More than anything else in week 11, we need to see Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy take a step forward in his development as the future face of this franchise.

With Jonathan Greenard ruled OUT on the other side of the football, it’ll be up to those around him on the Vikings defense to hold help corral Caleb Williams often enough for Minnesota’s offense to figure out a Chicago defense that has been putrid most of the season.

MN Vikings WR wants fanboy NFL refs replaced by full-timers

One teammate hoping to help his young QB out on Sunday is recently reacquired veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen. But that’s not the only area of this weekend’s football game where the 35-year-old Thielen wants to see improvement.

In fact, he isn’t just looking for improvement from his team or the opposing Bears. On Friday during an interview with KFAN Radio’s Power Trip Morning Show, Thielen revealed to hosts Cory Cove, Meatsauce and Chris Hawkey that the league’s biggest referee issue right now is a lack of professionalism.

See, the NFL still has part times refs; guys and gals who referee NFL games on weekends, between grinding out normal five-day workweeks at their full-time job.

In fact, Thielen referred to today’s standard NFL ref as a “fanboy” who uses their super cool part time job as a way to brag to co-workers during the week at their real job.

"We have these guys that are kind of fanboys a little bit."

Vikings WR Adam Thielen told the @PowerTripKFAN this morning that he thinks the NFL should have full time referees.@iHeartRadio #iHeartRadio pic.twitter.com/4PXUgZaoHw

— KFAN1003 (@KFAN1003) November 14, 2025

“I think we need to have full-time referees. I think it’s ridiculous that we have — and no offense to these guys, they obviously love their job and they put a lot of time into it, I know they do — but we have these [referees] who are kind of fanboys, a little bit.

They love the fact that they get to go out there and they get to shake hands with Patrick Mahomes. They get to hang out with these professional athletes. Then they go to their real job on Monday through Friday and tell everybody how cool their side job is.

I think there should be full-time referees. I mean, the NFL has billions and billions of dollars. There’s so much money in the game, there’s so much betting on the game, that these games matter so much.

Obviously, not just the people who are gambling, but what about the people who put in so much time and effort to try and go performa well and win games. All the time the coaches put in. They deserve to have full-time referees. That’s my take on it and I think it’s very easy to do and I don’t know why it hasn’t been done.”

Adam Thielen – Power Trip Morning Show – KFAN Radio

Related: MN Vikings Superstar Calls on Year 3 Jets to Return

Thielen’s comments on the Power Trip Friday came at an interesting time. Last Sunday, against the Baltimore Ravens, Adam threw an all-time Thielen tantrum, which is saying something since he has had some legendary on-field outbursts in the past.

Context to Adam Thielen’s comments on KFAN Radio

The Detroit Lakes native and Minnesota State – Mankato alum lost his mind after he was called for an illegal blindside block that cost the Vikings one of only a few productive offensive plays in the game.

Theilen seemed even more frustrated after the game, following a meetup he had with some fanboy refs postgame who expressed confusion over whether or not they made the right call against him on the field.

Adam Thielen and the Vikings are pissed! This was called a personal foul for a blindside block… pic.twitter.com/M1SnIpkOxK

— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) November 9, 2025

Late in the 2025 preseason, after Jalen Nailor went down with a preseason wrist injury and Jordan Addison was suspended, the Minnesota Vikings were staring at life for three weeks without a respectable outside option for JJ McCarthy.

Looking back now, it sure feels like the Vikings panicked in the moment, especially once Nailor returned sooner than expected. In order to pry Adam out of Carolina, Minnesota had to give up multiple mid-round draft picks — a a 2027 4th and 2026 5th.

Related: JJ McCarthy Shows Up to Vikings Practice with New Ailment

Fast forward ten weeks later, where Justin Jefferson, Addison and Nailor are all healthy and cemented above Theilen on the Vikings depth chart, and it seems likely that 2025 will finish as the least productive in Adam’s career since 2015, when he was still just a special teams player.

