The Minnesota Vikings announced they have waived veteran WR Adam Thielen , honoring his request to be released in what he says will be his final NFL season.
The #Vikings have waived WR Adam Thielen. pic.twitter.com/ahAft1Wxv6
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 1, 2025
The two sides reunited in a trade coming out of the preseason this year, with the Vikings seeking a familiar face to guard against injuries in a banged up receiving corps.
Since then, however, Thielen has played just sparingly. He was a healthy scratch this past week and is seeking a bigger role with a different team.
He also released a statement thanking the team and explaining himself.
— Adam Thielen (@athielen19) December 1, 2025
Thielen, 35, wound up signing on with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State-Mankato back in 2013. He spent his rookie season on the Vikings’ practice squad before returning to the team on a future/reserve contract the following year.
Minnesota brought Thielen back for the 2015 season on a one-year exclusive rights deal before signing him to a four-year, $19.240 million contract that included $11 million guaranteed in 2017.
Thielen was set to make base salaries of $5.85 million and $5.35 million before agreeing to a four-year extension in 2019 worth as much as $73 million. The Vikings opted to release back in 2023.
From there, Thielen signed a three-year, $25 million contract with Carolina. He was entering the final year of that deal when the Panthers traded him back to the Vikings coming out of the preseason.
In 2025, Thielen has appeared in 11 games for the Vikings and caught eight passes on 18 targets for 69 yards receiving and no touchdowns.
