The Minnesota Vikings terminated the contract of the receiver on Friday after he rose from an unheralded and undrafted free agent to the franchise’s top receiver in multiple categories. In team history, Thielen ranks third in receptions (534), receiving touchdowns (55) and receiving yards (6,682).
As a result of Thielen’s modest career origin story, he was elevated to folk hero status throughout Minnesota, from Lake Superior’s North Shore to Southwest Minnesota and down to Bluff Country by the Mississippi River in his Detroit Lakes hometown. Thielen added another chapter to his legacy in 2022 when he was named Vikings Community Man of the Year for his work through Thielen Foundation, which he founded in 2018.
In an official statement, Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah expressed gratitude for Adam’s contributions to the team since 2013. He noted that Adam set the standard with his on-field performance, displayed selflessness as a teammate, and made lasting impacts in the community. Adofo-Mensah recognized Adam as an exemplary representation of what the Minnesota Vikings embody and wished him well moving forward.
In 2013, Thielen participated on a tryout basis at Minnesota’s rookie minicamp and was signed. From 2014-15, Thielen worked mainly on special teams and as a blocker (20 catches, 281 yards and one touchdown on 31 targets), but in 2016 he broke through with 69 catches for 967 yards and five touchdowns.
Despite the Vikings offense going through various changes in offensive coordinators and experiencing numerous quarterback injuries between 2014-17, Thielen remained a consistent producer, starting every game in each of the next two seasons. However, it wasn’t until his first season with Kirk Cousins at QB in 2018 that he reached career highs with 113 receptions and 1,373 yards. Thielen made history as the first NFL player to open a season with eight consecutive games of over 100-yards receiving. In his best personal performance yet, Thielen caught nine touchdowns in that same year; however, this record was surpassed by his even more impressive achievement of catching 14 touchdowns in the fifth-highest total for a Viking during one season all-time.
With 67 receptions for 726 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 13 games in 2021, the former Minnesota State Maverick followed. In his first season under Kevin O’Connell, Thielen caught 70 passes for 716 yards and six scores, becoming the fourth undrafted player to catch at least 50 touchdowns in NFL history.
Thielen has an impressive record of 101 starts out of 135 regular-season games with the Vikings. He also boasts a personal best of 202 receiving yards on 12 catches at Green Bay in December 2016, which ranks fifth in team history for games with over 100 receiving yards (he achieved this feat in a total of 21 different games). This breakout moment was no fluke, as Thielen went on to make two Pro Bowls for his performances during the following seasons. Furthermore, he is known for being gracious with fans and using his platform to do good off the field.
A pledge last fall of $1 million to be shared among eight Minnesota nonprofits was among the donations made by Thielen Foundation to community organizations totaling more than $2.5 million. The organizations align with Thielen Foundation’s goal of helping others achieve their full potential.
