Gophers Legend Made Saturday Fun for Vikings

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports.

The Minnesota Vikings signed Mohamed Ibrahim before their final preseason contest on Saturday. The Minnesota Gophers football legend is unlikely to make the team, and his presence Saturday took some pressure off other backs. Still, it was fun to see Ibrahim in purple and gold, even just for a weekend.

Gophers Legend Made Saturday Fun

The all-time Minnesota Gophers rushing leader appeared in a game for the Detroit Lions last season. That action is his only NFL exposure during the regular season to date. It’s not entirely shocking that a running back with significant miles on his tires wouldn’t be prioritized at the highest level.

vikings
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

For everything that he accomplished as an amateur athlete, it was always going to be an uphill battle for Ibrahim to factor in at the next level. There is a possibility that Ibrahim could hit the Vikings practice squad. Last season Minnesota watched in disbelief after Alexander Mattison flopped out of the gate. The starter couldn’t get anything going, and the entire unit fell apart.

Minnesota now has Aaron Jones to lead the running back room, and he should be expected to carry the load. The longtime Green Bay Packers running back has always been an impressive talent. The only thing that has ever held him back has been injury. Minnesota will hope to keep Jones fresh, and they can do that by sprinkling in Ty Chandler.

Detroit Lions quarterback Nate Sudfeld (10) passes the ball to running back Mohamed Ibrahim (33) against the New York Giants during the first half of a preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. © Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press / USA TODAY NETWORK.

Chandler also proved capable of handling a lead-back role last year, and he should have ample opportunity to get looks. Beyond the top tandem, things get much more questionable. Kene Nwangwu finally looks like a traditional running back, which means he should also find avenues for work. If there is to be a next man up, Ibrahim or whoever is on the practice squad, could be called upon.

It would be fun to see the Gophers perform well in a game that counts for the Vikings, but that probably also reflects a reality in which injuries have run their course once again.

gophers legend
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

If nothing else, seeing Ibrahim get work in the preseason was a fun reminder of his talent.


Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.