Through nine games, the results have not been what Adam Thielen or the MN Vikings expected. Thielen has caught just 7 passes on 15 targets for a total of 63 yards and 0 touchdowns, which is not up to snuff for a guy who was so expensive to bring back.

It was the most undisciplined games Kevin O’Connell’s crew has played this season, which is saying something. For starters, the Vikings committed a total of 13 penalties worth a total of 102 yards, seven of which were false-start penalties.

Kid quarterback JJ McCarthy threw two interceptions and they turned the ball over three times, total. But the offensive play-calling might’ve been the most undisciplined part of yesterday’s loss.

The MN Vikings averaged 6.7 yards per carry vs Baltimore, gashing the Ravens defense just about every time they handed the ball off to Aaron Jones or Jordan Mason.

Tough day for Minnesota Vikings wide receivers

Meanwhile, when JJ McCarthy wasn’t throwing the ball to the other team in purple, he was throwing it into the dirt or (sometimes) into the stands. In the end, his inefficiency led to a < 50% completion rate, as he dropped back and winged it a career-high 42 times (20 completions).

Then, there’s Justin Jefferson, who looked disengaged and frustrated for most of the afternoon. Of course, he was nowhere near as frustrated as Adam Thielen, whose latest sideline meltdown has to fall in the top 5 on a career fully charged with emotional moments at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Adam Thielen is upset after that penalty

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/e295ZSpPti

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 9, 2025

What in the world could cause our darling Adam to lose his cool (again) against the Ravens? It came after he was called for a blindside block during the fourth quarter, as the Vikings were trying to come back from a 19-10 deficit.

A closer look at Adam Thielen’s “blindside block”

According to the NFL rulebook, offensive players who are moving parallel or back toward the line of scrimmage are not allowed to block a defensive player with force, which is a key part of the conversation.

The rule was made to rid the league of Hines Ward-style blindside blocks that used to leave safeties and cornerbacks wondering what reality they originated from.

Of course, Theilen’s was not that, but he certainly did square up and launch slightly into an unexpecting Kyle Hamilton, which resulted in him being completely laid out.

Adam Thielen and the Vikings are pissed! This was called a personal foul for a blindside block… pic.twitter.com/M1SnIpkOxK

— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) November 9, 2025

Related: Asante Samuel Jr Visit is Not What You Think…

There’s no doubt, as you can see in the video above, that Adam Thielen was indeed parallel with the line of scrimmage and blocking an unexpected defender. But was he protecting himself or was it a dirty block?

Postgame, Adam was still frustrated, noting that the Minnesota Vikings offense had practice that play all week, to make sure that he would not be called for a blindside block.

Refs admit to MN Vikings, Adam Thielen they aren’t sure either

More importantly, Thielen told Andrew Krammer (Star Tribune) in the Vikings locker room that the refs approached him after the game and told the 12-year veteran that they needed to go back, review the play, and get proper instruction from the league on whether or not they made the correct call.

“Obviously, [Adam Thielen] still was pretty heated after the game. And he had just mentioned that, look, we coached it. We actually got the exact look from the Ravens we were anticipating. If Kyle Hamilton was within one yard of the line of scrimmage, I knew I could stand there and wall him off.

He said, but it wasn’t as vicious as it looked on camera where it does kind of look like his head kind of contacts Kyle’s head. He said, ‘I have to defend myself. I can’t just stand there and get runover’… I think he used the word destroyed. ‘I can’t sit there and just get destroyed.’

So the refs told him, ‘You were too aggressive and you needed to just wall him off and not give any little bit of a shot at him. Yet the officials came up to him [after the game] and said, ‘We need to go check with the league about officiating that call. We need to just clarify this specific play, what you did, and make sure we were right on it.’

It sounded like even after the game, officials were still not sure.

Andrew Krammer – Access Vikings Podcast (Star Tribune)

While I appreciate the referees being open and honest about what they know and do not know… I feel like this was a pretty important call to throw a flag on, if you weren’t 100% sure on the rule. My guess, that’s very much how Adam Thielen is feeling too.”

