Former Minnesota Vikings WR Adam Thielen announced his retirement less than two weeks ago, yet he’s already on the move to his next career stop. When the Steelers fell to the Texans in the AFC wildcard round, Thielen let it be known he was officially hanging up his cleats. In addition to his time with the Vikings, Thielen spent time in Carolina and Pittsburgh.
On Sunday, Thielen appeared on NFL Game Day Morning to discuss how the Broncos will approach the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots without their starting quarterback. Broncos QB Bo Nix fractured his ankle on one of the final plays of his team’s overtime win in the divisional round over the Bills, ending his season. Denver will face New England with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham under center.
Thielen has a lot of experience playing with backup quarterbacks, especially from his Vikings days. Famously, when starter Sam Bradford was lost for the year in 2017, backup QB Case Keenum led Minnesota to the NFC Championship Game, throwing quite a few of his passes to Thielen.
Former Minnesota Vikings WR Adam Thielen Had a Great TV Debut
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 14: Head coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings talks with Adam Thielen #19 before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Thielen was brought in on Sunday specifically to relay his experience in the playoffs with the Vikings to what the Broncos are going through now. But it’s more than that, as Richard Deitsch noted, as it’s also an audition for a larger TV role next season.
“Yeah, I’ve actually had a lot of experience with backup quarterbacks over my time in the NFL,” Thielen said. “I look back to that time when Case kinda stepped into the huddle for the first time. Sam goes down, we had a lot of promise that season, we had a great defense, and Sam was playing well coming off a year in which he had a full season under the same system.”
“And so there was a lot of excitement. He goes down,” Thielen continued. “Case steps in. I remember in the huddle in practice that week thinking, ‘Man, this guy’s got something to him. And then you get to the game, and this is the important part. When you get to the game and those first couple series of him making some plays. He gets an earned first down, he scrambles and throws it up and we make a big play. And everybody starts to get confidence.”
Adam Thielen Is a Minnesota Vikings Legend
Thielen may have finished his career with the Steelers, but he will forever be known for what he did in a Vikings uniform. Back in 2014, he signed with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State, and the rest is history.
In 12 seasons, Thielen had 704 receptions for 8,497 yards and 64 touchdowns. Nine and a half of those seasons were spent with the Vikings, but now, he’s looking towards the next phase of his career.
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