Vikings Waive Adam Thielen on His Request for More Playing Time

The Minnesota Vikings waived veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen on Monday, granting the 35-year-old's request to seek a larger role elsewhere during what he has described as his final NFL season.

The move came after Thielen's representatives approached the team last week, expressing his desire for more playing time in the season's closing weeks. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah issued a statement explaining the decision. "Following discussions through the weekend and out of respect for Adam, we have agreed to give him the opportunity to pursue more playing time elsewhere," Adofo-Mensah wrote. "Adam is one of the all-time great Vikings, and we wish him and his family continued success."

Thielen, a Minnesota native who began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings in 2013, spent his first nine seasons with the team before signing with the Carolina Panthers as a free agent in 2023. He returned to Minnesota in August through a trade that sent a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick to Carolina in exchange for Thielen, a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick. The acquisition was intended to provide depth at wide...