After the idea of an Adam Thielen reunion was kicked around for weeks, it finally came to fruition. The Vikings were bringing home their native son that had worked his way to prominence after being an undrafted afterthought from a Division II program.

Unfortunately, and there’s no kind way to put this, a trade that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made with his heart has been nothing short of a flop.

Adam Thielen a bust for Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings brought Adam Thielen back in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. Carolina didn’t need to move the veteran, and it took a fourth round pick going to Carolina. Thielen restructured his deal after returning home, but that doesn’t soften the blow that his production, or lack thereof, has represented.

Vikings fans were excited about their reunion with Thielen before the season, but the 35-year-old wideout has been a nonfactor. Expected to make an impact while Jordan Addison was suspended, Thielen had two donuts across the first three games of the season, and he has just 47 receiving yards through six games, an underwhelming return for a player who cost the team a future fourth-round pick as part of a late-August trade.

Bill Barnwell – ESPN

It’s hard to poke holes in the reality that Bill Barnwell is seeing. Despite playing in all six games for the Vikings this season, Thielen has made just three starts. He has 10 targets and five receptions for 47 yards. To say his presence has been negligible would be putting it lightly.

Despite an injury that cost him seven games with the Panthers last season, Thielen posted 48 receptions and 615 yards with the Panthers. He scored five touchdowns and was still an integral part of an offense that helped to revive Bryce Young’s career.

It’s not a reach to suggest that the Vikings offense is substantially better than that of the Panthers. That also makes it more difficult for Thielen to contribute. However, the reality is that he looks like a cooked version of his former self, and the 35-year-old may need to hang them up after the season.

There’s no reason for the Vikings to offer the Detroit Lakes native another contract. He can retire and waltz in the Ring of Honor. That would be a great full-circle moment, but will require Thielen to accept that reality. It’s possible he sees the writing on the wall, but no matter what happens the rest of the way, this is where things stand.

Those plans have been somewhat thwarted by injury, but at 3-2, they are still right in the thick of things. Early on the largest question marks came in the form of availability for both Christian Darrisaw and Harrison Smith.

The left tackle has largely thwarted those at this point, but they continue to swirl for the legendary saftey.

Harrison Smith status still murky for Minnesota Vikings

At 36 years old Harrison Smith is no spring chicken. He is a 14-year veteran and has played three of the Vikings six games this season. What’s notable is that despite never having played less than 90% of defensive snaps in a season, he is at 38% this year. Brian Flores was asked about that reality.

Vikings DC Brian Flores gave no indication today that S Harrison Smith will be returning to a full-time role Sunday. Here are his answers to two questions about Smith: https://t.co/9Z43JiNXSr pic.twitter.com/fUOGDnXDGL

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 14, 2025

With the bye week behind him, this will be the week to watch what Smith’s snap count looks like. It’s one thing for the Vikings to suggest they still are deploying the six-time Pro Bowl selection in an intended capacity. It’s entirely different for the usage to be this limited with murky details in the first place.

Harrison Smith missed the majority of training camp with a personal illness. No one has ever reported specifically what he is or was dealing with, and he has not publicly commented on it either. With no benefit of doubt, this has turned into an aging player being filtered out.

If Smith is going to contribute something this season, then his usage must be more than sporadic. Of course Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson are the intended future, but there was little reason to bring back Smith if this was the role he was going to play.

Adam Thielen on the Harrison Smith plan for Vikings

Harrison Smith isn’t the only Vikings legend that’s seeing things go downhill when it comes to usage. Of course Minnesota was all over trading for him as depth with Jordan Addison’s suspension. He has quickly turned into little more than a roster placeholder.

Thielen has been active for all five of Minnesota’s games, and he has started three of them. Despite that level of opportunity, he has just four receptions on eight targets for 37 yards. His snap count dropped to 69% with Carolina last year, and now in his 12th year, it’s just 46% for Minnesota.

