Ex-Steelers CB Says Vikings Destined for NFC Championship in 2022

Ex-Steelers CB Says Vikings Destined for NFC Championship in 2022
Bryant McFadden

Former Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Bryant McFadden has bold thoughts about the 2022 Minnesota Vikings, picking the franchise to reach the NFC Championship in 2022.

McFadden, a cousin to Vikings corner Patrick Peterson, made the prediction during his CBS Sports podcast “All Things Covered” on Monday.

“My bold prediction for the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 — they will make it to the NFC title game. Print the tee-shirts,” McFadden said with NFL columnist Pete Prisco to his side.

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Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.

McFadden commented about the obvious NFC frontrunners like the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers but relied on Minnesota’s “underdog” feeling to substantiate the bold part of his hypothesis.

Most sportsbooks slate the Vikings to win 9.5 games in 2022, a mark that rose from 8.5 wins within the last month. Driblets of enthusiasm seemed to emanate from the team’s training camp while bettors swallowed up the 8.5-win over-under.

Back in July, another former NFL cornerback chose the Vikings as a “dark horse” team, too. Will Blackmon tweeted about Minnesota as an unexpected Super Bowl participant, although he indicated that he picks the franchise annually.

For McFadden and Blackmon to be correct, Minnesota must have an instant acclimation from first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings fired the former general manager and head coach when the 2021 regular season ended and welcomed Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (GM) and O’Connell as replacements. Compared to most management and coaching overhauls, Minnesota made very few roster moves, evidently banking on the fact the prior brand of leadership was to blame — not the players.

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Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell

Adofo-Mensah retained two key players, Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, who soak up big money per individual contracts. Then, he signed free agents Za’Darius Smith (EDGE), Jordan Hicks (LB), Harrison Phillips (DT), Chandon Sullivan (CB), Chris Reed (OL), Jesse Davis (OL), and others to fill out the depth chart. Minnesota also drafted Lewis Cine (S), Andrew Booth (CB), and Ed Ingram (OG) with 2nd-Round-or-higher draft capital.

And on the same day that McFadden instructed viewers to print NFC Championship tee-shirts, the Vikings upgraded at QB2 by trading a conditional 7th-Round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for Nick Mullens.

Overall, regarding McFadden’s declaration, the Vikings own +4,000 odds to win Super Bowl LVII.

Patrick Peterson is a co-host with McFadden on the All Things Covered podcast.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).


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