The disappearance of the NFL fullback began when Vikings rookie Khari Blasingame was a 17-year-old high school senior in New Market, Ala. That 2013 NFL season is the last time half the league's teams prominently featured the position.
Six years later, Blasingame had options as an undrafted free agent. Some NFL teams wanted the former Vanderbilt running back as a running back. The Vikings sold him on a different path — convert to fullback and join an offense that wants to turn back time and "hit people in the mouth."
Blasingame liked what he heard.
"Just a great fit, what they're doing with the offense," Blasingame said. "I felt wanted."
As prolific NFL offenses from the Chiefs to the Steelers embrace a pass-first approach out of the shotgun, the Vikings, under assistant head coach Gary Kubiak and offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, want a balanced approach with the quarterback under center and the big men around him — including a fullback in 2019.
The crunching of pads is music to C.J. Ham's ears. The Vikings' starting fullback was phased out of the offense last season, playing only 140 snaps (13.3% of the team's total) under then-coordinator John DeFilippo.
Kubiak, in his first season as Vikings offensive adviser, said he embraces the position.
"It's very important," Kubiak said. "It gives us a chance to be flexible. We can run a two-back offense [and] a one-back offense with the same personnel on the field. Both of our fullbacks catch the ball very well. C.J. gives us a chance to do some things on third down, too, because he's got a chance to help you catch the ball and protect the quarterback."