EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings Thursday signed a new team member, 'Crazy George' Henderson, who was expected to start Sunday in the grandstands against Atlanta.

Henderson, 38, impressed the Vikings' management with his cheerleading antics during Monday night's 31-27 Minnesota victory over Dallas.


The former schoolteacher from California roamed the Metrodome, banging a drum and leading the 60,007 fans in raucous, simple chants.

'(Dallas Coach) Tom Landry hates him,' Minnesota Coach Bud Grant said.

Viking officials said they received several positive letters from fans cheering for Henderson and his antics. Some said they had never cheered until he appeared.

Grant mischieviously grins when asked about 'Crazy George.' Viking center Dennis Swilley said he went up to the short, bouncy man after the Dallas game to thank him.

'He was working as hard as the rest of us on the field,' Swilley said. 'I thought I should go down and congratulate him. We sure could hear him -- he really does his job.'

Henderson, who started his professional rah-rah career 15 years ago at San Jose State, said he would not say how much the Vikings paid him for the appearance. He did say he makes a 'very, very good living' doing nothing but banging his drum and leading yells for two causes a week.

'The secret,' he said after the Dallas game, 'is to have a child's mind in a mature brain.'

Besides Henderson, stadium officials will also allow banners to be displayed 'in good taste,' Grant said. No signs had been allowed until the Dallas game.