Minnesota sold rookie tight end Mike Donohoe to Atlanta on…
Minnesota sold rookie tight end Mike Donohoe to Atlanta on September 3, 1968, after drafting him in the ninth round that spring. Donohoe immediately made the Falcons' roster, played all 14 games as a rookie and remained with Atlanta for three seasons. The cash return gave Minnesota something for a player it did not keep, but Atlanta obtained several years of useful depth and wins the exchange.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- other cash
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Mike Donohoe
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
On September 3, 1968, Minnesota sold tight end Mike Donohoe to Atlanta for cash. The Vikings had selected Donohoe in the ninth round, 225th overall, earlier that year. A later Green Bay media profile identifies the sale date, while Minnesota's draft history confirms the original selection and career records place Donohoe with Atlanta for the 1968 season.
What Atlanta Got
The Falcons added a rookie who immediately made their regular-season roster. Donohoe appeared in all 14 games in 1968, caught six passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, and remained with Atlanta for three seasons. He was never a featured receiver, but that is still meaningful return from a cash purchase made days before the season. Atlanta received inexpensive depth at tight end and kept the player long enough to realize more than a one-year trial.
What Minnesota Got
Minnesota received cash for a late-round rookie who was not going to occupy a spot on its final roster. That is a reasonable way to salvage value, especially because the Vikings had used only a ninth-round choice on Donohoe. The missing cash amount prevents a precise comparison, and Minnesota's strong 1968 roster means the decision was hardly damaging. The Vikings simply did not retain the player who produced the transaction's visible football value.
Final Verdict
Atlanta gets the edge because Donohoe became a multi-season Falcon and contributed immediately, while Minnesota's return was unspecified cash. The difference is modest rather than dramatic: Donohoe was a depth tight end, not a star. Atlanta earns a B- for turning cash into usable roster value, and Minnesota receives a C for recovering something from a player it chose not to keep.