Nelson Thielen

Orlando

Remember that annoying kid in your high school youth group? He’s all grown up. Go #Vikings. Go #Seminoles. I write about the Vikings for https://t.co/Sr962tDeIO

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Articles

The Vikings Veterans Showed Out For J.J. McCarthy, and That Means Something

1 week ago | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen

We’ve officially reached the point of the offseason where it would be impossible to explain to someone like my wife what the differences between the various practice phases mean. My wife loves watching football during the season and will even humor me when I rant endlessly about free agency or the draft. She easily understands the concept of training camp. But rookie minicamp? Mandatory minicamp? Organized team activities?
Are the Vikings Battle-Tested Enough To Win In The Postseason?

2 weeks ago | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen

I am just about the most casual, bandwagon Minnesota Timberwolves fan in human history. I’m essentially the equivalent of your midwestern, suburban mom leaning in to check on the score from the kitchen while I’m busy working on my tater tot casserole. I understand nothing about the nuances of basketball.
How You Feel About the Vikings’ International Stint in 2025 Is A Rorschach Test For Your Fandom

3 weeks ago | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen

Fandom is a fascinating phenomenon. Most of us decide to like a team as children, maybe because of a favorite player or family ties, and then proceed to let it have complete and full control of our mental state every weekend for 18 weeks of the year. And that’s not even including the offseason and draft. This can mean a difficult relationship with your fandom, particularly those of us who somehow ended up as Minnesota Vikings fans. There are many types of fans.
How Long Will the Vikings Keep People Waiting For 'Purple Smoke' On J.J. McCarthy?

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen

As a lifelong Catholic and devout Minnesota Vikings follower, it’s interesting to see the world suddenly become so invested in this thing I love. That is, unless they’re doing something particularly scandalous or embarrassing. I’m speaking, of course, about the Minnesota Vikings, with a quarterback conundrum that’s apparently as riddled with all the drama and secrecy of the Papal Conclave.
Donovan Jackson Paves the Way For J.J. McCarthy

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen

I almost can’t bring myself to type the words. It feels crazy to say. How many times over the last decade and a half of Minnesota Vikings football have fans and analysts lamented the offensive line woes above all else? How many times have you seen the comment Can he play guard? under any free-agent signing or draft pick? Well, Donovan Jackson can indeed play guard, and he might have just cemented a top-five offensive line in all of football.
Minnesota Is the Perfect Place For Walter Nolen To Reach His Sky High Potential

1 month ago | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen |Cole Smith |Joshua Badroos |Wyatt Wade

What’s your favorite NFL draft “character concern” story? I’m not talking about something genuinely horrific, like domestic violence or drunk driving. I’m talking about the weird stuff. Robert Nkemdiche out of the window. Laremy Tunsil’s gas mask bong. Will Levis putting mayo in his coffee and eating bananas with the peel on. The reality of the NFL draft is that these franchises spend a lot of time and money trying to vet and learn everything they possibly can about these guys.
Why Is the National Media Still Pushing the Rodgers-To-Minnesota Narrative?

2 months ago | zonecoverage.com | Chris Schad |Preet Mukesh Shah |John Boyd |Nelson Thielen

The saga between the Minnesota Vikings and Aaron Rodgers will not die. One week after the Vikings seemingly closed the door on an unholy alliance, Rodgers slinked his way through the Pittsburgh Steelers facility and right back into Kevin O’Connell‘s ear. The past week didn’t do anything to calm anyone’s fears. J.J. McCarthy told Kay Adams that the Vikings haven’t told him he’s their starting quarterback.
Shavon Revel Perfectly Fits Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Emerging Philosophy

2 months ago | zonecoverage.com | Preet Mukesh Shah |John Boyd |Nelson Thielen

The Minnesota Vikings have patched up most of the holes on the front end of their defense over the past two offseasons, bringing in players like Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Dallas Turner to bolster the pass-rushing unit while adding impressive middle linebackers like Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson to captain the defense. While Minnesota’s front seven has become a significant strength, the secondary still comparatively lags.
Maxwell Hairston Would Bring A Different Element To Minnesota's Secondary

2 months ago | zonecoverage.com | John Boyd |Nelson Thielen |Preet Mukesh Shah |Cole Smith

With the brunt of free agency in the rearview, the NFL world’s collective gaze has shifted to April’s draft. The Minnesota Vikings currently hold a league-low four picks. While they may acquire more, their half-empty war chest is less of an issue than it would be for most teams. Minnesota’s front office navigated free agency in such a way that they can now approach the draft with an open mind.
Constructing the Perfect Trade Back Scenarios for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

2 months ago | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen |Preet Mukesh Shah |Cole Smith |Wyatt Wade

Every draft season, being the absolute lunatic that I am, I have a ritual the week before the draft. I watch the 2014 Kevin Costner instant classic Draft Day. Draft Day is one of my favorite bad movies of all time. Its plot is nonsense, and most of the movie feels like bad NFL GM cosplay, but man, I love it.