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Culpepper Signs
MINNEAPOLIS - Daunte Culpepper's seven up-and-down seasons in Minnesota came to an end Tuesday. Just what the disgruntled quarterback wanted.
The Vikings agreed to trade the three-time Pro Bowl selection to the Miami Dolphins for a second-round draft pick, less than a week after Culpepper - who is still rehabbing his injured right knee - said he wanted out.
The move marked the end of a winding career path in Minnesota for Culpepper, who went from the team's biggest star and cornerstone to a malcontent that had to be jettisoned in less than a year.
Culpepper dazzled with his blend of accuracy, scrambling and size, but also made fans' stomachs turn with turnover problems and a highly publicized boat party scandal on Lake Minnetonka.
His standing with the team deteriorated beyond salvation this offseason, when he clashed with management over rehabbing his injured knee and didn't see eye-to-eye with new coach Brad Childress.
The Dolphins declined to confirm the deal.
"Anything we do is contingent on a player passing a medical exam," said spokesman Harvey Greene, who declined further comment.
Miami released last year's starter, Gus Frerotte. He would have cost the team $4.38 million against the salary cap this year.
Culpepper is coming off a nightmare season that ended Oct. 30, when he tore three ligaments in his knee during a game against Carolina. A deal had been in the works since the middle of last week, when Culpepper requested to be traded or released from his contract.
Culpepper said then that he was upset by the tone of an e-mail sent to him from the Vikings' front office, but would not give details. He did say, however, that he appreciated that new owner Zygi Wilf was willing to pay him a $6 million bonus due later this month.
"However, because of the fundamental differences I have with management regarding the approach to my personal and professional life, I think it is the best business decision for both parties to go our separate ways," Culpepper said then.
The Vikings moved swiftly to accommodate Culpepper, whose deep passes to Randy Moss fueled the Vikings' rise to unprecedented popularity in Minnesota.
Culpepper burst onto the scene in 2000 in his first year as a starter, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns to help lead the Vikings to the NFC Championship game. But that season was washed away with an embarrassing 41-0 loss to the Giants in the Meadowlands.
Over the next two seasons, Culpepper threw 32 touchdowns and 36 interceptions and also had problems with fumbling that drove fans crazy.
He rebounded with another Pro Bowl season in 2003, and parlayed that into a 10-year, $102-million contract. But the deal was relatively low in guaranteed money, and Culpepper started asking following his finest season in 2004.
Only Peyton Manning's record-setting performance that year kept the MVP from Culpepper, who completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 4,717 yards and 39 touchdowns.
When Moss was dealt to the Raiders before last season, many thought it would be just what Culpepper needed to take charge of the team.
But Culpepper struggled mightily, throwing six TDs and 12 interceptions in the Vikings' 2-5 start. He injured his knee against Carolina, and his future with the franchise started to come into question when backup Brad Johnson helped the Vikings to a 7-2 finish.
In September, Culpepper and three teammates were charged with misdemeanors for alleged lewd conduct during a Lake Minnetonka boat cruise. Culpepper has repeatedly denied the charges.
When the Vikings' disappointing season ended without a playoff appearance, Culpepper withdrew from public view to his home in Florida. He fired his agent and said he wanted to play a bigger role in his business dealings, but refused the team's request to rehab in the Twin Cities.
Childress replaced the fired Mike Tice in January, and the new coach and the quarterback got off to a rocky start.
The Vikings were under pressure to deal Culpepper before the end of the month, or they would have been forced to pay an unhappy and injured player the $6 million bonus that was negotiated after the 2004 season.
So they made the deal with Miami, which was in the market for a starting quarterback after going 9-7 with Frerotte last season.
The Dolphins also spoke to free agent Drew Brees, but didn't want to pay the high price he was asking after shoulder surgery. Shortly after the Culpepper deal was announced, the New Orleans Saints said they agreed to a six-year contract with Brees.
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