Minnesota Vikings Discussion-Thursday SkolAsylum: 12 Feb 2026

Wentz2

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Vikings Discussion & Random Thoughts

Merry Thursday, everyone! My chaotic week is almost over, thankfully. It’s been too warm here, and the ice fishing is on hold at the very least. It’s somewhat possible that it could be over for the year if it stays warm, but this is North Dakota, we’ll get many more sub-zero days this year.

Did you hear about California’s jock tax? It’s crazy. Sam Darnold actually lost money by playing in the Super Bowl. He got paid something like $178,000 for playing in the game, but since they spent 7 “work days” in the state, California assesses a tax on the money they made in the game, AND on their overall earnings for the year. Darnold will be taxed something like $245,000, so he lost over $60,000 by playing. Well, not really, that Super Bowl win is going to get him a hefty contract or extension. Still, that’s dumb, which is par for the course for California.

Vikings and NFL News

Sports Illustrated looks at 10 quarterbacks who might join the Vikings this off-season. Also, they look at the Vikings’ odds to win next year’s Super Bowl. They’re at +6,000. I think that means that a $100 bet would win you $6,000 if the Vikings win it all.

Sports Illustrated looks at the Vikings’ 2025 free agent acquisitions to see if they lived up to expectations. Hint: they mostly didn’t.

Forbes gives more details on Sam Darnold’s upcoming tax assessment by the State of California.

Fox Business explains California’s jock tax in more detail.

Yahoo Sports provided a list of the 319 players who have been invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

Below is a list of important dates for the NFL off-season, courtesy of NFL.com.

2026 NFL Off-Season Schedule

February

February 17: Beginning this date through 4:00 p.m. ET on March 3, clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players.

February 23-March 2: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.

March

3rd: Prior to 4:00 p.m. ET, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

9-11: During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, ET, on March 9 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. ET, on March 11, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2025 player contracts at 4:00 p.m. ET, on March 12.

A prospective UFA who is not represented by an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor (“Unrepresented Player”) is permitted to communicate directly with a new club’s front office officials (excluding the head coach and other members of the club’s coaching staff) regarding contract negotiations. The club is responsible for confirming the player’s status as an unrepresented player.

No prospective unrestricted free agent is permitted to execute a contract with a new club until 4:00 p.m. ET, on March 11.

11th: The 2026 League Year and free agency signing period begin at 4:00 p.m. ET. Trading period for 2026 begins at 4:00 p.m. ET, after expiration of all 2025 contracts. The first day of the 2026 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m. ET, on March 12. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the League office during the period between 4:00 p.m. ET, and 11:59:59 p.m. ET, on March 11.

March 29-April 1: Annual League Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.

April

6th: Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2025 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.

15th: Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview, or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its club facility.

17th: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.

20th: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

22th: Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets. Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.

23-25: NFL Draft, Pittsburgh, Pa.

May

1st: Deadline for clubs to exercise fifth-year option for players selected in the first round of the 2023 Draft.

1-4 or May 8-11: Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft.

11: Rookie Football Development Programs begin.

13-17: NFLPA Rookie Premiere, Los Angeles, Cali.

19-20: Spring League Meeting, Orlando, Fla.

June

1st: Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned restricted free agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.

15: Deadline for club to withdraw higher qualifying offer to restricted free agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting lower “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).

Late June: Rookie Readiness Program to be held at individual clubs.

July

15th: At 4:00 p.m. ET, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2026 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.

Mid-July: Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies (defined as a player who has never signed an NFL player contract with a club in a prior league year) beginning seven days prior to the club’s mandatory reporting date for veteran players.

Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed an NFL player contract with any club in a prior league year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the designated reporting date for all other veteran players.

Veteran quarterbacks and “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies. At 4:00 p.m. ET, signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m. ET, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.

22nd: At 4:00 p.m. ET, on July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp whichever is later) signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a “UFA Tender” was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m. ET, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.

Media Selection

This gal, Whitney Webb, is a good investigator.

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Discussion

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DE Viking
15 February 2026 7:05 am

Canadiens Curling team cheating at the Olympics.
That about sums up the sports world this weekend.

No longer New Vikings Fan
15 February 2026 6:36 am

Lost internet for a little over 24 hours, from 3 p.m. Friday to around 3:30 p.m. yesterday. Also have a cold, so feeling poorly.