Adam Thielen “Coming Home” remix pic.twitter.com/YjH1fJAJk3

— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) August 27, 2025

The tandem of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are the best duo in the league. Minnesota fully intends to keep them together. It’s a contract year for Jalen Nailor, and he has continued to see extended run with the Vikings (78% snap count). Thielen has been the one pushed out of the picture.

This certainly feels like Thielen’s swan song, and it would be fun if the Minnesota Vikings can do something fun with it. Either way, it’s been an incredible career for a guy who came with very few expectations.

Although Kirk Cousins will be holding the clipboard, his Atlanta Falcons come to town for a Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 2. Michael Penix Jr. gets another crack at besting McCarthy after losing to him in the National Championship the last time they squared off.

If Minnesota is going to emerge victorious, there are a few areas they must focus in on. Here are three keys for Sunday Night.

Who steps up in absence of MN Vikings starters?

Last week the Minnesota Vikings were without Harrison Smith and Christian Darrisaw. The former was expected, while the latter was something of a surprise. Darrisaw already being ruled out for Week 2 is relatively problematic.

Justin Skule stepped in at starting left tackle for Darrisaw. Only Adam Thielen produced a worse offensive grade per Pro Football Focus. Skule was 44th out of 64 tackles and gave up two sacks. He simply has to be better, and will be in there starting again.

Dallas Turner, defensive end?

Brian Flores got his top 3 edges on the field at the same time — putting Turner on the line (often hand down) with Van Ginkel outside or stacked behind as an OLB or off-ball LB

Turner was strong vs the run from this alignment, and got a pressure pic.twitter.com/MKQjYn1DE7

— Krauser (@Krauserrific) September 10, 2025

Smith being available would help the defense. Andrew Van Ginkel and Jeff Okudah are both out with concussions. That puts a serious amount of pressure on second-year edge rusher Dallas Turner to shine. Blake Cashman also hit injured reserve earlier this week and Eric Wilson will take over his role. Linebacker Gabriel Murphy will get a shot as well.

The #Vikings have elevated OLB Gabe Murphy and CB Fabian Moreau to the active roster for tomorrow night's game. pic.twitter.com/BX5gIIX812

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 13, 2025

There is an opportunity at cornerback, and in the front seven. Can Dwight McGlothern, or an elevated Fabian Moreau, be enough on the outside. Is this the game Turner shows off just how good he can be? Brian Flores needs the help, and multiple players have to provide it.

Containing Penix Jr. a point of emphasis

In Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was 27-of-42 for 298 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball six times for 21 yards and a touchdown. That offensive production took place without second wide receiving option Darnell Mooney.

This week Mooney will rejoin Drake London and give the Vikings two wideouts to cover. Running back Bijan Robinson led the receiving game with six receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown as well. Penix Jr. has plenty of weapons to challenge Minnesota’s defense, and he’s shifty as well.

Michael Penix Jr. has led a go-ahead/game-tying drive in 3/4 games as the starter 🔥

Dialed in when it matters most ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/FPljawxV8Q

— Not Bijan (@InBijanWeTrust) September 8, 2025

Minnesota got beat by Caleb Williams for 58 yards on six carries. Penix Jr. is probably even a more adept runner, and they can’t allow his ability to create an opportunity to open up the offense. Containing Penix Jr. in the pocket will give the secondary a better chance to hold on despite being down some talent.

Last season Penix Jr. made just a single road start in his five games. U.S. Bank Stadium will be the most hostile environment he has experienced, and the home field advantage can play into the hands of the Minnesota Vikings as well.

Will the wide receivers please step up

It was expected there would be some growing pains in the passing game. McCarthy had never previously started and NFL game, and the Vikings opted against a real dress rehearsal in the preseason. Both Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen registered drops while Aaron Jones tied for the team lead in receiving yards with 44.

J.J. McCarthy's 27-yard TD pass to Aaron Jones was Jones' 8th deep reception of his career, the most deep receptions by a running back since 2017.

