Vikings Coach Promises a Personal ‘Griddy,’ but There’s a Catch.

Vikings Coach Promises a Personal 'Griddy," but There's a Catch.
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell may soon give his rendition of Justin Jefferson’s “Griddy” touchdown dance.

But there’s a catch — his team must reach the NFC Championship.

That’s right. O’Connell put out a bounty on his dance moves — get to Championship Weekend, fellas, and the skipper will do the thing. Well, he didn’t use those precise words, but you get it.

Here’s what O’Connell said about the Griddy stakes:

The Vikings hired O’Connell after back-to-back mediocre seasons in 2020 and 2021. Before joining Minnesota, O’Connell won a Super Bowl in Los Angeles as the Rams offensive coordinator.

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Kevin O’Connell

And intimately familiar with Championship Weekends via Matthew Stafford and friends, O’Connell put a “final four” price on his version of Justin Jefferson’s touchdown celebration dance. Jefferson popularized the gambol as a rookie in 2020, and now seemingly everyone in the NFL seemingly offers their interpretation of the dance after touchdowns.

O’Connell will join the dozens of others doing the Griddy if the Vikings reach the NFC Championship, perhaps reminiscent of Brett Favre’s “Pants on the Ground” dance in 2009. Thankfully for the Vikings players’ sake, reaching the NFC title game isn’t far-fetched. The team is 9-2 through 12 weeks, possessing a 99% chance of winning the NFC North — as early as this weekend — and 6.5 to 1 odds of winning the NFC Championship, per sportsbooks.

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Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

Not all Griddies are created equal, though. Jefferson’s is chatoyant and silky, while other folks’ have served up godforsaken abominations like this:

MIke Gesicki's Godforsaken Griddy
Mike Gesicki’s Godforsaken Griddy

It is unclear if O’Connell’s spin on the dance will emulate Jefferson’s or the mess illustrated above.

This is the gold standard Griddy:

Justin Jefferson non-Godforsaken Griddy
Justin Jefferson’s non-Godforsaken Griddy

The Vikings host the New York Jets on Sunday, a team holding the AFC’s seventh seed through 12 weeks. Minnesota is favored by three points and must win to keep eyes locked on the NFC’s No. 1 overall seed.

Minnesota hasn’t reached an NFC Championship in five years.


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 Sal Spice. 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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