VikingPhilip
14 February 2026 10:08 am

Day three………

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  VikingPhilip
14 February 2026 12:11 pm

And on Day Three Land was created…..

manly-purple
14 February 2026 10:06 am

bowbunch
Admin
14 February 2026 8:27 am

Addison’s dog have another emergency?

DE Viking
Reply to  bowbunch
14 February 2026 9:44 am

It is the off-season.

benjammin
Admin
13 February 2026 4:35 pm

One of the biggest choke jobs of all time, the alleged “quad god” managed not to just lose gold with a massive lead, he sucked so bad he finished 8th, he looks and performs like a Viking

DE Viking
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 7:42 pm

So he did a Kirko?
Choked when it mattered most?

DE Viking
Reply to  benjammin
14 February 2026 4:23 am

MT Viking
13 February 2026 4:33 pm

A buddy sent me a thought provoking article on the coming storm of AI in which the writer espouses the view that one should become facile now with AI to stay relevant in the society of tomorrow. I’ve already read a lot on resident forums about how residents are using either OpenEvidence daily or chatGPT to help with note creation.

So, today I signed up for the relatively light paid version ($20/month) of chatGPT. Had it review my employment contract, draw up a sample will, make a cartoon pic of my wife, format and buff a document I was preparing to share with my fellow rads, asked question about best IV choice in setting of infected ureterolithiasis.

It is impressive. I’m going to challenge myself to keep opening up my horizons to the things it can do. Currently I’m wondering if I can set it loose on my powerpoints to jazz up transitions and bullet points.

manly-purple
Reply to  MT Viking
14 February 2026 8:51 am

Double check everything. It makes mistakes yet.

NoDakRube
Reply to  MT Viking
14 February 2026 4:40 pm

I have used it extensively over the past few months…I find it extremely useful, but as manly notes – not infallible.

JRobert
JRobert
13 February 2026 12:29 pm

Gosh, after noting all the downvotes in the last couple of days, it appears the quarterback situation has become quite the sensitive matter.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  JRobert
13 February 2026 12:59 pm

Yeah, almost like there’s no room whatsoever for middle ground, either JJ sucks and should be publicly neutered and hung, or should be given a lifetime contract for 80 million per season.

JRo_42
JRo_42
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 1:19 pm

There was too much optimism about him to begin with, which anyone with any sense of reality could see immediately. I said I am biased to dislike him because he went to Michigan, where everyone seems to be a pompous jerk with an “I’m better than you” attitude. So I was never high on him being good because of that, along with his 10 passes per game. And just by the odds, he was highly likely to be a bust (and still is). But people want to believe he’s going to save the franchise. He’s not. He may be a serviceable QB, but I don’t think we have the next Burrow or Mahomes.

(Yes, I know Tom Brady went to Michigan, but he was a 6th rounder or whatever and that was a long time ago)

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  JRo_42
13 February 2026 2:06 pm

I think it’s way too early to say what he will end up being, he may totally suck, may be all pro, most likely somewhere between, what I do know is he needs to stay healthy to have any chance at developing.

JRo_42
JRo_42
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 2:07 pm

Yeah, I’m not giving up on him 100% yet, but things appear bleak for several reasons.

MT Viking
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 4:35 pm

Were you a Ponder apologist back in the day? Not accusatory, just asking. I was a Ponder apologist. I won’t be a McFragile™ apologist. My turn on this mortal coil only has so much longer.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  MT Viking
13 February 2026 6:42 pm

I hoped for ponder to develop but was pessimistic, I feel similar with JJ, mainly because he can’t stay on the field.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 8:43 pm

Difference is that ponder was not considered a first rounder by anyone but Rick apparently. JJ was considered a first rounder by plenty of the “draft gurus”.

No longer New Vikings Fan
13 February 2026 11:45 am

Rickie birdies the 3rd hole to get to 9 under and in a tie for second place. Birdie, birdie, birdie start. Nice!

pirateflip
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
13 February 2026 11:47 am

Is that like duck, duck, gray duck?

