Vikings' Adam Thielen: Wouldn't Be in NFL with Challenges UFA Players Face Now

Minnesota Vikings star Adam Thielen knows he beat the odds as an undrafted free agent in 2014.

Few players who hail from Division II NCAA programs make their way to the pros and even fewer develop into Pro Bowlers. It's why the wideout feels for all the NFL hopefuls in the same situation he was in who are now trying to crack a roster amid a pandemic. 

"I know that if I was going through this offseason as a rookie, I wouldn't be in the NFL," Thielen told Chris Tomasson of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. "There's no chance. So, that part is difficult, but at the same time it's a unique situation that nobody could have anticipated."

The challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic have limited the opportunities for lesser-known athletes to showcase their talents. Without an invite to camp, it'll be more difficult than ever for undrafted free agents to impress coaching staffs.

Thielen's story is the type that makes anything feel possible in sports. 

The Detroit Lakes, Minnesota native had no Division I college offers, redshirted his first year at Minnesota State Mankato University and played his way onto the NSIC South Division First-Team. It still took two years after he finished his college career to break into the NFL and it only happened because he was able to attend a rookie tryout with the Minnesota Vikings in 2013. 

Thielen spent one year on the practice squad and was able to prove himself during the 2014 preseason to break camp with the Vikings. 

That couldn't happen in 2020. 

As a result of the pandemic, there are no rookie camps. Or open tryouts. No preseason games, either. Teams might only get to carry 80 players total until final cuts are made.

The opportunities to beat the odds can't exist in an environment where the league is already limiting who can be on the field and when. Thielen understands this, but it doesn't make the reality any easier. 

"I have a lot of faith and trust in the NFL and the [NFL Players Association] that they're doing what it takes to make sure that it's a safe environment for us to play," Thielen said. "We want to play, and that's the truth. We want to get out there. We want to be around our teammates. We want to play football, but we also want to make sure we're protected, and that the league is taking serious our protections because we're giving up a lot to play this game."

For NFL hopefuls who weren't one of the 255 players drafted in April, that means delaying a dream many have worked toward their entire lives.