Panthers' Thielen: 'I didn't want to leave' Vikings
Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen says he wanted to spend his entire career with the Minnesota Vikings, but he'll instead continue in Carolina.
"I think there are like two sides of it," Thielen told the "Daily Delivery" podcast this week when discussing his release. "It was a bummer. I didn't want to leave Minnesota. I wanted to end my career there. Obviously, that would be the perfect fairy-tale way to do it, right? But that's not reality. I'm so thankful for that organization, (general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah), and (head coach Kevin O'Connell) and the staff. The way they handled this throughout the process was first-class."
The 32-year-old wideout has spent much of his life in Minnesota, being a native of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and playing his college football at Minnesota State (formerly Mankato State).
Thielen was released by the Vikings in March. He spent 10 years with the club after going undrafted.
"You know, it's really hard to explain the entire situation," Thielen said. "I don't think there was ever a point where I was unhappy with what I was doing. It was just pretty clear that they had a different vision for me than maybe I had for a way that I could help the team win games. There wasn't a wrong thing. There wasn't disrespect on either side. I think it was just time for both sides to move on."
The veteran pass-catcher signed a three-year, $25-million deal with the Panthers after becoming a free agent. This season, he'll likely be catching passes from No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, alongside fellow receivers DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall, and second-round pick Jonathan Mingo, among others.
"For me, you have to go prove it on the field every single day," the two-time Pro Bowler said. "You have to show you're not getting older and slowing down. ... This was just a great offseason for me. From the day the season was over, I was able to get back to training - get faster, stronger, and more explosive."
Thielen recorded 534 receptions, 6,682 yards, and 55 touchdowns in 135 career games with the Vikings. Those marks rank third, fourth, and third, respectively, in Vikings history, trailing the likes of Randy Moss and Cris Carter.