Tyreek Hill Re-Proves Vikings Fandom
Dustin Baker
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Last November, Miami Dolphins wide receiver revealed his childhood ardor for the Minnesota Vikings on TikTok.
Yes, them. He said, “Growing up a kid, I was a Minnesota Vikings fan. I love the Vikes, man.”
Tyreek Hill Re-Proves Vikings Fandom
Hill was born in 1994, so he may remember some of the Randy Moss era, a player who assuredly created a sizable sect of the Vikings current fan base. But more realistically, Hill was probably an Adrian Peterson-infused purple fan, a theory Hill seemed to substantiate this week.
Hill hosted should-be-phenom running back Bijan Robinson on his It Needed to Be Said podcast last week, via the Vocal Podcast Network, and the two tunneled into a discussion about the top five halfbacks in league history. The Dolphins wideouts listed these five men as his GOATs:
- Adrian Peterson
- Derrick Henry
- Barry Sanders
- Gayle Sayers
- Eric Dickerson
The two squabbled about LaDanian Tomlinson’s exclusion from Hill’s list but universally agreed with Peterson in the Top 5, and Hill insisted Peterson belonged at the top. Hill curiously failed to mention Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.
Peterson, 38, was asked about retirement this May, Peterson opined, “Mentally, I haven’t officially hung it up. We’ll see what happens. My mindset is, if God’s willing, maybe an opportunity presents itself, and maybe it happens this season. I’ll go from there. But nothing happens this season. For sure, I will be hanging it up.”
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence E. Hill Jr. then appeared to link Peterson to the Dallas Cowboys, “Peterson was once linked to the Cowboys following his departure from the Vikings. Following the release of Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys are in the market for short-yardage back.”
Hill Jr. then asked his readers, “Could Peterson be an option in training camp or some point in 2023?”
Regardless of Peterson’s 2023 plans — he probably won’t land a meaningful job as a running back on any team — he still commands respect from his peers. Peterson won the NFL MVP award in 2012 and, to date, was the last non-quarterback to win the trophy. Since Peterson hoisted the hardware 11 years ago, the award morphed into a ‘quarterback thing.’
Hill’s Dolphins should be on tap for an exciting season. The club finished 9-8 last year, reached the postseason for the first time in 2016, and lost to the Buffalo Bills in a suspense-thriller game five months ago. Miami is scheduled to win 9 or 10 games in head coach Mike McDaniel’s second season, whereas the Vikings are slated for eight or nine, according to oddsmakers.
Interestingly, Hill could soon play with a different former Vikings running back — the Dolphins have headlined the Dalvin Cook rumor mill for three-plus months, and Cook could land with his hometown team by the time the regular season kicks off.
The Vikings took down Hill’s Dolphins in Miami last October.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray also grew up as a Vikings fan.
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 Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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