Regular season

The defensive line of Chris Doleman, Keith Millard, Al Noga and Henry Thomas were key contributors in helping the Vikings rank number one in the NFL in total defense. In addition, the Vikings set a franchise record with 71 sacks in one season. Chris Doleman had 21 sacks and was one shy of tying the NFL record.

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 10, 1989	Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...	W 38-7	54,015
2	September 17, 1989	at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 38-7	66,475
3	September 24, 1989	at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...	L 27-14	50,744
4	October 1, 1989	Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...	W 17-3	54,817
5	October 8, 1989	Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...	W 24-17	55,380
6	October 15, 1989	Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...	W 26-14	62,075
7	October 22, 1989	at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...	W 20-7	51,579
8	October 30, 1989	at New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 24-14	76,041
9	November 5, 1989	Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...	W 23-21	59,600
10	November 12, 1989	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...	W 24-10	56,271
11	November 19, 1989	at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 10-9	65,944
12	November 26, 1989	at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...  (Milw)	L 20-19	55,592
13	December 3, 1989	Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 27-16	60,664
14	December 10, 1989	Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 43-17	58,116
15	December 17, 1989	at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 23-17	70,777
16	December 25, 1989	Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...	W 29-21	58,829

Playoffs

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
Divisional	January 6, 1990	at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...	L 41-13	64,585

Standings

NFC Central
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
Minnesota Vikings	10	6	0	.625	351	275
Green Bay Packers 1989 Green Bay Packers season The 1989 Green Bay Packers season was their 69th in the National Football League. The Packers posted a 10–6 record, their best since 1972, but failed to make the playoffs. The team was often referred to as the "Cardiac Pack" due to several close-game wins...	10	6	0	.625	362	356
Detroit Lions 1989 Detroit Lions season The 1989 season was the beginning of the Barry Sanders era. Considered one of the greatest drafts ever, Barry Sanders was drafted 3rd overall by the Lions. The Lions' divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers had the 2nd pick overall but they passed on Sanders. Instead, they opted for Tony Mandarich...	7	9	0	.438	312	364
Chicago Bears 1989 Chicago Bears season The 1989 Chicago Bears season was their 70th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 6-10 record, and did not make the playoffs for the first time since 1983.- Winds of Change :...	6	10	0	.375	358	377
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1989 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1989 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 5-11 season which finished winning 2 of the last 3 games including an upset of AFC East Champions....	5	11	0	.313	320	419

Herschel Walker

In 1989, at the height of his NFL career, the Cowboys traded him

Herschel Walker trade

The Herschel Walker trade, also known as "The Great Train Robbery", was the largest player trade in the history of the National Football League. It involved 18 players and draft picks...

 to the Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...

 for a total of five players (LB Jesse Solomon

Jesse Solomon

Jesse William Solomon is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League from 1986 to 1994 for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and the Miami Dolphins. He played college football at Florida State University and was drafted in the...

, DB Issiac Holt

Issiac Holt

Issiac Holt, III is a former professional American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys....

, RB Darrin Nelson

Darrin Nelson

Darren Milo Nelson is a former professional American football player in the National Football League....

, LB David Howard, DE Alex Stewart) and six draft picks (which led to Emmitt Smith

Emmitt Smith

Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...

, Russell Maryland

Russell Maryland

Russell James Maryland is a former professional American football player. He played defensive tackle for ten seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Cowboys first overall in the 1991 NFL Draft...

, Kevin Smith, and Darren Woodson

Darren Woodson

Darren Ray Woodson is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 2004...

). This was judged to be one of the turning points in the rise of the Cowboys to the top echelon of the NFL. Walker's trade was widely perceived as an exceptionally poor move considering what the Vikings had to give up in order to get him, and remains one of the most frequently vilified roster moves of the team's history. The Vikings coaches reluctantly accepted Walker after the trade and never totally used the tool they had been given. Scout.com says, "but Walker was never used properly by the coaching brain trust (a total oxymoron in this case)".

Awards and records

• Chris Doleman
  Chris Doleman
  Christopher John Doleman is a former American Football defensive end who played in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers from 1985 to 1999. He was an 8-time Pro Bowl selection and a 3-time First-team All-Pro during his playing days, recording 150⅓ career sacks...
  
  , NFL Leader, Sacks (21.0)
• Randall McDaniel
  Randall McDaniel
  Randall McDaniel is a former offensive guard in the National Football League. On January 31, 2009 he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
  
  , NFC Pro Bowl selection

Milestones

• Chris Doleman
  Chris Doleman
  Christopher John Doleman is a former American Football defensive end who played in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers from 1985 to 1999. He was an 8-time Pro Bowl selection and a 3-time First-team All-Pro during his playing days, recording 150⅓ career sacks...
  
  , Third Player in NFL History to get at least 20 sacks in a season
• Chris Doleman, franchise record, 21 sacks