42 Facts About Bud Grant

Bud Grant attended the University of Minnesota and was a three-sport athlete, in football, basketball, and baseball.

Bud Grant is the most successful coach in Vikings history, and the fifth most successful professional football coach overall with a combined 286 wins in the NFL and CFL.

Bud Grant was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

Bud Grant was the first coach to guide teams to both the Grey Cup and the Super Bowl, the only other being Marv Levy.

Bud Grant was born on May 20,1927, in Superior, Wisconsin, to Harry Peter Sr.

Bud Grant's mother called him "Buddy Boy", which later became "Bud".

Bud Grant started with baseball, adding basketball and football as he got older.

Bud Grant survived by sheltering at a gas station while his friends were at a farmer's house.

Bud Grant played football, basketball, and baseball at Superior High School.

Bud Grant graduated from high school in 1945 and enlisted in the US Navy during World War II.

Bud Grant was assigned to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois and played on the football team coached by Paul Brown.

Bud Grant was a three-sport, nine-letterman athlete in football, basketball, and baseball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, earning All-Big Ten Conference honors in football twice.

Bud Grant was selected in the first round of the 1950 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and fourth round selection of the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1950 NBA draft.

Bud Grant chose to continue his basketball career with the Lakers because they were local and because he was offered a raise to stay for the season.

Bud Grant averaged 2.6 points per game in his two seasons as a reserve with the Lakers and was a member of the 1950 championship team.

Bud Grant contacted the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL and agreed to play for the team during the 1951 NFL season.

Bud Grant's contract expired at the end of the 1952 NFL season and the Eagles refused to pay him what he thought he was worth.

Bud Grant left for Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1953 and became the first professional player to "play out his option" and leave for another team.

Bud Grant played for the Blue Bombers until 1956 as an offensive end and was named a Western Conference all-star three times.

Bud Grant led the Western Conference in pass receptions for the 1953,1954, and 1956 seasons and receiving yards for the 1953 and 1956 seasons.

Bud Grant holds the distinction of having made five interceptions in a playoff game, played on October 28,1953, which is a record in all of professional football.

On January 30,1957, Bud Grant accepted the Blue Bombers head coaching position after impressing management with his ability to make adjustments on offense and defense as a player.

Bud Grant remained the head coach of the Blue Bombers until 1966.

At age 29, Bud Grant became the youngest head coach in CFL history.

Bud Grant finished his Blue Bombers coaching career with a regular season record of 105 wins, 53 losses, and two ties and an overall record of 122 wins, 66 losses, and 3 ties.

Bud Grant took on additional responsibilities as a club manager between 1964 and 1966.

Bud Grant declined the offer and remained in Winnipeg until 1967 when Winter and General Manager Jim Finks were successful in luring Bud Grant to Minnesota.

Over his tenure as Vikings head coach, Bud Grant was known for instilling discipline in his teams and displaying a lack of emotion during games.

Bud Grant believed that football is a game of controlled emotion and teams would not follow the coach's lead if he were to panic or lose his poise during the course of a game.

Bud Grant required his team to stand at attention in a straight line during the entire national anthem played before the game and even had national anthem practice.

Bud Grant required outdoor practice during the winter to get players used to the cold weather and did not allow heaters on the sidelines during games.

Steckel was fired as head coach after the 1984 season and Bud Grant returned as coach for the Vikings in 1985.

Bud Grant retired as the eighth most successful coach in NFL history with an overall record of 161 wins, 99 losses, and 5 ties.

Bud Grant was the first coach to lead his teams to both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl, with the only other one being Marv Levy.

Bud Grant was a spokesperson against Native American hunting and fishing treaty rights in Minnesota.

Until his death, Bud Grant was still listed as a consultant for the Vikings and maintained an office at the team's headquarters at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota.

In 2016, Bud Grant was inducted into the Blue Bomber ring of honour.

Bud Grant married Pat in 1950, and they had six children.

Mike Bud Grant has coached Eden Prairie to 11 state championships since he began his tenure at the school.

Bud Grant's grandson Ryan Grant was a quarterback and linebacker at Eden Prairie and played at the University of Minnesota as a linebacker.

Pat Bud Grant died of Parkinson's disease on March 4,2009, at age 81.

Bud Grant died at home in Bloomington, Minnesota, on March 11,2023, at age 95.