Bud Grant, stoic coach of powerful Blue Bombers teams, dies at 95
CTV
Bud Grant, who won four Grey Cups as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach and would later lead the Minnesota Vikings to four Super Bowl losses, has died. He was 95.
Bud Grant, who won four Grey Cups as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach and would later lead the Minnesota Vikings to four Super Bowl losses, has died. He was 95.
The Vikings confirmed Grant's death on social media on Saturday.
"We are absolutely devastated to announce legendary Minnesota Vikings head coach and Hall of Famer Bud Grant has passed away this morning at age 95," the post said. "We, like all Vikings and NFL fans, are shocked and saddened by this terrible news."
The six-foot-three, 199-pound Grant was a three-sport star (football, basketball and baseball) at the University of Minnesota and was selected in both the NFL and NBA drafts in 1950.
He earned an NBA title in 1950 with the Minnesota Lakers and registered eight sacks in '51 and was second in receiving with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1952 before joining the Bombers, who had offered him more money.
The native of Superior, Wisc. was the first player to play out his option and leave for another team.
Grant played four seasons with Winnipeg, leading the West Division in catches three times and receiving yards twice. He also had a CFL-record five interceptions in a playoff game in 1953, a mark that still stands.
