Norv Turner: “Adam (Thielen) Improved as Much as Anyone”

Ever since his breakout senior season at Minnesota State-Mankato, Detroit Lakes native Adam Thielen has been proving people wrong. He has done so with work ethic and a chip on his shoulder.

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As a student at MSU, I know first hand that not many NFL players call the school their alma-mater. The NHL is a different story, but Thielen is the only MSU alum in the league right now.

In his senior season with the Mavericks, Adam caught 74 balls in 14 starts for 1176 yards and 8 touchdowns. He then worked his way onto the Vikings practice squad and impressed Leslie Frazier and staff.

When a new group of coaches came to town, instead of thinking he had to start all over, Thielen looked at it as an opportunity to impress. And impress he did.

He played a big role on special teams and was a reserve slot receiver if needed. Thielen caught 4 balls for 57 yards against the Packers in week 5, but didn’t see much action at wide receiver until the last week of the year. That was when he caught his first NFL receiving touchdown to go with 2 other receptions and 68 yards.

In an interview Monday morning with KFAN’s Paul Allen, Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner was asked if Thielen is a candidate for more playing time in the upcoming season.

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“Yeah I think he is,” Turner said enthusiastically. “We always tell our guys, ‘if you go into games and make plays and show you can contribute, then you open up the opportunity to get more plays.’ Adam improved a great deal as a route runner. He’s a very competitive guy. He obviously has good hands and when you go back and watch the film … Adam probably improved as much as any player we had throughout the entire season.”

He continued to say he was impressed when Thielen stepped up and made a couple big plays during his opportunities in the season finale against the Bears.

So what does Adam think about all that has happened? Well, it’s just the game he loves.

“There’s nothing surreal about it; it’s football,” he said. “It’s no different than playing peewee or backyard football. There’s nothing different. It’s the same plays, it’s the same game, it’s throw-and-catch, and that’s all it is.”

Thielen has a long way to go before being considered for a starting role. But from lightly recruited out of high school to catching touchdowns against the Chicago Bears, don’t put it past him.

Next: A Discussion on the Vikings Latest Moves

Nov 30, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) celebrates his touchdown during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports