The Minnesota Vikings have released veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen after 10 seasons with the franchise, the team announced on Friday (March 10).
"Minnesota on Friday terminated the contract of the receiver who climbed his way up from an unheralded and undrafted free agent to the franchise leaderboard in multiple categories," Vikings.com senior editor Craig Peters wrote.
Thielen, 32, a Minnesota native who played collegiately at Minnesota State, has spent his entire NFL career with the Vikings and ranks third in franchise history in receptions (534) and receiving touchdowns (55), as well as fourth in receiving yards (6,682).
"Adam will forever be a part of the Minnesota Vikings family and history," general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. "Setting the standard with his play on the field, being a selfless teammate, and making a permanent impact in the community, Adam's influence is significant. We are grateful for everything he brought to the Vikings organization since arriving in 2013, and I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to work with him over the last year. He is the best representation of what the Minnesota Vikings should stand for. I wish nothing but the best for Adam, Caitlin and their entire family."
The decision comes one day after sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Vikings were expected to release the veteran receiver "in the coming days."
"There’s a real possibility that the Vikings and Adam Thielen will part ways in the coming days, allowing the two-time Pro-Bowl WR to become a free agent, per sources. The two sides will talk in coming days, but his time in Minnesota could be coming to an end," Schefter tweeted on Thursday (March 9).
Thielen signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and emerged as a starter in 2016 in the absence of former Minnesota receiver Stefon Diggs, who was sidelined with a groin injury at the time. The Detroit Lakes native had 69 receptions for 967 yards and five touchdowns while starting 10 games for the Vikings in 2016, before recording 1,000 yards and more than 90 receptions during each of the next two seasons, playing alongside Diggs as one of the league's best receiving duos.
Thielen recorded 70 receptions for 716 yards a six touchdowns in 2022, starting all 17 games for the Vikings after having his season ended prematurely in 2021 due to an ankle injury.
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