Inside The Vikings

Josh Metellus tearful after Vikings' season ends: 'All we had was each other'

"Nobody believed in us when we started, nobody believes in us now. All we had was each other, and that's what was so special about it," Metellus said.
Joe Nelson|
Josh Metellus in the locker room after the playoff loss to the Rams.
Josh Metellus in the locker room after the playoff loss to the Rams. | Minnesota Viking

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Minnesota Vikings

With tears rolling down his face in the locker room after a season-ending loss to the Rams, Vikings safety Josh Metellus epitomized how crushing the NFL playoffs can be.

"Tough, man," Metellus said when asked about getting blown out 27-9. "I think the relationships in the building, that's what hurts the most. Losing this team, losing what we built from the ground up. We got some amazing guys in this building and it just sucks that it was our last day. Today was our last day all being together. We didn't do enough to win and that's what happens in this league."

The game was never close. The Rams scored on the opening drive before L.A.'s defense dismantled Minnesota's offensive line and sacked Sam Darnold nine times, one of them leading to a scoop and score touchdown for rookie Jared Verse.

The blowout loss happened after the Vikings went 14-3 in the regular season. They were 14-2 with back-to-back losses in the middle of the season to the Lions and the Rams, and then they fell in Week 18 again to the Lions before the playoff disaster against the Rams. That's 14 wins in 18 games with losses to only two teams.

"We had a special group," Metellus said. "This team one of the best teams I've ever been on. The sky was the limit for us, but it was all about going 1-0 and today we was 0-1 and that just happened to be the last one."

Metellus will be back with the Vikings next season but the guys in the defensive back room around him could look completely different. Harrison Smith could retire while Cam Bynum, Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy and Shaq Griffin are all due to become free agents in March.

"I got family for life," said Metellus. "I got family for life in thesee guys. We had a special room. Just happy and grateful and honored to be able to play football with these guys and be able to do the things I love with the people I love."

"Nobody believed in us when we started, nobody believes in us now," he added. "All we had was each other, and that's what was so special about it."

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.

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