Adam Thielen popped up in an unexpected place this week, and it wasn’t on a football field.
The former Minnesota Vikings wideout appeared Monday on ESPN’s “NFL Live” as an analyst, a surprising turn for a player who only recently wrapped up his latest NFL stop. A clip shared by the NFL on ESPN account showed Thielen weighing in on the effect a star receiver can have on an offense.
“When [A.J. Brown is] on the field there's attention. ...
So now it opens it up, it opens up for Drake Maye. He can see other guys.”
- @athielen19 on what the addition of A.J. Brown means for the Patriots 🏈 pic.twitter.com/XA5rR9GIQt
- NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 27, 2026
That cameo stood out because Thielen wasn’t introduced on screen as an “ESPN NFL analyst,” even though he was part of the discussion. With Ryan Clark having been laid off, ESPN has a vacancy to fill, and multiple former players could get a shot before the network makes a permanent hire.
Thielen’s appearance also opens the door to a bigger question: is this the start of a media career, or just a one-day stop in Bristol?
He had already been through a complicated final stretch as a player. About a year ago, the Carolina Panthers were getting younger at wide receiver, and Thielen looked like the odd man out. Wanting to return to his hometown team for what was expected to be his final NFL season, he got that chance when Panthers general manager Dan Morgan made it happen.
But his second stint with the Vikings went badly. Thielen finished with just eight catches in 11 games and was a healthy scratch in Week 13 before asking for, and receiving, his release.
He landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers to close out last season, catching 11 passes in five games alongside his buddy Aaron Rodgers. It wasn’t the farewell he had hoped for a few months earlier, but his desire for a bigger role than Minnesota was willing to offer carried the day.
Now, Thielen may be trying on a different kind of football job. For some former players, broadcasting becomes a way to stay around the game. Thielen’s early trial runs on NFL Network didn’t exactly scream natural fit, though there’s always room to grow with more reps.
For now, Monday’s ESPN appearance remains just that - an appearance. Maybe it was a one-off trip to Bristol.
Maybe it was the first step toward something more. Either way, it caught people off guard.
In Other News...
Wild Center Problem Just Took Another Brutal Turn
The Wilds center depth is still drawing scrutiny, and the latest national snapshot only sharpened the concern. In The Athletics latest look at every teams top-six centers, Minnesota landed in a tier labeled a major weakness, a reminder that the club still lacks the kind of dynamic No. 1 pivot that can tilt a matchup on its own.
Joel Eriksson Ek remains valued for the things he does well, especially on the defensive side, but the profile is more that of a reliable second-line center than a true top-line driver. Danila Yurov brings upside and long-term intrigue, yet he is still in the proving stage, and the uncertainty only grows from there with the middle of the lineup still unsettled after Marco Rossis departure. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Just Lost Two More Pieces Of Its Draft Pipeline
The Wilds scouting department is in another period of turnover, with Toronto bringing in two more familiar faces from Minnesotas old draft operation. Both men had been part of the Wilds amateur scouting group before heading elsewhere, and their departures add to the sense that the organizations draft pipeline is being reshaped in real time after Judd Bracketts exit.
For Minnesota, the immediate issue is less about the titles being filled elsewhere and more about what it means back home. Vacancies in the scouting staff now give the Wild a chance to reorganize under a new structure, but they also leave another layer of uncertainty around a department that has already been asked to adapt once before. [Read more 🡒]
Carson Lambos Suddenly Faces A Defining Season With The Wild
Carson Lambos is back in the Wild fold on a one-year, two-way extension, a move that keeps the young defenseman in the organization while he tries to turn a mostly AHL rsum into something more permanent. He has spent the bulk of his development time in Iowa and got into just one NHL game last season, so the next step has been easy to identify even if it has been hard to secure.
The challenge now is that Minnesota has layered in more left-side competition, giving the 2021 first-round pick a tougher climb than he has had before. Lambos has shown some progress in the minors, but with veteran presence and other prospects in the mix, this season feels like a real test of whether he can force his way into a full-time role rather than keep waiting for the opening to come to him. [Read more 🡒]