Former Vikings quarterback Ron Vander Kelen, who made his name in the 1963 Rose Bowl for Wisconsin, died Sunday of natural causes. He was 76.

Vander Kelen was the MVP of the Rose Bowl following the 1962 season when he passed for 401 yards in a 42-37 loss to USC. The Badgers trailed 42-14 early in the fourth quarter but rallied for 23 points.

Taken by the New York Jets in the American Football League draft, Vander Kelen signed instead with the Vikings as a free agent. He played five seasons, backing up Fran Tarkenton in the first four before competing with Joe Kapp for the starting job in 1967.

Vander Kelen started five games for the Vikings, throwing six touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. He led the Vikings to a 34-13 victory at Philadelphia in 1963 when Tarkenton was injured, and is one of three Vikings rookie quarterbacks (Joe Webb and Teddy Bridgewater are the others) to win his first start.

Vander Kelen grew up in Green Bay before playing for the Badgers. He lettered only in the 1962 season, passing for 1,582 yards.

• Neill Armstrong, a Vikings assistant coach from 1970-77, died last week at age 90 in Dallas. Armstrong left the Vikings to become head coach of the Chicago Bears from 1978-81.

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