Former Vikings QB Joins USFL
Dustin Baker
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It’s not Kyle Sloter — he plays in the XFL for the Arlington Renegades — but former Minnesota Vikings quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson has ended his run in the CFL and joined the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers this week.
Bethel-Thompson was last associated with the Vikings in 2014.
Former Vikings QB Joins USFL
Zone Coverage’s Wendell Ferreira tweeted Wednesday, “After six years as a QB for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL (basically five seasons as the starter), McLeod Bethel-Thompson has signed with the Breakers of the USFL. The 34-year-old QB played for the 49ers, Dolphins, Vikings, Patriots, and Eagles in the NFL.”
Bethel-Thompson has lived a gridiron odyssey. He played collegiately at UCLA and Sacramento State and joined the Arena Football League fresh out of Sacramento State. That stint was short, as he hopped to the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 but was released soon after. Bethel-Thompson then became a Sacramento Mountain Lion (USFL) days later and played a couple of games.
After that, a prolonged NFL trip ensued, and he experienced employment with Miami Dolphins, Vikings, 49ers again, New England Patriots, Vikings and Dolphins again in 2014-2015, the 49ers for a third time, and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016.
Unbelievably, between five NFL teams in six seasons, McLeod-Thompson never took a regular season snap. It was all summertime camp battles and preseason action, vying to make September rosters, mostly to no avail.
He did hit it big after the final 2016 Eagles adventure, though, joining the CFL and winning two Grey Cup championships while earning All-Star recognition twice in 2021 and 2022. With the Argonauts, he delivered 13,265 passing yards, 70 passing touchdowns, and 49 interceptions in 6 years. It was technically 5 seasons because the 2020 season was canceled to the coronavirus pandemic.
Interestingly, the aforementioned Kyle Sloter led the New Orleans Breakers in their inaugural season last year, making it all the way to the league’s semifinal showdown. He was also a part of the ‘All-USFL’ team, a prestigious honor from the young league. The Breakers are evidently a spot for former Vikings signal-callers.
For reference, McLeod-Thompson was last with the Vikings in 2014 on the practice squad as a backup quarterback to Matt Cassel and then-rookie Teddy Bridgewater.
McLeod-Thompson will turn 35 in July.
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,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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