Ben Goessling, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Tommy Mason, Vikings' first draft pick, dies at 75

MOBILE, Ala. -- Tommy Mason, the running back whom the Minnesota Vikings took with their first draft pick in franchise history, died Wednesday night at age 75.

The Vikings took Mason with the first pick in the 1961 NFL draft, after he gained 1,039 yards from scrimmage in his final season at Tulane. The Boston Patriots selected Mason with the second pick in the AFL draft that year, but Mason stayed in the NFL, headlining a Vikings draft that also included Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton.

"Tommy was an enormous talent. He was a great player, a humble man and an outstanding teammate," Tarkenton said in a statement. "I will always cherish the years I spent with Tommy."

Though his career was slowed by knee injuries, Mason played 11 seasons in the NFL, reaching three Pro Bowls with the Vikings and becoming the first All-Pro in team history. He ran for 3,252 yards in six years with the Vikings before finishing his career with the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins.

“The entire Minnesota Vikings organization is saddened by the loss of Tommy Mason,” Vikings president Mark Wilf said in a statement. “As the team’s first-ever draft pick, Tommy played a significant role in the history of the franchise. After spending six seasons with the team, he remained a part of the Vikings family, appearing at multiple events over the past several decades. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mason family at this time.”

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