Only Saquon Barkley (5) has more deep touchdowns than Jones (4) among RBs in that span.#MINvsCHI | #Skol pic.twitter.com/8qXRvfuUPj

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 9, 2025

Last season the Falcons were middle-of-the-pack when it comes to receiving yards allowed. There’s an opportunity for Jefferson to make his first mark of the season, and Thielen can help to substantiate why he was brought back to Minnesota.

If McCarthy is going to thrive going forward, it will be because the sum of all parts around him work at a high clip. In Week 1 Jordan Mason and Jones created a nice two-headed monster on the ground. McCarthy threw for just 143 yards, and there weren’t a ton of explosive plays through the air. If Kevin O’Connell can find opportunities for shot plays, the wide receivers need to come through.

Related: Kevin O’Connell Wasted No Time Delivering Legendary Message

Should McCarthy have his first 200-yard passing game of his career on Sunday, it would seem likely that the Minnesota Vikings are in a good position to best the Atlanta Falcons.

Kickoff is set for 7:20 pm for Sunday Night Football. The return of Thielen to U.S. Bank Stadium, and the introduction of McCarthy to home fans, should be a sight to behold.

It has been obvious since the moment Sam Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks that this team was going to be quarterbacked by McCarthy. There has been an influx of new talent, but the team still has weaknesses, entering the season… at least on paper.

They still seem light at cornerback, even if those in the building disagree. Up until last week, they were extremely thin at wide receiver, too. Adam Thielen saved the day there, but nonetheless, Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings still had a few interesting developments for the team’s first official depth chart of the season.

Week 1 depth chart reveals new wrinkles for Minnesota Vikings

When the Minnesota Vikings cemented their initial 53-man roster, it included a boatload of undrafted free agents. They cut some veterans, and that meant young talent would have a pathway to playing time. Now seeing how they are positioned, there are definitely some notable names to key in on.

Despite being a late addition, it’s Wentz who will backup McCarthy ahead of everyone’s hero Max Brosmer. That could change as the year goes on, and will be a competition to watch. But it’s interesting that, after just one week on the roster, he’s already listed as QB2

It’s not necessarily shocking that Chandler would be the third running back behind the starting tandem. However, he was definitely outplayed in the preseason by Zavier Scott, and looked like a potential cut candidate for much of training camp. Also, the Vikings are clearly serious about Jones and Mason splitting carries near 50/50.

Adam Thielen just got back into town last week. He’s still ahead of Nailor on the depth chart, and that should continue once Jordan Addison returns from his suspension as well.

The usage of safeties by the Minnesota Vikings is a unique wrinkle to Brian Flores’ defense. Theo Jackson is going to see plenty of reps, but Metellus is listed as the starter, alongside Harrison Smith, who hasn’t practiced in nearly a month. Yet, there he is listed at the top of the depth chart for free safeties week one.

Related: Former MN Viking Fought the Law and Lost Again

Matt Daniels is rolling out an entirely new return team. Undrafted free agent Myles Price will handle punt return duties. He had 23 attempts for Indiana last season in college, and he averaged 12.6 yards per return.

The hope is that Tai Felton develops into a starting caliber wideout, but he’s behind Nailor in that regard at this point. He’ll handle kick return duties. That’s a role he hasn’t held since 2022 (as a sophomore) with Maryland. He turned six kicks into 150 yards (25 yards per attempt).

Even before his injury, however, it was becoming clear that the Vikings needed to bring in pass-catching reinforcements to compliment superstar Justin Jefferson on the 53-man roster. And that was regardless of whether Nailor was going to be on it for the Vikings’ Monday Night opener in Chicago.

Without Jordan Addison (suspension) on the field for the first three weeks of the season, Minnesota needed more reliable talent on the outside, or opposing defenses were going to take Justin Jefferson away all game without paying paying the price elsewhere.

