There’s something different in the Charlotte air for former Minnesota Vikings wideout Adam Thielen—and it’s not just the temperature.
Following the team’s first outing of voluntary minicamp on Tuesday, Thielen was asked about his jump to the Carolina Panthers this offseason.
“Yeah, it feels like a whole different world for me,” he replied with a smile. “Super exciting. Kind of a breath of fresh air just to, ya know, I gotta go prove myself again. I gotta meet a lot of people and prove that I’m the player that I am.”
That player spent each of his nine NFL seasons in Minnesota, where he also grew up as a Detroit Lakes native. His time with the Vikings resulted in 534 catches, 6,682 receiving yards, 56 total touchdowns and a pair of Pro Bowl nods.
On March 19, Thielen agreed to terms on a three-year, $25 million pact with the Panthers—one he later said was inspired by the feeling of something special.
“There’s a lot of factors, obviously,” the 32-year-old said of his decision to sign with Carolina. “But I think it comes down to the plan—the opportunity to build towards something special. And when I came here, I felt that the culture that was being built. I felt the excitement around this place. There’s just something that felt right. And that’s exciting. And I felt that every single day that I’ve been in here.”
And maybe Thielen and the Panthers will be feeling that even more after Thursday, when the team finally selects who they hope to be their next franchise quarterback.
