Inside The Vikings

The Vikings' Defense Broke Out All Kinds of Celebrations on MNF

Who's behind the Vikings' defensive celebrations from Monday night's win?
Will Ragatz|
The Vikings' Defense Broke Out All Kinds of Celebrations on MNF
The Vikings' Defense Broke Out All Kinds of Celebrations on MNF

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Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings' defense went all out with its celebrations during Monday night's big upset win over the 49ers.

First, after forcing and recovering a fumble early in the game, they did the limbo. Ivan Pace Jr. and Harrison Phillips held up Akayleb Evans so the rest of the defense could walk underneath him. Everyone except for Harrison Smith, who forgot the plan and then raced over a bit too late.

Later, after an apparent fumble recovery, they broke out another classic: A game of duck duck gray duck in the end zone.

When Camryn Bynum picked off two Brock Purdy passes in the fourth quarter to seal the game, he celebrated by doing the worm, posing for pictures in the end zone, and doing a DB backpedal drill in front of the camera.

According to multiple players, rookie cornerback NaJee Thompson was appointed by Brian Flores as the Vikings' celebration coordinator. The team has emphasized the importance of having fun and celebrating big plays, especially during this recent two-game winning streak where they've created three takeaways in consecutive outings.

"Before the Bears game, we literally cut out part of our meeting to plan celebrations as a team," Bynum told Kay Adams. "If you're not celebrating, you're getting put on the spot in film (sessions). As soon as we started planning these celebrations, the heightened awareness for turnovers is just through the roof."

"Once we appointed NaJee as the celebration coordinator, we started getting the turnovers," Harrison Smith said on The Pat McAfee Show. "The more you anticipate it, the more you talk about it, it starts happening."

We'll see what the Vikings have planned next if they can keep the takeaways flowing.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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