Vikings Announce 8 Team Captains
The Minnesota Vikings travel to the East Coast this weekend for a game against the New York Giants. And on Wednesday, Kevin O’Connell named eight team captains to prepare for that event and the 2024 season.
Vikings Announce 8 Team Captains
The purple team is expected to win about six or seven games this year.
Whether they shatter that forecast, adhere to it, or check in as a bottom-feeder, the Vikings will be represented by these eight men as team captains:
- Andrew DePaola (LS)
- Sam Darnold (QB)
- CJ Ham (FB)
- Justin Jefferson (WR)
- Josh Metellus (S)
- Brian O’Neill (RT)
- Harrison Phillips (DL)
- Harrison Smith (S)
The list — coincidence or not — also reflects most of the team’s older players outside of new arrivals like cornerback Stephon Gilmore. The veterans were well taken care of regarding captaincy.
DePaola joined the Vikings in 2020, manning long-snapping duties since — with two sweet Pro Bowls for his troubles. He’s back in the saddle for another season at age 37. Darnold, the newest player on the list, became a Viking in March when Minnesota used free agency for a veteran quarterback presence. Darnold battled rookie passer J.J. McCarthy earlier this summer for the QB1 job, a competition that ended when McCarthy tore his meniscus.
Ham is also a seasoned veteran, though the Vikings don’t use him too often on offense. As a captain, however, Ham is a mainstay. His otherworldly teammate, Justin Jefferson, recently signed the richest non-quarterback contract in NFL history and is attached to the Vikings for the long haul. His new deal directly aligns with McCarthy’s rookie contract end date. The future is rosy between those two.
Metellus earned the captain honor last year, carrying it over to 2024 when the Swiss Army knife commodity will fly all over Brian Flores’ defense. Minnesota drafted Brian O’Neill in 2018, and he’s held down the fort on the right side of the offensive line for six seasons. O’Neill is a Viking through and through and isn’t going anywhere.
Then, it’s the Harrisons. Phillips signed on the dotted line at the dawn of the Kevin O’Connell era two years ago, solidifying the guts of the defensive line. The season is scheduled to be his last in Minnesota, although the Vikings could extend his contract at any minute. The other Harrison — Smith or The Hitman — is Minnesota’s longest-tenured player, returning for Year No. 12 in 2024.
Because the Vikings’ roster feels young — by the numbers, it really is not — there were no real snubs for captaincy. Before too long, players like Christian Darrisaw (LT) and Ivan Pace Jr. (ILB) will likely get their flowers.
Minnesota’s meeting with New York on Sunday is the first with the Giants since Daniel Jones and Co. jettisoned the purple team from the postseason in January 2023.
The J.J. McCarthy Rumor Is … Bittersweet
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.