CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For the first time in his 11-year career, Adam Thielen's facing a new opponent: the Minnesota Vikings, the team that gave Thielen his first opportunity back in 2013.
Unsurprisingly, Thielen said it's going to be an emotional pre-game Sunday when he warms up with the Vikings on the opposing sideline. It's not easy switching sides after spending a decade with a single team, as evidenced by Thielen's media availability with reporters Wednesday.
"It's already been a little bit weird," Thielen said. "I've never obviously game-planned for our defense, or the Vikings defense, I should say."
You'll have to forgive Thielen for the slip. After spending a decade in Minnesota, he and his entire family are still getting adjusted to life in the Carolinas. For Thielen, it was like starting all over again, which he says is paying dividends despite an 0-3 start for Panthers.
"I felt like a rookie again," Thielen said of joining the Panthers organization. "I have to go out there and prove it every day. They don't know what I can do, who I am as a person or a player, which has been a good thing for me."
Thielen signed a three-year deal with Carolina after he was released by Minnesota. He ranks third in Vikings franchise history in receptions and receiving touchdowns, making the Pro Bowl twice (2017, 2018). He admitted there were times he thought 2022 was the end of his career before believing he has a greater purpose than making plays.
"I'd be lying if said there weren't thoughts last season that maybe that was it," Thielen shared. "But I felt like I still have a lot left to give to this game. I prayed on it, I talked about it with my wife, and I feel I have more to give, not just on the field. God has me in a locker room for a reason and it's not just to go out there and make plays."
The veteran said his experience with the Vikings won't help much with the game plan because of a new defensive scheme but he's still excited for Sunday. Not only to catch up with old friends and teammates, but to prove the tank isn't empty. Thielen had the best game of his season against Seattle, hauling in 11 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown.
"I'm not the type of person to hold grudges," Thielen said. "I just think it is what it is. I'm happy where I'm at, and I think for me, I can't look at the past, I'm just focusing on the now. There's a lot of emotions, right? I'm just trying to be the same person every single day and focus on what I'm doing."
Thielen is still a Vikings fan, though. His youngest son, Hudson, plays for the Vikings in his flag football league. And his favorite player, even with dad on a new team, is Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson. His other son's flag team? The Panthers, of course.
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