Why Vikings' Adam Thielen reportedly agreed to revised contract, reduced salary after trade from Panthers
Thielen spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings and wide receiver Adam Thielen have agreed to terms on a revised contract, per the NFL Network. The two-time Pro Bowler agreed to reduce his salary by $2 million and remove $4 million in potential incentives from his contract language.
Thielen, who played for the Vikings for the majority of his career, wanted to go back to where it all began and was willing to take a pay cut to do so. The 35-year-old was traded from the Panthers to the Vikings on Wednesday, with Minnesota receiving a 2026 conditional seventh-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick and Carolina getting a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones reported last week the Vikings planned to rework Thielen's contract. The Panthers won't be absorbing any of his current deal.
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Thielen posted a video with his daughter, celebrating that they are "going home." In the video he wrote that his son might cry when they tell him the news after school.
Adam Thielen is from Minnesota, played at Minnesota State, and spent 10 years with the Vikings.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) August 27, 2025
This was his family's reaction when they found out he was traded back to the Vikings and they were moving home.
(🎥 via mrs_t_19/IG) pic.twitter.com/paQ2GoqMQl
The family has posted multiple videos of their excitement to be going back to Minnesota, where Thielen played from 2013 to 2022 after going undrafted. In one video, his wife expressed that she never thought it would happen while celebrating with their daughter who just happened to be wearing a Minnesota Twins shirt at the time. Thielen was born in Minnesota and attended Minnesota State.
He ranks third in franchise history in receptions with 534, is fifth in receiving yards at 6,682 and his 55 touchdowns are third.
The veteran played for the Panthers for the last two years and developed a good rapport with quarterback Bryce Young for a struggling Carolina team. Last season, he played in and started 10 games, finishing the year with 48 receptions for 615 yards and five touchdowns.
