EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. —Scott Studwell has embodied life in Vikings Purple since his selection in the ninth round of the 1977 NFL Draft.
The franchise leader in career tackles (1,981), season tackles (230 in 1981) and tackles in a game (24 against Detroit in 1985), Studwell successfully transitioned from the gridiron to the front office as a member of the personnel department in 1991.
Vikings.com's Mike Wobschall and I caught up with the Ring of Honor Member who was named to the 25th and 40th Anniversary Teams and the 50 Greatest Vikings to retrace his career on the field, his time on the road as a scout and gather his thoughts on the current team.
Studwell's 40-plus continuous seasons with the Vikings are filled with fond memories, as well as a few moments that he and fans wish they'd get to do over. The reminiscing was divided into two parts.
The player above has the first episode, which aired on KFAN 100.3-FM on Nov. 28. Part 2 will air tonight at 6:30 p.m.
When Wobschall started the conversation with, "You've been at this for a long time," Studwell could only laugh, "Yeah, I have."
Here are a few time stamps from last week's episode:
7:50:We asked Studwell about his early experiences with the Vikings and when he felt like the team became intertwined with his identity.
10:06: Studwell shares his appreciation for Vikings fans who haven't sweated with the players but have put their "heart and soul" into supporting the team.
13:40: Wobby asked if there was a former linebacker who took Studwell under his wing in the early days. There were multiple, but Studwell gave a significant amount of credit to Jeff Siemon.
15:37: I took the opportunity to ask Studwell about his 24 tackles in one game.
17:10:How did Studwell grade out after games? Hint: he was as hard on himself as anyone.
19:28:The NFL Draft was reduced from 12 rounds to eight in 1993 and to its current seven in 1994. Studwell came off the board at the 250th overall spot. How does his late-round success play a role in the Vikings looking for hidden gems on the final day of the draft or among undrafted players?
21:45:Studwell shares his memories from the Vikings time at Winter Park, from what it was like to have a place to call a practice home for the first time to rare items that fellow Vikings Legend Jerry Reichow passed down.