The Vikings proved their desperation by engaging the Panthers to a point where Carolina had to have felt cornered into trading their veteran leader, which they ultimately did. Nonetheless, they got a pretty penny for their sacrifice.

To get a deal done, the Panthers convinced Minnesota to essentially send them a fourth round pick, in exchange for a 35-year-old who was quickly being aged out of an increasingly young WR room in Carolina.

MN Vikings homecoming surprised Thielen

But despite all the rumors floating around pre-trade, surrounding his homecoming, along with the endorsement he gave to a deal early on in the process, per Kevin Seifert (ESPN), it sounds like Adam Thielen was still somewhat shocked that a trade reached the finish line.

Trade rumors rarely turn into anything, especially when the deal takes as long and gets as complicated as Thielen’s did. Until Adam got the phone call, confirming he had been traded back to Minnesota, the decade-long Viking didn’t think he’d dawn purple and gold again until he signed a one-day retirement contract.

The cost was significant, including all of Thielen’s revised 2025 salary and a package of 2026 draft picks that ESPN Research collectively valued as a 2026 fourth-round pick.

Count Thielen among those who were shocked by how it played out. “I just didn’t think that this was even a possibility,” Thielen said. “I thought the next time I would be talking to [reporters in Minnesota] is when I was signing a one-day contract and retiring.”

ESPN

Related: Vikings’ Homecoming King Plans to Retire Sooner Than Later

The Vikings are ecstatic to have Adam Thielen back at TCO Performance Center, and without a doubt the feeling is mutual. In fact, the Minnesota-native was so happy that he agreed to take a $2 million pay cut to get it across the finish line.

Now the Vikings don’t need to fast forward to that one-day retirement contract, and they can’t afford to. Jordan Addison is suspended for the first three weeks of the season, and Jalen Nailor’s health is a question mark. Rondale Moore’s preseason injury put wide receiver depth in a tough spot, and the veteran has to produce.

Last season Thielen missed seven games with a hamstring injury. He’s ready to rock for Minnesota, and will look to add onto the 6,682 yards he has already accumulated in purple. Thielen doesn’t need to be the guy, and at 35 he probably isn’t capable of that.

Expect Adam Thielen to contribute for MN Vikings

Last year the Vikings moved on from K.J. Osborn and turned the WR3 role over to Jalen Nailor. He contributed six touchdowns, but generated just 414 receiving yards and left more on the table with untimely drops.

Thielen hasn’t produced less than 500 yards in a single-season since 2019 (418), and he has twice surpassed 1,000 yards. He’ll get an opportunity to demand additional snaps after Addison returns by how he plays out of the gate.

JJ McCarthy and Adam Thielen have worked out together the past couple of offseasons, and now they’re teammates in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/TVXXHDaApN

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2025

Related: Academic Struggles Nearly Cost MN Vikings Superstar His Shine

It shouldn’t be shocking if Theilen becomes one of McCarthy’s most trusted targets. The two have worked out together in the offseason and already have a level of rapport. He’s also a crisp route-runner with exceptional hands. That can be a security blanket for a young quarterback.

Justin Jefferson is a superstar and will always get his. There’s room for Thielen to coexist in the gameplan though, and even after Addison returns.

The two sides understand each other, and Thielen knows what he’s coming into. He doesn’t have to be the guy anymore, and it’s best suited that he isn’t in the Vikings offense. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a guy though, and Kevin O’Connell will utilize him plenty.

Still, we’re drawing close to the end of the line for the fan favorite. Thielen can hang them up and walk right into the Ring of Honor from there.

Adam Thielen thinking next steps with Minnesota Vikings

It’s not lost on anyone that Adam Thielen is 35 years old. Wide receivers don’t typically stay on the field deep into their 30’s and the athleticism changes. He’s in the final year of a contract that he just lopped $2 million off of to help the Vikings as well. Local insider Darren “Doogie” Wolfson thinks we may be watching his final swan song.

