E.J. Wants To Stay In Minny

As many of you know, I have a personal bias towards E.J. Henderson, as he has been one of my favorite Vikings of the modern era.

Like Jim Kleinsasser, who will retire following this game, Henderson has spent his entire career in Minnesota. With one more sack in today’s game, he can move into third place for the most sacks by a Vikings linebacker which, as if you didn’t know, puts him into some pretty elite company.

He has 744 tackles in his career, 15.5 sacks, five interceptions, a touchdown, and 10 forced fumbles. Not to mention, he made one of the most successful comebacks in team history after a broken leg derailed his 2009 season.

Henderson has not been the same player since that injury, however, and even I have to admit a noticeable drop-off in his play has contributed to this season’s disappointing outcome.

Henderson will see his contract expire after this season and while he is hopeful to finish his career as a Viking, he admits that he has not heard from the Vikings front office.

“It’s natural coming up on your last year, always wondering where you’re going to be at next September,” Henderson explained. “So, of course, it’s been on my mind, but I’m trying to stay positive and hopefully in the next couple of months we can get something done and I’ll still be a Viking.”

The 2003 second round selection could very well be playing his last game wearing purple this weekend, and that might make a certain amount of sense, but it sure will be sad to see him go.

I’ll have my #56 jersey on as I watch the game today.

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