EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., June 2 -- Quarterback Randall Cunningham, who took the Minnesota Vikings to within one win of the Super Bowl in 1998 before losing his starting job last season, was released Friday in a salary-cap move.
In 1998, Cunningham led the Vikings to a 15-1 record and an appearance in the NFC championship game. But the 37-year-old was benched in favor of Jeff George early last season and did not figure in the Vikings' plans for 2000. The Vikings saved $1.5 million in salary-cap space by releasing him.
"Randall did an outstanding job in his three seasons with the organization," Minnesota coach Dennis Green said. "He was a major contributor in us getting to the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and we wish him all the best in the future."
The decision to release Cunningham was expected after Green elected to go with Daunte Culpepper, Minnesota's top draft pick last year, as his starter next season.
The Vikings signed Bubby Brister, formerly of the Denver Broncos, to back up Culpepper. Minnesota also elected not to keep George, who signed a four-year, $18.25 million contract with the Washington Redskins.
In other moves, the Vikings signed punter Eddie Howard and receiver Jeremy Earp, who had been free agents.
Howard has been in various training caps since leaving the University of Idaho in 1995, while Earp was an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin-Lacrosse who was with the San Diego Chargers in 1998.
The top-rushing quarterback in NFL history, Cunningham signed a $28 million contract extension last year, but the Vikings got off to a disappointing 2-3 start and he was benched midway through the sixth game. George took over and led Minnesota to an 8-3 record and into the playoffs, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams.
After being released by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995, Cunningham did not play in the NFL in 1996, spending the year as a broadcaster for Turner Sports.
Cunningham returned to the NFL in 1997, playing in only three games for the Vikings. He enjoyed a storybook season in 1998, completing 259 of 425 passes for 3,704 yards and a career-high and franchise-record 34 touchdown passes.
With Cunningham at the controls, the Vikings scored an NFL-record 556 points, but their dream of a Super Bowl ended in a 30-27 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC championship game. The Vikings squandered a 10-point lead in the final four minutes of regulation.
Cunningham spent the first 11 of his 14 NFL seasons with the Eagles, leading them to the playoffs for three straight years from 1988-90.
In his career, he has completed 2,301 of 4,075 passes for 28,557 yards with 198 touchdown passes and 128 interceptions.
