Unthinkable Scenario Possible for Vikings Schedule
In nine days, the NFL will release the 2025 regular season schedule, revealing times and dates for 256 games from September to January.
Unthinkable Scenario Possible for Vikings Schedule
The Minnesota Vikings are on deck for a difficult schedule — just like last year — but another rumor has bubbled to the surface.
The purple team could play back-to-back games overseas.
Credible Source Suggests Back-to-Back Int’l Showdowns for Vikings
NFL Nerd, a social media account with impressive accuracy, tweeted Sunday: “It’s possible the Vikings end up playing back-to-back games overseas this season: Week 4 vs Steelers (Dublin). Week 5 vs Browns (Tottenham).”
Of course, taking on the Steelers and Browns consecutively in Ireland and England is just a theory, but it cannot be ruled out. Minnesota, as a franchise, adores playing internationally, broadening the fan base with such efforts.
Versus the Steelers in Dublin?
The Steelers-in-Dublin rumor has been percolating for a couple of months now, and last weekend, a radio host, Andrew Fillipponi, from 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh tweeted, “Source: The Steelers will host the Vikings in Ireland on September 28th. Not the Packers. Contrary to popular belief.”
Like NFL Nerd, Fillipponi isn’t a hot-take merchant or troll account. If he says the Vikings will play the Steelers in Ireland, he’s probably correct.
Last month, Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling mentioned that Minnesota was a likely candidate to play in Dublin this fall, so Fillipponi’s tweet was more like confirmation of a theory already prevalent.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis said on his podcast last week: “The more interesting question that I’m just gonna leave right here is how many overseas games are there going to be? Because Dublin against the Steelers is something I’ve heard, and then we’ll see if beyond that if there’s anything else, but the passport is at the ready.”
The Following Week vs. Browns in London?
The newcomer to the overseas rumors? A second game in as many weeks at London, likely against Cleveland.
In January, Minnesota found its way to a list from the Akron Beacon Journal of probable Browns’ opponents for London in 2025.
Chris Easterling wrote, “How about running 2017 back again? You’d get Kevin Stefanski against the team for which he was the quarterbacks coach when these teams met back then. You’d also get a Vikings team wondering why they drew a third international game at the same venue in the last four seasons, so that would seem to push this one down the list.”
And in March, the Vikings were in an index from CBS Sports of the Browns’ possible opponents in England, too.
John Breech wrote about Cleveland playing in London: “The Browns are headed to London for the first time in eight years. The last time they were in England came in 2017 when they played the Vikings. Although a rematch would make some sense, the Vikings went to London last year, so they’re probably out. The 49ers haven’t been to London since 2013, so they certainly feel like an option.
“The Titans also feel like an attractive option since they’ll be featuring the potential No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft (if they don’t trade the pick away).”
Breech pumping the brakes on a rematch for Browns-Vikings is notable.
Two Road Games, So Who Really Cares?
Some fans used social media to immediately decry consecutive games at Dublin and London.
But, truth be told, who cares? Both contests are considered road games, no matter what, for Minnesota, so firing up the European doubleheader shouldn’t much affect the 2025 squad. It’s worth mentioning that two road games overseas might even be advantageous to the purple team because they would eliminate otherwise hostile road crowds in American stadiums.
While unusual, fans shouldn’t be miffed about the notion of playing at Dublin and London in a seven-day span.
Undefeated in London
Minnesota is undefeated in London (4-0), defeating the Steelers in 2013, the Browns in 2017, the Saints in 2022, and the Jets last year. In fact, the club even won an exhibition game in England during the 1980s, so the franchise is 5-0 if one wants to extend the criteria.
The back-to-back overseas rumor will be debunked or confirmed within the next week and a half.
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