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Retirement. For Adam Thielen, it’s close to.
Adam Thielen Addresses the Naughty Phrase
Thielen will flip 35 this August, historical in NFL-speak, particularly for a large receiver. And whereas Thielen is aware of the top is close to, he doesn’t sound like a person hellbent on strolling away this offseason.
“I think there’s probably more times now that you’re like, ‘All right, there’s probably not much more.’ So you know there’s an end in sight, but when that exactly will be is kind of a year-to-year thing,” Thielen instructed Each day Mail final week.
Thielen tabulated 48 receptions and 615 receiving yards this season, lacking seven video games attributable to a hamstring harm. The yr earlier than — his first exterior the Minnesota Vikings group — Thielen produced 1,014 receiving yards, his first time crossing the 1,000-yard barrier since 2018.
“I definitely needed those two weeks to just get my energy back and spend quality family time, get away. Yeah, I think I still have some more football in me. We’ll see how that plays out in the next few weeks,” Thielen added.
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His group, the Panthers, has momentum heading into the offseason, notching 4 wins after the beginning of November, which was a giant deal for a franchise starved for wins. Second-year passer Bryce Younger appeared to “figure it out,” to an extent, after Carolina benched him for just a few weeks in favor of Andy Dalton.
Thielen stated in regards to the Panthers’ quasi-upswing: “I think that’s what’s enticed me to want to play again is just the progression, the leadership, the type of things that they’re doing to try to create a winning culture. I really believe in what they’re doing. So there’s a lot to look forward to, especially with (Young) and his progression. And then, you know, just being able to add some pieces and see what happens.”
The Thielen biography is all over the place and beloved. The Minnesotan rose to energy late within the 2015 season and clawed his method up Minnesota’s depth chart to WR1 by 2016. Thielen earned on the spot chemistry with then-QB1 Sam Bradford and took off as a family identify in Minnesota and later the nation.
An undrafted free agent in 2013, Thielen was “supposed to be” only a particular groups man, however he used the next three seasons to show legitimacy. He tallied 967 receiving yards in 2016 — whereas beginning 10 video games — and really blossomed as the true deal in 2017, with 91 receptions for 1,276 yards and 4 touchdowns. Thielen and storybook passer Case Keenum created folkloric concord, and Minnesota rattling close to gained a Tremendous Bowl in a season riddled by accidents — that it had no enterprise even making the playoffs.
Minnesota minimize ties with Thielen after the 2022 season, embarking on its aggressive rebuild course of that concerned offloading costly veteran contracts. Thielen was a casualty.
Thielen is the Vikings third-leading receiver in catches (534), third in receiving touchdowns (55), and fifth in receiving yards (6,682) all through franchise historical past.
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In idea, if the Panthers minimize ties with Thielen this offseason, they’d save roughly $3 million, although his departure is barely speculative a month into Carolina’s offseason.
However it doesn’t matter what, retirement isn’t far-off for Thielen — and he is aware of it.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his every day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options company, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple group, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as intently because the NFL.
All statistics offered by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual data offered by OverTheCap.com.