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  pirateflip
13 February 2026 11:54 am

Laughing… not exactly.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  pirateflip
13 February 2026 12:00 pm

Only a freak calls it gray duck

pirateflip
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 12:36 pm

I resemble that remark.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  pirateflip
13 February 2026 2:03 pm

it is weird that only Minnesotans call it gray duck and the rest of the world calls it goose

bowbunch
Admin
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 3:41 pm

Well, the rest of the US is wrong. The original game is Swedish and is anka, anka, gra anka or duck, duck, gray duck. Everybody else is just dumb.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  bowbunch
13 February 2026 4:22 pm

Well Minnesotans and Swedes are freaks then

VikingPhilip
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 4:27 pm

comment image

MT Viking
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 4:36 pm

No. Minnesotans are different from other states. Just a fact.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 1:19 pm

comment image

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  VikingPhilip
13 February 2026 3:29 pm

No longer New Vikings Fan
13 February 2026 11:37 am

Rickie with some less than stellar shots, but makes birdie anyway on the first two holes of his round to get it to 8 under. Missed the green from just 121 yards on his second hole, but chipped it in.

DE Viking
13 February 2026 10:45 am

I’d rank KOC at 5, ahead of Sirianni and Streichen.

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  DE Viking
13 February 2026 10:51 am

And the Panthers just made the playoffs for the first time in decades.

DE Viking
Reply to  JRobert
13 February 2026 11:26 am

Yep good point.
KOC at #4.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  DE Viking
13 February 2026 12:04 pm

Canales shouldn’t even be on that list, his team made the playoffs his first year as HC, I’d also put Taylor higher, but considering the Vikings just fired their GM, KOC should probably be top 5, the new GM will probably want to choose his own HC

DE Viking
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 1:41 pm

Canales shouldn’t even be on that list,

Agree.

JacksonVike
13 February 2026 9:34 am

DE Viking
Reply to  JacksonVike
13 February 2026 11:57 am

Since you have a Moss pic for your profile, I saw where Moss copyrighted, “you got Mossed”.

benjammin
Admin
13 February 2026 8:29 am

Barr and Kendricks, Most people in the building knew JJ wasn’t ready last year, also don’t give up on him

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 9:25 am

I knew he wasn’t ready too. 22 years old, no experience carrying an offense with his arm, and always held up by a massively great team that ran the ball for hundreds of yards every game. He was not gonna be good in the NFL right off the bat. I honestly wonder if he’ll ever be good to tell you the truth. Running a complex, NFL level offense requires a fast brain, and an accurate arm. So far I’m not seeing much of either of those from McCarthy. This will be his third year in KOC’s offense though. One would think if he “can” be good, he will show a much higher level of competence this year.

MT Viking
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 9:59 am

Yes…yes. I for one am ready to ride the McFragile™ to the end of the line, no matter what happens. I simply cannot wait until we back up the Brinks truck to sign him to a LT deal. Great time to be a fan.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  MT Viking
13 February 2026 10:32 am

There has been this narrative that KAM “forced” McCarthy on KOC. I think KOC had to have some level of buy in though. In about 90 days I think we’ll start to see just how committed the Vikings are, as an organization to McCarthy. If they make it clear he’s QB1 with no real competition in camp, then it would be safe to say KOC has been in his corner all along.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
13 February 2026 12:09 pm

I think KOC was 100% on board with drafting him, but after he missed his entire rookie year KOC wasn’t really ok with just giving him the starting job and wanted Darnold or Jones back.

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 12:16 pm

As I recall ( and it’s been a while) KOC was campaigning really hard with Cousins and was telling. if he stayed they would not draft a QB. Later, some ‘higher power’ said no matter what we were drafting a QB.
Now, after that directive, he may have completely got on with the draft, but that was not his first choice of direction.
And clearly, after the first year, he wanted Darnold (or Jones) to stay.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  MT Viking
13 February 2026 12:07 pm

I think there’s probably somewhere in the middle that fits, bring in competition but don’t give up on him, that’s what I’m guessing they do.

benjammin
Admin
13 February 2026 8:18 am

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 8:26 am

Makes V-Day, Sat the 14th that much more special-er.
If we survive to reach it of course.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
13 February 2026 9:33 am

Yeah, stay away from anyone named Jason

JacksonVike
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 9:36 am

When I was a young man 12-13ish, I watched at the time all 4 of the Friday the 13th’s, in a row. I did not sleep that well for a couple of nights. Not that they were that scary, but 7-8 hours straight of them was a little more traumatizing than I thought it would be.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  JacksonVike
13 February 2026 10:54 am

I’ve never watched those. Probably won’t. I’m not a big horror fan. I remember watching a bunch of the Freddy Kruger ones and not sleeping well.

pirateflip
Reply to  VikingPhilip
13 February 2026 10:57 am

I used to love slasher films, now that I’ve lived longer they really don’t interest me, usually more gore than scares.

