Vikings fans might do a double take when they read this, but Herschel Walker says he belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The running back underachieved during a 1989-91 stint with the Vikings. He was acquired midway through the 1989 season from Dallas for a bevy of draft picks that helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowls in the 1990s.

Walker doesn’t deny his tenure with the Vikings wasn’t exactly hall-of-fame worthy but he said he should be in the Canton, Ohio, shrine when his entire NFL body of work is considered.

“If you look at my stats, I should be in the hall of fame,” Walker said in a recent interview. “My stats showed that I produced.”

Walker, who won a Heisman Trophy at Georgia in 1982 and is in the College Football Hall of Fame, rushed for 5,562 yards with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL from 1983-85 before playing in the NFL from 1986-97. While it technically is the Pro Football Hall of Fame, hall selectors never have considered USFL statistics much in the process. But Walker said his NFL stats are good enough alone for enshrinement.

Walker is 12th in NFL history with 18,168 all-purpose yards, and was second when he retired behind Walter Payton. That includes 8,225 rushing, 4,859 receiving and 5,084 yards on kickoff returns.

“Let’s just forget about my USFL days,” Walker said. “Look at my stats in the NFL. Look at my combined yards. Plus, I had 500 some catches (512). Those stats are good enough to be in the hall of fame. That’s what people need to look at when they start talking about numbers and all that.”

Walker, eligible since 2003, never has gotten serious consideration for the hall. It hasn’t helped his cause that there has been so much negativity regarding his October 1989 trade to Minnesota.

Walker was acquired after a 1988 season in which he had 1,514 yards rushing and 505 yards receiving with the Cowboys. He never came close to those kinds of numbers with the Vikings.

In 42 games with the Vikings, Walker had 2,264 yards rushing (an average of 53.9 per game) and 681 yards receiving on 86 catches. In his two full seasons with the team, his top rushing total was 825 yards in 1991 and top receiving total was 35 catches in 1990.

After Walker left the Vikings, he had 1,070 yards rushing with Philadelphia in 1992 and 75 catches for the Eagles in 1993. That was one shy of his career high of 76 receptions with Dallas in 1986.

“What happened is I don’t think the (Vikings’) coaches were ready for Herschel Walker, and they didn’t even know it was a trade,” Walker said of general manager Mike Lynn making the deal without head coach Jerry Burns’ knowledge. “They weren’t prepared for me, but then after I left Minnesota for Philly, things changed and I started doing the things I had been doing (in Dallas).”

Walker never did fit Burns’ offensive scheme, which used a split backfield.

“They didn’t give me an opportunity to fit,” Walker said. “Everybody said, ‘He’s an I-back,’ and this and that. But it’s funny, when I went to Minnesota, they hardly threw me any passes. But I caught balls before I went there, and after I went to Philly, I started catching balls again. So, that’s so weird.” Related Articles Vikings lose Anthony Barr for game with shoulder injury in second quarter

Vikings fans pay hefty prices to see a game in a ‘surreal’ atmosphere

Dane Mizutani: Vikings’ Kirk Cousins proves once again he’s not good enough

Jones’ big day helps Packers beat Lions 42-21 in home opener

Now with Colts, Jonathan Taylor continues to torment Minnesota

After leaving Minnesota, Walker played six seasons with the Eagles, New York Giants and Cowboys. Though his time here didn’t work out with the Vikings, he still has fond memories of Minnesota.

“Over the last decade, I’ve been back to Minnesota a lot,” said Walker, who estimated he has been in the state more than 100 times during that period due to his many business interests. “This is the honest truth. Minnesota is one of the best places I’ve ever lived in my life. I absolutely love Minnesota. I thought the people were absolutely incredible.”

Following his Minnesota exit, Walker maintained a home in Edina and continued to stay there at times until selling it five years ago. He said he might have interest in buying another home at some point in the Twin Cities.