Travel chaos keeps Vikings penned on planes and buses for nearly 11 hours

A mechanical issue forced the original flight to turn back to MSP while over southern Wisconsin.

Vikings players exit the plane after landing in New York late Saturday night. | Image courtesy of the Minnesota Viking

It was nearly 11 p.m. EST on Saturday when the Vikings' team plane touched down in Newark, New Jersey, the result of a mechanical issue that forced pilots to turn the original team flight back to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport shortly after taking off.

"Wheels on the ground," Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers confirmed at 10:46 p.m. EST.

The Vikings departed MSP on Saturday afternoon, only to have a mechanical issue force the jet back to MSP about an hour after takeoff. Former Vikings linebacker and current sideline reporter for the Vikings Radio Network, Ben Leber, was on the flight and said the landing gear hatch didn't close, forcing the decision to turn back over southern Wisconsin.

The Vikings had a rough travel day. | Ben Leber

“Shortly after departing, the team plane experienced mechanical issues that required a return to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport,” the Vikings said in a statement.

According to Flight Radar, the plane turned back just after 2 p.m. CT and returned to MSP an hour later. The team wound up boarding a second plane, but they didn't depart MSP until roughly 7:45 p.m. CT.

Vikings radio announcer Paul Allen said on the Sunday morning pregame show that they spent about 10 1/2 hours on planes and buses on Saturday, ultimately arriving at the team hotel in New Jersey around 11:45 p.m. EST.

It's the first major plane incident involving the Vikings since Christmas Eve 2024, when the team's plane slid off the runway in snowy Green Bay.

The Vikings and Giants kick off at 12 p.m. CT.