EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings are sending condolences to the family of Paul Flatley.
The former Vikings receiver passed away Saturday at the age of 84.
Born on Jan. 30, 1941, in Richmond, Indiana, Flatley enjoyed the small-town atmosphere and there developed his love for sports, hard work and life on the family farm. He proved himself to be a gifted athlete and shined at Richmond High School, where he played quarterback and running back. He later went on to play for the Northwestern Wildcats from 1960-62, initially playing halfback; ahead of his senior campaign, however, Northwestern Head Coach Ara Parseghian and his staff shifted Flatley to flanker.
"That was the best thing to ever happen to me," Flatley recalled during a SKOL Stories interview with Mark Rosen and Pete Bercich.
He racked up 45 catches for a team-leading 626 receiving yards and five touchdowns that season and participated in the 1962 East-West Shrine Game, as well as the Hula Bowl.
The Vikings selected Flatley in the fourth round (44th overall) of the 1963 NFL Draft. He also was tabbed by the Denver Broncos in that year's AFL Draft.
Flatley made an early impact for Minnesota, where he said he felt "very comfortable" joining a team in its third season.
A December 1963 article in The Minneapolis Star noted he was "installed almost immediately at wide end by Vikings Head Coach Norm Van Brocklin." The Star called Flatley's first-ever NFL game "a howling success"; he tallied five catches for 72 yards in Minnesota's season opener against San Francisco.
Flatley considered himself incredibly fortunate to start his pro career under Van Brocklin.
"He had been an all-star quarterback and knew the passing game very well," Flatley recalled in 2020. "And I had a quarterback by the name of Fran Tarkenton who could keep the ball alive, and I could run several patterns on the same play call, and he would find me. I learned the game because of those two people, and I was very fortunate to be a Minnesota Viking."
Flatley started all 14 games his debut season and recorded 51 catches for 867 yards and four touchdowns, breaking Jerry Reichow's previously held franchise record of 50 receptions in a season. He ranked eighth in the league in receiving yards and was the only rookie to land in the top 10. Following his performance, Flatley was named the 1963 NFL Rookie of the Year by The Associated Press over Baltimore tight end John Mackey.
"Paul was the best receiver in my first stint with the Vikings," Tarkenton recalled Sunday. "He was very smart on the field and off the field. In 1965, we had a great comeback out in California versus the San Francisco 49ers when we were down 21 points three separate times. We came back to win the game 42-41 behind 7 catches for 202 yards and 2 TDs from Paul Flatley. He was the catalyst for our great comeback. Paul will be missed."
That game (Oct. 24, 1965) marked the first time in franchise history a Vikings receiver recorded 200-plus yards in a game, and it was the only game in Tarkenton's Hall of Fame career in which he threw for more than 400 yards (407, to be exact).
Reichow defined Flatley as a "confident guy" whose self-assurance enabled him to find early success.
"Paul was quick and a smart ball player," Reichow told Vikings.com. "He knew how to get open and was great at catching the ball. His style fit right in with Francis, and they made a lot of plays together. He was a good guy, good teammate and was a big addition to the team."
Flatley's 51 catches in '63 stood as the team rookie record until Sammy White matched the number in 1976; the two then held the benchmark until 1998 until Randy Moss broke it with 69 catches. Justin Jefferson set the new franchise rookie record with 88 receptions in 2020.
"Paul has great hands and uses his head. He has everything but blazing speed," Van Brocklin described after his rookie season.
"We'd like to uncover a fourth-round pick like him every year," Vikings General Manager Bert Rose added.
Over five seasons with the Vikings, Flatley played 64 games (63 starts) and totaled 202 catches for 3,222 yards and 17 touchdowns.
He stayed close to the game of football following his playing days, going on to serve as a color commentator for the University of Minnesota Gophers Football broadcast team. He and analyst Ray Christensen delivered compelling game coverage to fans for many years.
Flatley was proud of the legacy of Vikings receivers who followed him, including fellow NFL Rookie of the Year winners White, Percy Harvin, Moss and Jefferson.
When Jefferson earned the title following a phenomenal 2020 season, Flatley and the others joined a videoconference call to let "Jets" know he'd joined their unique club.
"Work as hard as you can, and be as creative as you can, because a lot of things don't happen as they're diagramed to be," Flatley encouraged the young receiver. "If you can create a situation and provide your team and yourself with a better opportunity, that's what you need to do. Be creative."
