The Minnesota Vikings are parting ways with a franchise icon for a second time. The team released veteran wideout Adam Thielen on Monday at his request, allowing the 35-year-old to finish his career with another franchise.<\/p>\n
Thielen and the Vikings confirmed the news with posts on social media Monday. The team said Thielen approached it about finishing out his NFL career in a competitive situation. The Vikings decided to grant that wish.<\/p>\n
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Thielen confirmed as much, saying this will be his final season in the NFL and he wanted to compete over the final weeks of his career.<\/p>\n
While Thielen didn’t explicitly say it, it’s pretty clear the veteran is hoping for a Super Bowl run before he hangs up his cleats. That wasn’t going to come with the Vikings. After nearly winning the NFC North last year, the Vikings find themselves at 4-8 this season thanks to poor quarterback play, among other issues. With the playoffs all but out of the question for the Vikings, Thielen will look to hook on with a team still in the hunt.<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old hasn’t been super involved in the Vikings’ offense this season. Through 11 games, Thielen has just eight receptions for 69 yards. He likely wouldn’t start on a more competitive team, but could provide solid depth with the playoffs quickly approaching.<\/p>\n
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Whether he can catch on with another club depends on how the rest of the NFL views Thielen at this point in his career. During his prime, he was a sure-handed, target commander with a knack for getting open in the end zone.<\/p>\n
From 2016-2022, Thielen averaged nearly 1,000 yards and 7.7 touchdowns per season with the Vikings. He made two Pro Bowls over that period, earning a second team All-Pro nod in 2017. Though his yardage totals dropped at the back end of that stretch, Thielen made up for it with his end-zone dominance. He caught 14 touchdowns in 15 games in 2020 and 10 in 2021 despite only playing in 13 games.<\/p>\n
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