“Instead of signing a one-day retirement contract, being featured at TCO Performance Center, Adam can now retire after a full season. Or, who knows if he decides to play in 2026. I think it’s a decent bet that this is it for Adam Thielen. He can actually retire after saying I played a full season for the Vikings.”

Darren Wolfson – Skor North

How Thielen is used by the Vikings this year remains to be seen. We know that for the first three weeks he’ll be a prominent part of the offense. Minnesota has no choice while they are without Jordan Addison. It’s also possible that Thielen forces his way into a more prominent role from Week 4 and beyond as well.

Yes, it’s obvious that Thielen won’t have the same burst he did a decade ago. However, he has never thrived in the NFL by being a speed guy. He creates separation with quickness, efficient route running, and hauls in passes because of his elite hands. Those skills still play.

Average seperation & catch pct:

Justin Jefferson – 3.1 yards, 66.8%
T.J. Hockenson – 3.1 yards, 66.1%
Adam Thielen – 3.0 yards, 77.4%
Jordan Addison – 3.0 yards, 63.6%

Thielen is still playing at a high level at 35 years old! #Skol
pic.twitter.com/qg20GKiMpK

— 𝑻𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝑰𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 🍀 (@TylerTalksBall) August 27, 2025

Last year Thielen missed time for Carolina and played in just ten games. He still put up 615 yards and five touchdowns. During his first season with the Panthers, Thielen played in all 17 games and hauled in 103 passes for 1,014 receiving yards despite shaky quarterback play.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Banking on Key Wide Receiver

It’s unlikely that Thielen will push Addison down the depth chart. but a strong start could keep Jalen Nailor off the field. Last season the Vikings WR3 left production on the table, and Thielen is a good bet to not let that happen.

A special year to end on for Thielen and the MN Vikings

Whether or not this is it, the Minnesota Vikings could do something special with Adam Thielen coming back home. Harrison Smith is also entering what may be the final year of his career, and the duo going out on top would be magical.

The reality is that Minnesota has a roster built to win now. There is some concern surrounding the cornerback position, but the rest of the 53-man roster is ripe with strong position groups.

No one will know what Minnesota has in J.J. McCarthy until the lights come on. Once they do though, there are plenty betting on him to achieve a high level of success. If the Michigan product can be the next great young quarterback, then the Super Bowl drought for the Vikings may disappear.

Related: QB Expert Would Take JJ McCarthy Over Everyone

Thielen may not yet know whether he is entering his final professional season. If he wraps it up with a ring after returning home though, there’s probably no way to write a better fairytale ending.

Thielen restructured his contract with the Panthers in March. The three-year, $25 million deal saw money moved around to change his cap hit for the upcoming season. Now a member of the MN Vikings, and not looking to leave the sides went to work again.

New contract structure for Adam Thielen

The Minnesota Vikings had to work within the structure that the Carolina Panthers dictated. Ultimately, they could have continued to use the veteran wideout as Bryce Young grows. Pushing them to make the deal involved multiple factors, one of which was a restructuring for Thielen. The Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling highlighted what that looks like this week at the State Fair.

“Adam Thielen, to my understanding, ended up restructuring his contract. I don’t know the specifics exactly yet, but he took a little bit of a reduction from that $7 million cap number that he had in Carolina to help the Vikings a little bit with their cap.”

Ben Goessling – Star Tribune

While Goessling wasn’t sure what the exact numbers look like, Tom Pelissero provided some clarity. He carries a $4.6 million dead cap hit next season in a void year as an unrestricted free agent.

The #Vikings and WR Adam Thielen have agreed to terms on a revised contract, reducing his salary by $2 million and removing $4M in incentives, per sources.

This wasn’t about money — Thielen wanted to come home, and volunteered to help the team’s salary cap to make it happen. pic.twitter.com/RHok55X89R

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 30, 2025

All in all though, Thielen didn’t come home to leave again. The expectation should be that he’ll go from the Vikings active roster right into the Ring of Honor.

