The Minnesota Vikings have been playing football since 1961, and they’re still chasing their first Super Bowl win. The franchise’s best chance may have come back in 1998, when the team seemingly had it all.
Dennis Green led the Vikings to what still stands as their best record, a 15-1 finish, with the NFL’s highest-scoring offense and a defense that ranked sixth in points allowed. Randall Cunningham, Robert Smith, Randy Moss, Cris Carter, and Jake Reed. It was an All-Star cast that didn’t score fewer than 24 points all season long.
As noted, this team seemingly had it all, but once they got to the NFC Conference Championship with a victory in reach, things took a wicked turn.
Related: Respected NFL Analyst (and Former QB) Details Why J.J. McCarthy Can Still Be Vikings’ Franchise Solution
Gary Anderson Was NFL’s Best Kicker in 1998
Minnesota Vikings
Nov 1, 1998; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Minnesota Vikings head coach Dennis Green on the sidelines with Cris Carter (80) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY NETWORKCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Not only did the Vikings have the NFL’s highest-scoring offense thanks to arguably one of the best skill position groups of all time, but they also had one of football’s best kickers in Gary Anderson.
In addition to being a member of the Hall of Fame’s All-1980s team and the 1990s version, Anderson was a First-Team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler. That All-Pro season? It came in 1998, when Anderson amazingly made all 35 of his field goal attempts; it was the first and last time he made all his field goals throughout the course of a full season. In other words, he was locked in, and nothing could shake his confidence.
When the playoffs arrived, Anderson’s hot streak continued; he made all eight extra points and was a perfect 4-for-4 when the Vikings called upon him for what had been a routine 38-yard field goal to give Minnesota what would have been a commanding 10-point lead with less than 140 seconds to play.
But that’s when everything went wrong. Anderson’s kick missed, wide left. The Vikings crumbled, letting the Falcons march down the field and tie the game at 27. Morten Anderson would later drill, ironically, a 38-yard field goal in overtime to give the Atlanta Falcons the win. And the rest, is history.
Yet, now, nearly 30 years later, more information has come out about what may have been going through Anderson’s head before and during the kick.
Related: NFL Analyst Determines Minnesota Vikings Have Just Three Players Worth a First-Round Pick
Anderson Dealt with Infidelity in ’98?
Minnesota Vikings
Nov 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A general view of a Minnesota Vikings helmet on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Recently, the Vikings’ iconic ‘Three Deep’ receiver trio of Moss, Carter, and Jake Reed got together for a little fishing trip on one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes, where they reflected on what could have been.
That’s when an unexpected topic came up, revealing that the Vikings’ kicker was apparently dealing with infidelity issues with his wife “stepping out” on him, possibly with a tennis player or trainer, according to Reed.
Carter remembers Anderson as being a “great dude.” But he doesn’t remember the rest.
“He (Gary) was a great dude,” Carter said. “Great teammate. Good family guy. He had those young kids.”
“But he was going through some marital problems,” Reed interjected.
“See I didn’t know that,” Carter replied.
According to Reed, there was even a small meeting where Anderson allegedly informed the group of a delicate situation, which Moss didn’t know about either.
“So we had like a little meeting and everything. It was a group of guys, like a bibly study or some group of guys. He confided with a lot of guys. Said his wife wasn’t right. I guess she was stepping out, with the tennis pro or some guy, the trainer”
Jake Reed on Gary Anderson
“Hold on, who tripping out like this?” Moss asked. “When is Gary trippin out like this?
Reed replies, “In the meeting with the chaplain.”
“The week, during the season?” Moss asked.
“Now Randy, I was in the meetin, but I totally forgot,” Carter admitted. “When Jake brought it to my attention, I was shocked. I was like, what? He said, yeah Cris, you were there.”
“He goes man, I can’t believe it.” Reed added about Anderson. “The dude’s down there, driving my Jag, she left my kids here, I gotta bring my mom. Had to come back in and take care of my boys and stuff, man, I can’t understand it. I can’t believe it. Couple guys were like, man, you’re worried about him driving your Jag, but man, dude’s driving your wife man. I felt real bad for the guy. I was like, why is he bringing this to the table? I understand confession, with the chaplain, but some things you just gotta keep to yourself and try to work through it. I’m surprised that Gary didn’t miss a kick earlier in the year.”
“So, when was this?” Moss asked.
Carter and Reed both replied, “November”
Reed added that, “I don’t think that’s the reason we lost the game. Let’s get that straight. “
“I was so upset, I couldn’t talk to him,” Carter admitted. “All the reporters said, Cris, team captain, did you talk to him? I was like, no I ain’t had nothing good to say, so I ain’t say nothing to him, I really didn’t.”
“I don’t know what I would have done if my wife was hanging out with a tennis pro,” Reed confessed.
“I know something, when you would have confessed before all them guys, I would have stopped you mid-sentence, yo yo yo, this, hey, this is not happening right now.
“I think he was looking for prayer,” Reed added.
I can understand that, but tell some, save some, don’t ever tell it all,” Carter argued. “I don’t care if it’s the police, the feds or whatever, never tell it all.”
There’s a lot to unpack here, and there’s more conversation of the Three Deep’s fishing trip on the “Chasing 10 with Randy Moss” YouTube channel.
#Vikings legend Jake Reed reveals that Gary Anderson had been going through marital problems during the 1998 season, which he confided to teammates during a chaplain-led meeting mid season. According to Reed, Anderson shared that his wife was allegedly stepping out on him with a… pic.twitter.com/uQ3MM4Zh0c
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) July 19, 2026
Related: NFL Executive Explains What Sets Justin Jefferson Apart from Ja’Marr Chase
avatar
Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on Sportsnaut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports ... More about Andrew Buller-Russ