Johnny Parker recalls the Christmas gift that led to his Hall of Fame career as a football strength coach

Johnny Parker recalls the Christmas gift that led to his Hall of Fame career as a football strength coach

Johnny Parker.

After 47 years with the Vikings, an equipment manager gets his Hall of Fame moment

After 47 years with the Vikings, an equipment manager gets his Hall of Fame moment            By Alec Lewis          July 24, 2026          When the Vikings drafted running back Robert Smith in 1993, his agent, Neil Cornrich, provided him with information about a few key members of the organization. “He’s, like, ‘Frank Gilliam, Scott Studwell and Dennis Ryan, the equipment guy,’” Smith recalled. “I was, like, ‘Why are you bringing him up?’ Later…