In 1989, the Dallas Cowboys traded running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in a deal that included 18 players and draft picks.
According to former Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson, he nearly traded Walker to a different team.
During an episode of EPIX’s NFL Icons, Johnson said he almost had an agreement in place to send Walker to the Cleveland Browns.
“[Former Browns general manager] Ernie [Accorsi], of course, he was with the Cleveland Browns at that time. He called, and we worked out a trade and—and [it] sounded pretty good,” Johnson said, via WKYC’s Ben Axelrod. “And he said, well, the only thing is, you know, he’d have to get [Browns owner] Art Modell to sign off on it that night.”
The Vikings ultimately presented the Cowboys with a better offer, and the rest is history.
Looking back at how things unfolded, Vikings fans wish Walker was traded to the Browns.
The Cowboys used the assets they received in the Herschel Walker trade to build a dynasty in the 1990s.
The Vikings, meanwhile, were unable to make a Super Bowl appearance with Walker on their roster.