Ahead of Sunday’s 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Minnesota Vikings made wide receiver Adam Thielen a healthy scratch. On Monday, they made a move that, just a few months ago, would have been unthinkable.
The Vikings have just announced that they have waived Adam Thielen, putting a period at the end of what might be one of the more disappointing trades, from a production standpoint, in recent team history. The team also released the following statement in conjunction with the release.
The statement reads as follows:
Last week Adam’s representation approached the team and asked if we would be willing to release Adam, expressing his desire to play a bigger role in the remaining weeks of what he has indicated will be his final NFL season. Following discussions through the weekend and out of respect for Adam, we have agreed to give him the opportunity to pursue more playing time elsewhere. Adam is one of the all-time great Vikings, and we wish him and his family continued success.
Thielen has released a statement of his own.
Vikings Family –
Thank you
This is tremendously difficult for me to write and certainly not how any of us imagined this to go.
As a Minnesota native, putting this uniform on over the years and representing this community both on and off the field has always meant much more to me. This team is in my bones, it’s in my heart, and it’s part of my DNA. I will ALWAYS be a Minnesota Viking.
Since this past Spring, I knew this was going to be my last season playing in the National Football League. Given that, the Vikings allowed me the opportunity to go compete elsewhere for the last few weeks of my career.
Minnesota will always be our home and we are incredibly grateful to the Wilf family, Kwesi, KO, Rob, and everyone in the Vikings organization for bringing us back in August. This organization means the world to us from the top down and this locker room is filled with true professionals.
With gratitude and love, and I’ll be back to retire!
The Vikings made the trade for Thielen with the Carolina Panthers back in August, sending a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Panthers in exchange for Thielen, a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick. He was, in theory, going to fill the WR3 spot while Jordan Addison was suspended for the first three games of the season and provide depth after Addison returned.
In the 11 games he played for the Vikings this season, Thielen caught just eight passes for 69 yards. Almost certainly not what they were expecting or hoping for when they made the trade in August.
Adam Theilen has been a great Minnesota Viking, and hopefully he’ll get a chance to compete for a team in the postseason. And, when this season is over, I’m sure we’ll be bringing you the story of him signing a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Vikings. As far as what this story represents in the context of this season, however, it’s just another disappointment in a season that’s been chock full of them.
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