The confluence of events that led K.J. Osborn to flaming car wreckage under a bridge in the middle of the night stuck with the Vikings receiver days later, as did the recent revelation that he shares "close mutual friends" with the man he helped save from the burning vehicle in Texas.
"I'd never been to Austin," said Osborn of the city where his trainer lives. "And I missed my first Uber. So if I would've got in the first Uber, I would've never seen that. [And] we have close mutual friends, so I'm excited to get to speak to him privately and just get a chance to shake his hand or something."
Late Sunday night, Osborn looked down at his phone when, as the 25-year-old receiver recalled, his driver saw the wreck and stopped. Another vehicle with two other bystanders stopped behind them. About four minutes later, Osborn credited his Uber driver with helping to lead a rescue effort in which they helped carry a man away from the wreckage.
Osborn saw flames engulf the vehicle and heard tires pop.
"We were the only option," he said, "and that's why I applauded [the driver] so much. Even if I was the driver, I can't say 100% I would've stopped and if I did, I don't know what I would do in that situation."
As of Wednesday morning when he spoke with Twin Cities reporters via video conference, Osborn said he hadn't spoken with the man he'd helped save. But he learned Tuesday that they shared mutual friends, and Osborn plans to reach out.
After the accident, Osborn posted photos of the scene and of the four-person rescue group on social media. Anticipating attention as an NFL player, the Vikings wide reciver said he wanted to include the other three rescuers — and that he's shared with them the responses he's received.
"They're not really on social media," Osborn said, "so I'm telling them this story: 'Millions of people are seeing this, and I want you guys to know that people are grateful for you as well.' Of course, they're going to talk about the football player, those three are heroes."
Quarterback Kirk Cousins posted on social media that the story is "on brand" for Osborn, a 2020 fifth-round draft pick who has established himself as a reliable receiver and well-liked teammate over three seasons. Osborn has said before about how he wants to turn a criminal justice degree into a job with the FBI, and what happened in Austin had him daydreaming about other career visions.
"Obviously the NFL is working right now," Osborn said, "but definitely something that could happen down the line."
