Former Viking Plots NFL Comeback
Remember Kenny Willekes, the ex-Minnesota Vikings defensive end from the end of Mike Zimmer’s tenure?
Former Vikings defender Kenny Willekes says he’s ready. Coming off the steam of a sweet UFL showing, he’s ready to take on the pros again.
He wants back in the big leagues.
Willekes is fresh off the steam of a successful UFL season, and the 27-year-old hopes to strike while the iron is hot. His Michigan Panthers lost the championship a few weeks ago, but he’s hungry for the NFL.
Kenny Willekes Wants Back in the NFL
NFL training camps heat up in about four weeks, and Willekes made sure to tweet a highlight montage of himself. He did so on X, formerly known as Twitter, and tweeted, “The UFL: Thankful for the Journey 🙏🏼. NFL: I’m Ready 📞. First 48.”
It’s unclear how eager teams will be to sign on Willekes’ dotted line. Yet, if the man felt he had a reasonable shot at returning to the NFL, that time is now.
There won’t be any more momentum than right now.
A Comeback Could Come Calling for Kenny Willekes
There will never be a better time for Kenny Willekes than now regarding an NFL reunion.
Willekes’ Recent UFL Stint
Willekes actually wrecked the UFL. He tabulated 14 quarterback hits, far outpacing any of his UFL peers. The ex-Viking also banked 3.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, and 31 tackles, with an 86.0 Pro Football Focus grade to boot.
Regrettably, and somewhat true to Willekes’ form, he missed the UFL title game when his Panthers lost to the DC Defenders, a team led by former Vikings quarterback Jordan Ta’amu. A hip injury sidelined him, which is evidently healed if the man is campaigning for a spot on an NFL team.
Career with Vikings
Minnesota found Willekes in the 2020 NFL Draft, fruit of the Stefon Diggs trade with the Buffalo Bills that also netted Justin Jefferson and Camryn Bynum.
Injuries wholly sullied Willekes’ time in Minnesota; something was always wrong.
All told, he stacked 202 defensive snaps with the purple team, all in the 2021 campaign, and accrued 9 quarterback pressures, 2.5 sacks, and 18 total tackles. The verdict was pretty clear on Willekes that season: when healthy, he made an impact.
The problem was long-term health. He habitually ended up on injured reserve.
Possible Landing Spots?
The New York Giants might make sense to give Willekes a summer look, as former Vikings defensive coordinator Andre Patterson is the defensive line coach for that squad. The Arizona Cardinals could check some boxes, too, with Nick Rallis on their coaching staff. He served as Minnesota’s defensive quality control coach when Willekes began his NFL career.
Ex-Vikings general manager Rick Spielman drafted Willekes in 2020. Spielman now works in the New York Jets’ front office.
SI.com on Willekes
Aidan Champion of SI.com provided more Willekes context two weeks ago: “Former Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes wasn’t able to help the Michigan Panthers in their final attempt at a UFL title as they fell, 58-34, to the DC Defenders in the UFL Championship on Saturday night. It was the third-straight game Willekes was out, as he’s been dealing with a hip injury.”
“His former Spartan teammate, quarterback Rocky Lombardi, is also on the team and got the start in the Panthers’ season finale loss to the Houston Roughnecks. Willekes experienced the true underdog story with the Spartans, evolving from a walk-on to a star, earning himself the Burlsworth Trophy for his final season, an award given annually to the top player who began their collegiate career as a walk-on.”
Willekes will turn 28 in three weeks.
Champion continued, “He is Michigan State’s all-time leader in tackles for loss with 51.0, and his 26.0 career sacks rank third in program history. Willekes was also the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten honoree and was a two-time Walter Camp All-American.”
“It was unfortunate that Willekes’ season was cut short this season, as he was on a great track to finish with a statement stat line on the year and could have given himself a strong case to get called back up to the league. Perhaps he still did enough to prove he should.”
Don’t be surprised if Willekes gets the NFL call in the next few weeks, if only to end up on a team’s practice squad.
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