satellite from Iraq on Nov. 15, 2009, when the Vikings held their annual "Salute to Service" game.
5. There have been two Vikings "home" games that were not preceded by the horn sounding. Those games were held in Detroit (Dec. 13, 2010) and at the University of Minnesota (Dec. 20, 2010).
6. Minnesota National Guard Staff Sgt. John Kriesel sounded the horn on Dec. 2, 2007, the one-year anniversary of surviving a roadside explosion while serving in Iraq. Kriesel, who lost both legs in the blast, was honored on Dec. 1 at U.S. Bank Stadium, along with Tim Nelson and the families of Bryan T. McDonough and Corey J. Rystad. Kriesel again mourned the deaths of McDonough and Rystad and celebrated his 10th "alive day" this year.
7. In addition to Capt. Snare and Staff Sgt. Kriesel, there have been six other members of the military who have sounded the Gjallarhorn: Elizabeth "Betty" Wall Strohfus, a female pilot in World War II; Minnesota National Guard Adj. Gen. Richard Nash; Army Master Sgt. Eric Marts; Army Ranger Tom Block; National Guard Staff Sgt. Patrick Loch and Stan "Krusher" Kowalski.
Rick Kraft, a citizen first responder to the tragic I-35W bridge collapse was also picked to sound the horn because of his heroism.
8. Family ties: Rose Murphy, a breast cancer survivor and the mother of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, sounded the horn in 2014, and Maddyn Greenway, the oldest daughter of linebacker Chad Greenway, sounded it in 2015. Maddyn is the youngest person to sound the horn, and living legend Sid Hartman with the Star Tribune is the oldest (Dec. 20, 2015). There has been one father-son combination to sound the horn. Former Vikings running back Ted Brown sounded it in 2012, a year after his son, J.T., a Frozen Four MVP and current NHLer. Huber H. Humphrey IV, grandson of the former Vice President, sounded the horn in 2013.
9. Actor and devout Vikings fan Josh Duhamel sounded the horn in 2012, as did Nicholas David, a finalist on *The Voice *from St. Paul.
10. Athletes galore: in addition to 11 Vikings Hall of Famers — Grant, Carl Eller, John Randle, Paul Krause, Randall McDaniel, Mick Tingelhoff, Chris Doleman, Cris Carter, Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton and Ron Yary — seven additional Ring of Honor Members have sounded the horn.
Only four active Vikings have ever sounded the horn: Heath Farwell, Sidney Rice, Phil Loadholt and Rhett Ellison.
Minnesota's other sports figures and teams have been well-represented:
Twins: Juan Berenguer, Paul Molitor, Michael Cuddyer, Tom Kelly, Joe Mauer
Wild: Devan Dubnyk, Mark Parrish
North Stars: Neal Broten
Wolves: Flip Saunders, Kevin Love, Zach Lavine, Karl-Anthony Towns
Lynx: Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore
Gophers: Eric Kaler, Jerry Kill, Tyrone Carter, Tubby Smith, Bud Grant, Flip Saunders, Brock Lesnar
Olympians: Shawn Johnson, David Plummer, Dennis Koslowski, Neal Broten, Kevin Love, Mardy Fish
Sports: Phil Housley, David Haye (London), John Gagliardi, Flip Saunders, Stan "Krusher" Kowalski, Brock Lesnar, Irv Cross, Ron Stolski, Jack Jablonski
Visit **vikings.com/fans/gjallarhorn.html** to see the full list.