At 35, it’s anyone’s guess as to how many more seasons he will be able to play. That will be dictated by both his performance and health. If Thielen can uphold a strong bar for the third wide receiver position this year, then bringing him back in 2026 with Jalen Nailor hitting free agency is pretty much a non question.

Related: MN Vikings Have Told Max Brosmer to Back Off

Ideally the Vikings could roster Thielen through 2026, at which point Jordan Addison would also hit free agency for the first time. Thielen would then be entering his age-37 season, and likely looking closely at hanging up the cleats.

We’ll see how the sides continue to work things financially. For now, the fan-favorite is locked in as one of the top options for young quarterback J.J. McCarthy this season. Minnesota kicks off their season on September 8 against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.

Convincing the Carolina Panthers to send their adopted “one of us” pass-catcher back home, however, proved much more difficult that originally expected. But the Vikings were determined. before that Tuesday afternoon.

It took a couple days longer than expected but too much groundwork had been laid to let Thielen slip through the cracks. After both teams found creative ways to meet in the middle, the Vikings and Panthers finally agreed to terms on a trade Wednesday morning and the Thielen family celebrated.

About 24 hours later, the Vikings + Panthers deal was officially announced by the team. A few hours later, the Minnesota kid was reintroduced to most of the same media members who covered him as a Viking for a decade.

Since his arrival in Eagan, Thielen has shared a nice message about his time in Carolina and his optimism surrounding the future of that team, on the arm of 3rd year quarterback, Bryce Young, who he clearly has a ton of respect for.

Adam Thielen rescued by Minnesota Vikings

Despite the love he developed for those in the Panthers organization, when an opportunity presented itself for the Mankato State alum to return home and play for an NFC contender, in the Vikings, he quickly shifted gears, mentally.

Suddenly, Thielen was the fairy tale princess in need of a knight in shining armor to swoop in and save him from a 7-34 W/L tower in Carolina that he could not escape on his own. And as soon as help arrived, his old friend Justin Jefferson was there to greet him with that big diamond-filled pearly-white smile.

Jets talks to Thielen following the trade pic.twitter.com/p0xEAEbx32

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 29, 2025

Jefferson: “Hey man, I’m glad to get you up outta there. Now you can come join the squad back.”

Theilen: “Bro, I can’t wait bro. I’m gonna see you in a couple hours.”

Jefferson: “Congratulations, gang!”

Minnesota Vikings (X)

Related: QB Expert Would Take JJ McCarthy Over Everyone

Jefferson knows how much of an upgrade Thielen is inside the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver room, especially during the first three weeks while Jordan Addison serves his “Wet Reckless” suspension. Having his good friend back in the locker room is the ultimate bonus, too.

What’s realistic for Adam Thielen in 2025?

Adam Thielen turned 35 years old last week. This will be his 12th NFL season. He’s not getting any younger, either. The reality, though, is that the 11-year vet has never been known for his speed or athleticism.

Thielen is a route-running savant who catches everything he gets his hands on, something that cannot be said about the receivers now sitting below him on the Vikings depth chart. Nobody outworks him either.

The kid out of Detroit Lakes has posted at least 615 yards receiving in every season since 2020. Three times in those five years he was not available for the full slate of games. For the most part, though, Adam has been available, getting open, frustrating cornerbacks and catching a ton of footballs.

ADAM THIELEN WOW

📺: #TBvsCAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/KNAGqBEbUk

— NFL (@NFL) December 2, 2024

Related: MN Vikings Wide Receiver Went Under the Knife

The thought of paying Adam Thielen a boatload back in 2022 may not have been appealing to the MN Vikings, so they let the Carolina Panthers do it instead, a deal that was revised just a handful of months ago (March 2025) and one he and the Vikings are in the midst of re-working again.

It will be on Jalen Nailor to earn a role back in the offense. Even with Addison and Jefferson onboard, Thielen will only complement them and force the defense to remain honest. If there was a move that could have came out looking like perfection, it was this.