Mark Craig

Mark Craig covers the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. He is a Pro Football Hall of Fame selector.

[Brian Murphy @murphmedia_]

On the next "Beyond The Beat," NFL and #Vikings reporter Mark Craig talks about his journey to Minnesota. https://t.co/sZagl7haoc via @YouTube

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Probably too young to have had the Farrah Fawcett posters that we little lads of the '70s had all over the room.

[Brian Murphy @murphmedia_]

All sports journalists were fans growing up. Learn the journeys taken by #Vikings reporters. "Beyond The Beat" debuts tonight on @purpleinsider with @seifertESPN. Learn how Kevin came to MN from VA, whose posters were on his wall and what still drives him. https://t.co/YEmWO4TeQZ

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Ha. That's been my line for 40 years. But coming from West Virginia coal miners and timber mill workers and carpenters, this has beaten working for a livint. Thanks for having me on the show. Hope my word salads weren't as lengthy as a certain NFL head coach's. Sorry, KO.

[Brian Murphy @murphmedia_]

When 7-year-old Mark Craig was chasing foul balls at empty Municipal Stadium, he looked at the press box and told his mom that's where he wanted to be. If only he had aimed higher for the owners' box.

[Brian Murphy @murphmedia_]

From dictating high school coverage over a pay phone to covering Belichick in Cleveland and Art Modell's hijacking of the Browns to Baltimore to two decades covering the #Vikings, Mark has been writing sports for 40 years. Maybe there's romantic buried under that crusty keyboard.

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Right. We're asked not to reveal until after they're announced.

[Tony Farmer @Tonysmarkettips]

@LastMenPod @ASchatzNFL @markcraignfl can you confirm this?

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

None of this means a hill o beans but November is brutal. I had them going 0-4. The end of the schedule seemed more favorable so I had them like 5-1 at the end. Of course, by then, it might be Cooper Rush starting, backed up by Aidan Bouman.

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

The Vikings Schedule Has Arrived; Let the Speculation Begin https://t.co/lGHG3Gd6Qu #Vikings #NFL #Skol

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Joe went 14-3, to which I said, "Why you gotta hate on the Vikings, predicting not one, not two but THREE defeats!"

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

The Vikings Schedule Has Arrived; Let the Speculation Begin https://t.co/lGHG3Gd6Qu #Vikings #NFL #Skol

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

With 10s of seconds to contemplate off the top of my head as Joe went through the schedule, my waaaaay too early prediction on the schedule was 10-7. I think the wisest prediction for all 32 teams is 8-8-1, so I'll have to find another loss and a tie.

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

The Vikings Schedule Has Arrived; Let the Speculation Begin https://t.co/lGHG3Gd6Qu #Vikings #NFL #Skol

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

The Vikings Schedule Has Arrived; Let the Speculation Begin https://t.co/lGHG3Gd6Qu #Vikings #NFL #Skol

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Watching the NBA playoffs the last month has me thinking A, flagrant fouls and whining and/or flopping about or for them is out of hand and B, every postseason foul in the '80s would have drawn a flagrant foul and an arrest warrant in today's game.

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

You call this a Countdown Clock, NFL!? I looked at this and had no idea how many additional seconds were left! It could have been 1 or 59. A man needs time to plan for these things!

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

An announcement announcing the announcement! If only there could have been an announcement to prep us for this announcement of the announcement of the schedule.

[ESPN PR @ESPNPR]

Tuesday, ahead of the full #NFL schedule release:

🏈 @Buck will exclusively reveal a marquee 'Monday Night Football' matchup on @GMA (approx. 7:30a ET, ABC)

🏈 @TroyAikman will join @GetUpESPN (approx. 9a ET, ESPN)

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Very cool moment.

[Minnesota Vikings @Vikings]

What started as a trip to talk to the rookies ended with a Ring of Honor surprise.

A well-deserved recognition after a legendary career for @AdrianPeterson.

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Great honor and well deserved. He should be getting another pretty big honor in Canton next summer. Congrats, Adrian.

[Minnesota Vikings @Vikings]

An absolute Legend.

📰: https://t.co/CxKkdrNyw7

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

In this scenario, I'd put the over/under on another team hiring him at 6.5 days.

[Steve Thomson @SteveThomsonMN]

@markcraignfl I have the Vikings picking a new head coach next January.

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

A back with 4.37 speed in the sixth round. Why not grab speed at that point? And the Bears got the best center in round 2 but at least the Vikings got an experienced center that will be better than Jurgens right now and compete for a starting job next year.

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

Grading Day—Recapping the Vikings 2026 Draft https://t.co/BqR7yTroIW #Vikings #NFL #Skol

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Four of the five top-100 picks are defenders who should or could play right away. The fullback in the fifth round could be a grunt guy here for 10 years. A left tackle in the third round makes sense with Darrisaw not playing or leaving the field early every other game.

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

Grading Day—Recapping the Vikings 2026 Draft https://t.co/BqR7yTroIW #Vikings #NFL #Skol

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

Would I have picked Banks? No, I would have been scared off at 18. That doesn't mean I would have been right. I might mean that I would have missed out on an All-Pro DT with skills that rarely available outside the top 10.

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

Grading Day—Recapping the Vikings 2026 Draft https://t.co/BqR7yTroIW #Vikings #NFL #Skol

[Mark Craig @markcraignfl]

For what it's worth, which ain't much, I gave em a C grade on Monday. Don't knock the C! It got me through high school!! I go middle of the road with so much uncertainty, especially when there's a big man with a broken wheel at the top. But there seems to also be a lot to like.

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

Grading Day—Recapping the Vikings 2026 Draft https://t.co/BqR7yTroIW #Vikings #NFL #Skol

[Vikings Territory @vikingterritory]

Grading Day—Recapping the Vikings 2026 Draft https://t.co/BqR7yTroIW #Vikings #NFL #Skol