​On Jan. 9, 1977, head coach Bud Grant’s Minnesota Vikings were set to play their fourth Super Bowl in eight seasons. Unfortunately, the Vikings lost 32-14 to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XI, making Minnesota the first team to lose four times in the big game. The Vikings haven’t returned to the Super Bowl since, with this upcoming season marking the 50th anniversary of their last appearance.Although his team is remembered for its shortcomings on the biggest stage, Grant had tremendous success in Minnesota. The Vikings went 158-96-5 in his coaching career spanning from 1967 to 1983, with a brief retirement in 1984 before coming back for one final season in 1985.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSure, the four Super Bowl losses still sting and hurt his legacy some, but Grant is still regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. This week, Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports ranked Grant as the 19th-best coach in league history.In 1969, Grant led the Vikings to their first NFL title. In Super Bowl IV, however, Minnesota lost to the Chiefs, which was the final game between the AFL and the NFL. The Vikings went back to the Super Bowl three times between 1973-76, but they lost each game by a combined score of 72-27. Fran Tarkenton, the Vikings’ Hall of Fame quarterback, attributes the Vikings’ Super Bowl struggles to the team not practicing during the first week between the NFC title game and the Super Bowl.While his team’s Super Bowl preparation was suspect, Grant helped create a massive home-field advantage for the Vikings (who at the time did not play their home games in a dome) by practicing outdoors in winter to acclimate to the cold. The Vikings did, however, suffer a gut-wrenching loss at home in the 1975 playoffs after falling victim to Roger Staubach’s Hail Mary pass to Drew Pearson.DeArdo also highlights Grant’s success as a CFL coach with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Winnipeg won four Grey Cups under Grant, gaining the attention of the young Vikings franchise, which only had one winning season in their first six years of existence before Grant was hired.It’s a fitting spot for Grant, as the other 19 coaches on the list won championships. Had the Vikings gotten one Super Bowl to go their way, Grant may be even more revered in NFL history.This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Former Vikings head coach considered among the best all-time