Fans reminisce about the Minneapolis Miracle as the Saints return to town

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (KMSP) - It’s hard not to reminisce on the Minneapolis Miracle.

“We were actually talking about it yesterday how much that play has been played this week,” said Wide Receiver Adam Thielen.

It’s hard not to reminisce because Sunday’s primetime match up will be the first time the Vikings face the Saints since the epic play.

Kyle Rudolph said, “It would’ve been a lot worse had we been getting asked about it and we didn’t win the game. I can’t imagine how they’re feeling down there.”

Focused, the Vikings are preparing as the Saints will no doubt seek vengeance.

“We can go and look at that game and look at all the negative things we did actually to almost lose that ball game,” Thielen said.

Inside the Minnesota Vikings Locker Room at the Mall of America, fans have a confident but mixed take.

“We actually went, ‘cause just got married, to a bridal show that day, so I’m like she’s the one!” said Tabb Nelson, a fan.

Newlyweds Tabb and Miranda Nelson are in Minnesota this week on their honeymoon.

“We took little nerf guns and aimed for a map and kept getting Minnesota and kept getting the spot so we said that’s where we’re going,” the Nelsons said.

The pair, from Washington, came to see a brick laid at U.S. Bank Stadium in honor, of Tabb’s late grandfather.

“Our brick says three generations of Vikings fans: Todd, Tabb and Duane Nelson. So it kind of brings our three generations in and hopefully it continues if we have kids,” Nelson added.

In fact, the couple believes grandpa ran interference that day in spirit.

“We were just praying. Come on Grandpa Nelson, come on! You got this and it actually came through! And we shook the house. Cheering,” said Miranda Nelson of the famous digs play.

That's because the Vikings have a record of being on the wrong end of an unforgettable catch and run like this one.

“It was unbelievable that it happened to us the right way,” Nelson said.

“I have no shame in admitting that I cried,” said Michael Gorecki, another Vikings fan.

Michael Gorecki says the locker room is his heaven. After all, his conviction was reinforced in the stands. Where he witnessed the miracle firsthand.

“Moving forward we want to recreate more moments like that,” Gorecki said.

When asked what it will take for the Vikings to pull out the win again Sunday night, Gorecki said, “They just have to go after Drew Brees and not let him go deep on us and get Everson Griffin going and we’ll be, we’ll be just fine.”