Adam Thielen wasn't expecting a trade, but he's thrilled to be home

Adam Thielen had heard the rumblings, but he didn't think a trade between the Panthers and Vikings was actually going to materialize. He practiced with Carolina on Tuesday and was focused on nothing other than giving his all to that organization as he prepared to begin his third season in Charlotte.

And then he learned the news on Wednesday morning, not long before the public did. A deal had been completed. He was heading back to Minnesota, the state where he was born and lived for the first 32.5 years of his life. He and his family were going home.

Just like that, the excitement was difficult to contain. A video posted on Instagram by his wife showed Thielen and his daughter holding hands and chanting "we're going home."

"That was pretty raw emotion right there because I had just found out," he said on Thursday. "I'm a be-where-your-feet-are guy. At that time, minutes before that, I was a Carolina Panther getting ready for practice and excited about what that looked like."

"Didn't know this was gonna happen until yesterday morning, so yesterday was an absolute whirlwind," Thielen said. "But obviously you guys know, without me saying it, how much this place means to me. This state, this city, this organization, the Wilfs, coaches, players. Couldn't be more excited. There's nothing I could say to tell you how excited I am to be back home."

Dec 17, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) celebrates the win against the Indianapolis Colts after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. With the win, the Minnesota Vikings clinched the NFC North. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Thielen was released by the Vikings back in March 2023 after nine incredible seasons with the franchise he grew up watching as a kid in Detroit Lakes, MN. Everyone knows the story — how he went from D-II Minnesota State to a rookie tryout and then worked his way up from special teams, made two Pro Bowls as one of the game's best wide receivers, and cemented himself as a Vikings legend. Two years ago, it was purely a salary cap decision when the Vikings moved on.

Over the past two seasons, Thielen recorded more than 150 receptions and 1,600 yards in 27 games with a young Panthers team that didn't win much. He fully embraced being a veteran in the locker room and trying to help Carolina build something from the ground up. That remained his focus all offseason and into this week, even as speculation grew about a potential trade.

"I just didn't think that this was even a possibility," Thielen said. "I thought the next time I would be talking to you guys is when I was signing a one-day contract and retiring. This is pretty surreal. I'm gonna take advantage of every second that I'm back in this building, and I've tried to do that from a little bit of a different perspective."

Thielen has always been someone who tries to focus on what he can control. Now that he's back with the Vikings, he's going to give everything he has to try to help the team win games. It should be a smooth transition, given that he played under Kevin O'Connell in 2022 and already has great relationships with Justin Jefferson and so many other players in the building.

One guy he hasn't played a game with is quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but the two have worked out together over the past couple offseasons, so a relationship already exists.

"Crazy to look at that, just because when we were working out together, there was no thought of ever actually playing together," Thielen said of McCarthy. "Have so much respect for him for how he approaches the game, even in the summer months when you don't really have to do those things. His work ethic, his mindset, his communication of how he's doing things."

Thielen, who turned 35 last week, is ready to go. He figures to be in the starting lineup as a big piece of the game plan when the Vikings head to Chicago to kick off the 2025 regular season in 11 days. Thielen may not have been expecting a trade, but now that it's happened, he's thrilled to be back home with a team that has lofty aspirations this year.

"I really have to focus on what I can control," he said. "Just be the best version of myself every day. Wherever that is, I'm gonna be committed to that. And I'm excited to work with these receivers. When Jordan (Addison) gets back, I'm so excited to work with him. And again, at the end of the day, go try to win games and bring Minnesota home what they deserve."

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