Nearly 40 years ago, the Vikings pioneered the NFL's first trip to London in a 1983 exhibition against the then-St. Louis Cardinals.
Former coach Bud Grant had players help unload the equipment truck through the stands of the original Wembley Stadium and into the band room, where they – the "visiting" team – dressed for practice. Little was football friendly. Each player had a chair to hold their pads. They brought the first-down markers straight from Mankato training camp.
A morning practice was scheduled to awaken players after the 6 a.m. arrival, but former tight end Steve Jordan needed more.