Fred Cox, the leading scorer in Vikings history, died Wednesday night at age 80, the team confirmed.
Cox had 1,365 points during his 15 seasons as a kicker and, at the time of his retirement following the 1977 season, was the second leading scorer in NFL history behind George Blanda. He is now 34th.
In retirement, Cox became a chiropractor. He also is credited with inventing the prototype for the Nerf football during his playing career.
In a statement, the Vikings called Cox "a respected teammate and friend. Fred's football career as the Vikings all-time leading scorer set the stage for a life where he went on to achieve great things in business and in his community.