JacksonVike
Reply to  VikingPhilip
13 February 2026 11:17 am

I always felt the Friday the 13th movies were more comedy than Horror. Even as a kid, I was like why turn around and look to see if he is still behind you. Run as far and as fast as you possibly can.

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  JacksonVike
13 February 2026 12:11 pm

I always thought it so strange how slowly Jason walked, yet how he all of a sudden was right next to his victims, like did he teleport at some point?

MT Viking
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 4:39 pm

I’ve been watching The Followers on NF, it is amazing how again and again and again the bad guys sneak up on the FBI agents and hit them over the head with a bat, how often the agents tell the bad guy to drop the weapon only to have to shoot him dead, how often a huge SWAT and HRT entourage converges on the location of the bad guys only to have them sneak out the back door.

IRL I don’t think it is easy to creep up on someone standing in the middle of the room with a gun in their hand looking for you.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  benjammin
13 February 2026 8:53 pm

It was the damn music to when he was about to strike. I thought they were scary as a young lad.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  JacksonVike
13 February 2026 8:51 pm

I watched them around that age also, they were legit scary. The first couple of Freddy and Halloween were also good horror movies.

DE Viking
13 February 2026 4:51 am

He’s likely interested in playing anywhere.

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥



SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  DE Viking
13 February 2026 7:29 am

Given enough money he will ‘be interested’ in playing for anyone, even the Jets.

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 8:36 pm

Exciting day today. I went and got a haircut.
Now we are organizing for a big V-Day/Annivercery trip.
We are going to do a road trip to Buc-ees in Colorado. It will be about 10 hr trip tomorrow, then get up drive about an hour to Buc-ees, spend several hours shopping, taste testing and exploring there, then an hour back to the hotel. We will then drive the 10 hours back on Sunday.
We are both looking forward to it, Most of our families have never been so we will pick up a bunch of fun stuff to send them, like Beaver Nuggets to their classroom and law office. #grin

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
13 February 2026 7:13 am

In case anyone was wondering about why we chose Buc-ees, we were spitballing ideas for an ‘adventure’ and I joking suggested it and she liked the idea. It has since gained steam and we are looking forward to it. Heading out in an hour or so.
‘Don’t judge us’. #grin

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
13 February 2026 7:44 am

Never heard of it – what’s it famous or noted for?

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  JRobert
13 February 2026 7:57 am

A quick 5m ‘tour’ to give you an idea.
You should have one somewhere close to you as they are mostly a ‘southern thing’.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=buc-ee%27s+tour

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  JRobert
13 February 2026 8:28 am

There is one that is coming to Ocala in 2028 I heard JR. Probably an hour and half drive for you, or thereabouts.

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
13 February 2026 8:33 am

An hour and a half to see a big gas station – intersting.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
13 February 2026 9:00 am

Too late. I’m already judging.

JacksonVike
Reply to  VikingPhilip
13 February 2026 9:32 am

No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 4:55 pm

Rickie hangs on and gets it in the house at 6 under for the first round. Tied for 10th currently. Did exactly what he needed to do. Hit a lot of very poor approach shots, missing by over 15 yards several times. Still shot 66.

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 6:23 pm

Where they playing Pebble? Those are low scores for that course.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  JRobert
12 February 2026 6:32 pm

Yes they’re playing Pebble and Spyglass Hill. Last year Rory won the tournament at 21 under, so you have to go low. The courses are on the Monterey Peninsula in California, just South of San Francisco.

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 6:40 pm

Been there, walked. few holes at Pebble.
They can, if they want, set the course up to play tough. And of course, the weather can always be a factor there.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  JRobert
12 February 2026 6:54 pm

Lucky you. I’ve never been. Been to St Andrews though.

The wind is the big factor at Pebble. If it blows over 12 to 15 mph, those greens dry out fast, and scores go way up.

The greens are the smallest on tour, so hitting them gets much harder when the wind picks up, too.

