Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

So...when the Vikings played the Colts in 1969, Joe Kapp has a play where he heaves a lateral halfway across the field. The player who catches the lateral is #42, yet the Vikings didn't have a player with that jersey number. Does anyone know who that was?

It's Dave Osborn

This 1969 Vikings-Colts game is on youtube as a "Game of the Week. Dave Osborn was wearing his usual Number 41 in the first quarter but wears Number 42 in the second quarter.

SixtiesFan wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:03 pm This 1969 Vikings-Colts game is on youtube as a "Game of the Week. Dave Osborn was wearing his usual Number 41 in the first quarter but wears Number 42 in the second quarter.

It was a ruse to throw off defenders. Every quarter he had the equipment manager sew on the next highest number. By the end of the game he was wearing #44. By the end of the season he was wearing #107. Amazing but true.

"In 1969, in a game against the Colts, the Vikings running back Dave Osborn began the game in number 41 and also wore number 42."
"Later, in the second half, Osborn donned number 42. presumably for the same reason as Josephson—some kind of tear."

https://nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com ... -same.html