Minnesota Vikings boat party scandal

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On October 6, 2005, an alleged sex party occurred on Lake Minnetonka with seventeen members of the Minnesota Vikings football team including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Fred Smoot, Mewelde Moore, Pat Williams, Bryant McKinnie, Nate Burleson, Ralph Brown, Jermaine Wiggins, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor, Kevin Williams, Lance Johnstone, Moe Williams, and Willie Offord.^[1][2] Two houseboats were rented and some, but not all, of the players performed sexual acts in front of crew members. Prostitutes from Atlanta and Florida were flown in for the party. There were at least ninety people on the two boats, and Smoot later estimated that there were 100 women present.^[3] An anonymous former player of the Vikings claimed that this is not the first time that such an incident had happened.^[4]

Allegedly, photographs were taken at the party showing people engaging in sexual intercourse. Four of the players were charged with misdemeanors related to the events. Later commentators pointed to the scandal as a key event in the history of the team, leading to the firing of head coach Mike Tice, who was replaced by Brad Childress.^[1]