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 7:22 pm

One of the most beautiful places on earth. I stayed next door at the Inn at Spanish Bay. Great course there too.
The entire peninsula there is just gorgeous.
Someday I would love to go and play St Andrews – lucky you.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  JRobert
12 February 2026 8:27 pm

I visited St Andrews, but I didn’t get to play it. At the time I was terrible at golf. I couldn’t break 120. So no use taking that kind of game to a premium course. I went with a friend and we walked a lot of the course, somewhat unintrusively.

No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 4:02 pm

Going into the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Invitational, I felt like Rickie needed to shoot 5 under at a minimum to be in the mix. He’s 5 under with 4 holes left to play. The leader is in at 10 under though. What a round that was. Rickie needs a couple more birdies to stay within reach.

PA Viking Fan
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 5:50 pm

I do not like the format of the new ProAm. But they did not ask my opinion….hell, they will get it anyway. Fun course though.

NoDakRube
Reply to  manly-purple
12 February 2026 4:22 pm

We’re coming!!!

manly-purple
12 February 2026 2:28 pm

Slow news day.

I think we need to be happy about that, you know, being in clown world and all.

freezeyface
12 February 2026 2:02 pm

theirs 11 teams who are over the cap right now?
and the vikings aren’t even the worst ones?!?!?

i’d like to not hear how the vikings are “over” and it’s a big deal anymore please and thank you

JacksonVike
Reply to  freezeyface
12 February 2026 2:03 pm

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  freezeyface
12 February 2026 2:07 pm

Correct.
Every year you hear of these teams over the cap. And the number goes up, contracts get restructured et all, and presto everything’s fine.
And then there’s mock drafts.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  JRobert
12 February 2026 4:50 pm

Yeah, I think it’s going up close to 30 million this year so obviously will help a lot of teams.

DE Viking
Reply to  freezeyface
12 February 2026 2:07 pm

theirs 11 teams who are over the cap right now?

JacksonVike
Reply to  DE Viking
12 February 2026 2:12 pm

Yore not wrong

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  freezeyface
12 February 2026 2:09 pm

Yeah… the Vikings are only the second worst…

freezeyface
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 3:25 pm

in the words of gone fishing… *fart noise*

MT Viking
Reply to  freezeyface
12 February 2026 2:26 pm

comment image

DE Viking
12 February 2026 12:14 pm

Has anybody ever been to Curacao Island in the Caribbean?

manly-purple
Reply to  DE Viking
12 February 2026 12:43 pm

No. (Hopefully that was helpful.)

DE Viking
Reply to  manly-purple
12 February 2026 1:29 pm

Thanks man.

manly-purple
Reply to  DE Viking
12 February 2026 1:43 pm

KFEY93
12 February 2026 10:46 am

Good man Jared, dude knows what its like to be great.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  KFEY93
12 February 2026 11:51 am

Never won a championship, so by his own standards he sucks.

KFEY93
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 12:54 pm

Dudes a hall of famer and was actually a top player at his position over the course of multiple years. Which is way more then you know he can say about himself.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  KFEY93
12 February 2026 1:10 pm

So what? He said Cousins never won a Championship, so he didn’t want him back. By that standard he also has no business claiming anything. Cousins is 15th all time in TD passes, only two behind Elway, who played 50 more games than Cousins at the moment. 50 more games, and only two TD passes ahead of him. Cousins also owns franchise records for every team he’s played for. Oh yeah, not to mention he led the offense for the greatest come from behind victory in NFL history.

BTW… Cousins will not be coming back to the Vikings.

JacksonVike
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 2:23 pm

Cousins is 15th all time in TD passes, only two behind Elway

He’s also only 2 superb owl wins behind Elway.

JacksonVike
Reply to  KFEY93
12 February 2026 2:22 pm

Kirko was a top performer in his bank line.

JRo_42
JRo_42
Reply to  KFEY93
13 February 2026 1:15 pm

I didn’t watch the video, but by the caption I get what he’s saying. But I think they’d bring him back as a backup. He’s certainly much better than anyone we put on the field at QB last year – I don’t think there is any disputing that.

Derby Skol
12 February 2026 8:51 am

In honor of Moxon passing away yesterday.

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 9:17 am

Who/what is a ‘Moxon’?

She does look tasty though.

