← Trade archive
Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings
October 12, 1989 · Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers
This trade is the root of the Herschel Walker (1989) trade tree — the full chain is traced there.
The trade
Dallas Cowboys receives
- a 1991 first-round pick (No. 11, became Pat Harlow)
- a 1991 second-round pick (No. 38, became Darryll Lewis)
- a 1992 first-round pick (No. 13, became Eugene Chung)
- a 1992 second-round pick (No. 40, became Matt Blundin)
- a 1992 third-round pick (No. 71, became Kevin Turner)
- a 1990 first-round pick (No. 21, became Eric Green)
- a 1990 second-round pick (No. 47, became Dennis Brown)
- a 1990 sixth-round pick (No. 158, became James Williams)
- DE Alex Stewart
- LB David Howard
- CB Issiac Holt
- LB Jesse Solomon
Minnesota Vikings receives
- a 1990 tenth-round pick (No. 249, became Pat Newman)
- a 1991 third-round pick (No. 68, became Jake Reed)
- a 1990 third-round pick (No. 54, became Mike Jones)
- a 1990 fifth-round pick (No. 116, became Reggie Thornton)
- RB Herschel Walker
San Diego Chargers receives
Trade context
Herschel Walker trade (agreement date October 12, 1989; Pro Football Reference lists October 13, 1989). Minnesota acquires Herschel Walker plus Dallas's 1990 3rd (#54 Mike Jones), San Diego's 1990 5th (#116 Reggie Thornton), Dallas's 1990 10th (#249 Pat Newman) and Dallas's 1991 3rd (#68 Jake Reed). Dallas acquires Jesse Solomon, David Howard, Issiac Holt, Alex Stewart and eight conditional Minnesota picks. San Diego acquires Darrin Nelson (who refused to report to Dallas) for its 1990 5th. The eight Minnesota picks were conditional; sources agree on the realized picks/outcomes but conflict over which conditional trigger produced which pick.
Full trade terms
On October 12, 1989, Dallas Cowboys sent a 1990 tenth-round pick (No. 249, became Pat Newman), a 1991 third-round pick (No. 68, became Jake Reed), a 1990 third-round pick (No. 54, became Mike Jones), and RB Herschel Walker; Minnesota Vikings sent a 1991 first-round pick (No. 11, became Pat Harlow), a 1991 second-round pick (No. 38, became Darryll Lewis), a 1992 first-round pick (No. 13, became Eugene Chung), a 1992 second-round pick (No. 40, became Matt Blundin), a 1992 third-round pick (No. 71, became Kevin Turner), a 1990 first-round pick (No. 21, became Eric Green), a 1990 second-round pick (No. 47, became Dennis Brown), a 1990 sixth-round pick (No. 158, became James Williams), DE Alex Stewart, RB Darrin Nelson, LB David Howard, CB Issiac Holt, and LB Jesse Solomon; San Diego Chargers sent a 1990 fifth-round pick (No. 116, became Reggie Thornton).
What the assets did next
- a 1990 tenth-round pick (No. 249, became Pat Newman) — no other recorded trade.
- a 1991 third-round pick (No. 68, became Jake Reed) — no other recorded trade.
- a 1990 third-round pick (No. 54, became Mike Jones) — no other recorded trade.
- RB Herschel Walker — no other recorded trade.
- a 1991 first-round pick (No. 11, became Pat Harlow)
- a 1991 second-round pick (No. 38, became Darryll Lewis)
- a 1992 first-round pick (No. 13, became Eugene Chung)
- a 1992 second-round pick (No. 40, became Matt Blundin)
- a 1992 third-round pick (No. 71, became Kevin Turner)
- a 1990 first-round pick (No. 21, became Eric Green)
- a 1990 second-round pick (No. 47, became Dennis Brown)
- a 1990 sixth-round pick (No. 158, became James Williams)
- DE Alex Stewart — no other recorded trade.
- RB Darrin Nelson — no other recorded trade.
- LB David Howard
- CB Issiac Holt — no other recorded trade.
- LB Jesse Solomon — no other recorded trade.
- a 1990 fifth-round pick (No. 116, became Reggie Thornton) — no other recorded trade.
Sources