Adam Thielen’s return to Minnesota never found traction. After a quiet, eight-catch season and a surprise waiver move, the Vikings are left with little to show for their gamble—another misstep in a year defined by them.
Not even Minnesota's Golden Boy wants to stick around to see the ending to the 2025 Vikings' season.
The Minnesota Vikings waived Adam Thielen on Monday, one day after the longtime Viking was a healthy scratch. Kevin O'Connell said after Sunday's loss to the Seahawks that the move to deactivate Thielen was a "coach's decision". Now, it's evident that the decision to move on was in the works before kickoff.
Thielen was acquired in late August in part because the Vikings' receiving corps was banged up. Justin Jefferson had missed much of training camp with a hamstring injury, and Jalen Nailor had surgery after injuring his hand.
Further complicating the receiver room was that Jordan Addison was set to face a three-game suspension to begin the season. Bringing in Thielen, who had familiarity in O'Connell's system from the 2022 season, seemed to make sense.
Even though he was 35, Thielen had proven to still be productive in his two seasons with the Panthers. He caught 151 passes for 1,629 yards and nine touchdowns in Carolina. It was believed he could be a valuable role player in his reunion in Minnesota.
Instead, Thielen, like almost every other veteran acquired in the offseason by the Vikings, underperformed. He caught only eight passes for 69 yards and no touchdowns. Despite only being targeted 16 times all season, Thielen dropped three passes, per PFF.
Thielen said in a social media post that he is planning for this to be his final season and that he plans to return to Minnesota when he retires.
Further adding salt to the wound is what the Vikings gave up for Thielen. Minnesota sent a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounder to Carolina for Thielen, a conditional seventh-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-rounder. That amounts to the equivalent of a late fourth-round pick for Thielen.
Unfortunately for the Vikings, it's not like others have had the opportunity to step up in place of Thielen. With their quarterback situation a disaster, the Vikings are ranked 29th in passing offense this season. Even Justin Jefferson is struggling to get going, having gone seven straight games without reaching 100 yards.
This reunion didn't quite have the stink of Randy Moss' second stint with the Vikings in 2010. Moss was a malcontent, cursing out a food catering business, and then holding an impromptu press conference following a 28-18 loss to the Patriots. During the press conference, he praised his former team, New England, while voicing his displeasure with the Vikings. He was released the following day.
However, Thielen's production, or lack thereof, is reminiscent of Moss in 2010. Moss was acquired for a third-round pick on Oct. 5 and only lasted 26 days. He caught 13 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
Thielen's lackluster season isn't the reason the Vikings are 4-8. Minnesota is 4-8 because they gambled on players like Thielen, misjudging the quality of their roster and quarterbacks.
When he retires, Thielen will be remembered for his first ten seasons in Minnesota. He caught 542 passes for 6,751 yards and 55 touchdowns in that time, ensuring that he will one day be in the Ring of Honor.
That will be what everyone is talking about. Like most fans, Thielen and the team will likely choose to skim past the events of this season.