The Vikings Went "Full Vikings" In 2025

When the Minnesota Vikings hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in 2022, he coined the term “Full Rams” in an interview with USA Today’s Jori Epstein. The comment was in reference to the Los Angeles Rams’ decision to make a series of trades involving draft picks to acquire established talent to go all in on the pursuit of a championship. Still, Adofo-Mensaho-Mensah made it clear he wanted to develop a team that was a long-term contender with “multiple bites at the apple.”

Four years later, Adofo-Mensah may have unintentionally inspired another phrase. It looked like Minnesota's championship window had opened after their 14-win season last year, but they regressed mightily and missed the playoffs this season. While everyone has their theory on why this team came up short, it may be a phenomenon known as going “Full Vikings” that did them in.

It began last offseason when it appeared that the Vikings were ready to take off. Sam Darnold’s departure felt muted with the expectation that J.J. McCarthy was ready to go on a rookie contract. Adofo-Mensah went to work building a roster around him.

In a perfect world, the talent would have already been there, and the front office could have used free agency for the final touches. But, with limited success, the Vikings had to go “all in” in their own way, spending an NFL-high $300 million according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.

The theory sounded good, especially after the Vikings had unearthed free-agent gems the previous year, including Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Aaron Jones. But Will Fries and Ryan Kelly carried massive injury risks, while Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen showed their age on the defensive line. Even Isaiah Rodgers cooled off after an incredible Week 3 performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, leaving the Vikings with plenty of buyer’s remorse.

But this wasn’t the only way the Vikings went “all in” without going “all in.” Christian Darrisaw saw the field on the final day of the team’s minicamp, and it inspired optimism that he could be ready to go for the start of the season after suffering a multiligament knee injury. While Darrisaw worked his way back, Justin Skule’s struggles in the first two games may have accelerated his return. The rest of the season was an on-again, off-again experience with missed practice, early departures from games, and a lot of questions.

Minnesota needed another receiver as the season opener approached, with Jalen Nailor nursing a hand injury and Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games. Instead of getting a temporary replacement, the Vikings became laser-focused on re-acquiring Adam Thielen from the Carolina Panthers. Thielen’s homecoming lasted just 11 games with 69 yards on eight targets. The Vikings granted him his release once it became clear that their season had fallen apart.

Then there was the quarterback situation. Nobody could be blamed for wanting to get a start on the McCarthy era, as he was the highest-drafted quarterback in franchise history. But that also ignored some of the warning signs, such as a full year without practicing due to injury and a complicated offense that had Thielen “swimming” and Kirk Cousins shuffling flashcards upon O’Connell’s arrival in 2022.

With O’Connell emphasizing footwork and hunting big plays downfield, McCarthy struggled, eventually injuring his ankle on a scramble in a Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The injury tested the patience and intelligence of “soft benching” truthers, but also exposed the Vikings' other “all-in” moves at the backup quarterback position.

The Vikings traded for Sam Howell during the draft, but they traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles before the preseason ended. The Vikings signed Carson Wentz as his replacement, but a shoulder injury and Wentz's risky play sent Minnesota further into the abyss.

A constant drone of hype surrounding third-string quarterback and UDFA Max Brosmer had some fans dubbing him “Purple Purdy.” This didn’t pan out either. Brosmer threw four interceptions in his debut and had negative passing yards for most of a Christmas Day victory over the Detroit Lions.

Through it all, the Vikings could achieve the most Full Vikings accomplishment of them all with a win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday – a 9-8 record. While the Vikings could make this a springboard for a better 2026 season, it’s a far cry from how the Full Rams' experience turned out.

The Rams made their intentions known by trading for All-Pros like Jalen Ramsey and Matthew Stafford. When GM Les Snead had a more vulgar description of his strategy printed on a T-shirt, it was to celebrate a championship and hatch a plan that would have his team back in the playoffs, demolishing the Vikings three years later.

That loss sent the Vikings into their Full Vikings era. They could feel like they’re “a quarterback away” if they win on Sunday, but this team will be another year older. The Vikings will again be reliant on plenty of lottery-ticket players, and the front office is betting that it can build the proper infrastructure around McCarthy.

Unless Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson magically become available, the Vikings' reluctance to go all-in has put them right where they were in the Mike Zimmer era. With jobs on the line, Minnesota could finally make the move Adofo-Mensah was unwilling to make a few years ago.