Hall of Fame Coach Bud Grant was honored Friday for early chapters of his storied legacy.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers inducted Grant into the Ring of Honour; he is the seventh Blue Bomber to receive the distinction.
"You can't be here by yourself," Grant **told the crowd during halftime** of Winnipeg's game against the Edmonton Eskimos. "There's so many people who contribute to whatever success you might have. You're the figurehead... but you didn't do it. You can't ever believe it's because of you. It's because of all the people working with you."
Grant's career with the Bombers began in 1953, when he laced up his cleats as a player for four seasons. During that stint, he received West Division All-Star honors three times and set a record – that has yet to be broken – with five interceptions in a playoff game. In his final season, Grant was called into the office of Blue Bombers President Jim Russell after the all-star game and offered the head coaching position. He was 29 years old.
"He must have seen something in me where he thought I might succeed, thank goodness," Grant said at Friday's ceremony. "I have a great deal of debt to those people who that put their faith in me."
After Grant took the reins, Winnipeg won 102 regular-season games and played in six Grey Cups from 1957-66, winning four of them (1958, 59, 61 and 62). In 1965, Grant was named the Canadian Football League's top coach.
Following his time with the Bombers, Grant served as the Vikings Head Coach from 1967-83 and in 1985. He led Minnesota to four Super Bowls and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994. Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer said it's a privilege to have an office down the hall from Grant, who remains a team consultant at the team's headquarters.
"When I first got here, I'd come up and talk to him about things, and he always has great advice," Zimmer said. "It's an unbelievable honor – I get an opportunity every day to walk in the hallway in the cafeteria and see his Hall of Fame picture, or I walk into the field house and see his picture up here.
"Not only is it unbelievable to have him here, but that's always the goal."
Bombers President and CEO Wade Miller said that Grant is recognized and revered not only in Winnipeg but in Minnesota and throughout both the CFL and NFL.
"After his career here in Winnipeg, he left for the Vikings and became an icon with that franchise, too," Miller said. "He is the first coach in history to appear in both the Grey Cup and Super Bowl. His accomplishments are truly incredible, and we couldn't be happier to add his name to the Ring of Honour."
Grant's name is now displayed at Investor's Group Field. He joins previous inductees tackle Chris Walby, quarterback Ken Ploen, wide receiver Milt Stegall and running back Leo Lewis, whose son went on to play for the Vikings.
Images courtesy of Winnipeg Blue Bombers
