Joe Senser, Vikings tight end and Twin Cities restaurateur, dies at 69

Former Minnesota Vikings tight end Joe Senser, who additionally owned two fashionable Twin Cities sports activities bars, has died, in keeping with the staff.

Senser was 69 years previous.

“Joe was a Pro Bowler on the field, but his impact on the organization and in the community was felt long after his playing days,” Vikings homeowners Mark and Zygi Wilf stated in a press release. “Joe was a generous soul with countless charitable endeavors. He brought his positive personality to every interaction he had, whether it was with former teammates, Vikings staff or our family when we became stewards of this franchise. Joe’s warmth and welcoming spirit will last in the memories of those who knew him.”

The Vikings drafted Senser within the sixth spherical of the 1979 NFL draft. He performed 4 seasons with the staff, catching 165 balls for 1,822 yards and 16 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl in 1981, when he amassed 1,004 yards and eight touchdowns. His profession was minimize brief by a knee damage.

Senser later owned two sports activities bars that bore his title in Roseville and Bloomington for greater than 30 years. Both have since closed. WCCO viewers voted Joe Senser’s Restaurant and Sports Theater the Best Sports Bar in Minnesota in 2018.

He was additionally a colour commentator for the Vikings Radio Network from 1993 to 1994 and once more from 2001 to 2006.

In 2016, Senser suffered a massive stroke that required him to learn to stroll and speak once more. His household advised WCCO he was “in a tough way,” and he spent the final 10 years coping with the fallout.

Amy SenserJoe Senser’s spouse, was convicted in 2011 in a fatal hit-and-run crash in (*69*) and spent two years in prison.