Derby Skol
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 9:35 am

James Van Der Beek played QB John Moxon in Varsity Blues. After taking over for injured starter Lance Harbor (Paul Walker), the head cheerleader (Ali Larter) tries to seduce him using a whip cream bikini.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 11:50 am

Good movie, Ali Larter, currently playing Billy Bob Thorntons wife on the series Landman. I watched an interview with her, and she mentioned that scene. She said that it was supposed to be whip cream, but it wouldn’t stay on long enough, so they went with shaving cream.

bowbunch
Admin
Reply to  vikesfanincheeseland
12 February 2026 12:51 pm

I watched the first season of Landman and somehow never put that together. I dum.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 9:36 am

A character played by James Van Der Beek in the movie Varsity Blues.

Derby Skol
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 9:39 am

Three of the actors that played football players in the movie have passed away fairly young. Paul Walker, James Van Der Beek, and Ron Lester.

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 9:41 am

Never saw it, barely heard about it.

Surly Viking
Admin
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 9:48 am

I think that movie was the first time I heard My Hero by the Foo Fighters. Good scene in that movie.

Derby Skol
Reply to  Surly Viking
12 February 2026 10:02 am

That movie had a great soundtrack.
Van Halen, ACDC, Foo Fighters, the Offspring….

Derby Skol
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 10:00 am

It was the big football movie when I was a kid. It came out between The Program and Remember the Titans, around 1999.

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 10:04 am

Remember the Titans was a great movie and had a great soundtrack too.

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 10:05 am

I retired from the Army in ’98. So in ’99 I was living at my brothers while I learned my new job and traveled to Santa Barbara to visit/assist my mother and grandparents on weekends.
My Grandfather passed in ’99.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 11:53 am

Yup, I actually just read about Ron Lesters death today. He was at one time 508 pounds. Had the surgery for it but regretted it afterwards. Movie roles stopped coming in because of it.

Mjolnir
Reply to  vikesfanincheeseland
12 February 2026 3:11 pm

I was 455 4 years ago.

a fat baby and a dead dog away from his peak weight.

Im at 268 as of Sunday. Didn’t cost me any movie roles….. not that I had any.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  Mjolnir
12 February 2026 3:24 pm

Wow… you lost almost 190 lbs???? That’s amazing! Congrats Mjolnir.

I currently weigh 192 lbs BTW… you lost one of me!

Mjolnir
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 5:41 pm

Lol. I was a walking heart attack back then. Worked from home. Covid hit. Fast food diet 6 days a week. Candy, cookies, sweets. Smoked cigarettes on top of it.

Eyes went bad – called the eye doc. They said ‘you need a physical’ so I got one.

Weight: 455
Avg Blood Sugar: 300+
A1C: 14.6?!? – it was high.

Aaaaand of course that hit me with Type 2 diabetes…..

Went on Metformin for 3 months – huge mistake. Put my blood pressure on the floor, messed with my stomach terribly. All to avoid daily needles. Dumb.

Doc convinced me to start insulin injections. Instantly felt better. Started with 26 units of Lantus a day. Quit all sugar, all soda. Portion control. Lots of walking. Swimming. Quit smoking cigarettes along the way with Chantix.

90 days later I had dropped 60 lbs and got my A1C to under 8. My blood sugars averaged 130. Huge improvements.

Kept going. Lost 100 lbs on my own and was dialed down to 18 units of Lantus a day. And the Doc said ‘given your cardiac history (mild issues) and weight loss I think you’re a great candidate for Ozempic’

Started the fat jab a week later along with bringing my Lantus down in increments. No more insulin for me – been off it totally for almost a year.

Weight: 268
Average Blood Sugar: 115
A1C: 5.5

Took tons of pressure off my knees – which is good as I’ll likely need a replacement but I’ve managed to push that down the road a bit.

I can tell you it was way more fun getting fat and filling my lungs with nicotine and tar than it was to reverse the damage.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  Mjolnir
12 February 2026 6:31 pm

That is very impressive. My wife is a former competitive body builder. She was 5’2″ and 212 lbs when she graduated with her Masters from Texas. She hit the gym, and dieted. A trainer said she had the ability to compete with a lot of hard work. She lived in the gym for 2 years. Got down to 125 lbs, and won a number of competitions. She’s at 131 lbs now at 55 years of age. She’s fit and trim. She is a personal trainer and has 30 clients. She has 21who are body builders, and 5 are pro body builders. One guy is training for the Mr Olympia competition.

I know what people go through to lose weight. It’s murder. So big congrats on the determination and willpower to git’er dun!

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  Mjolnir
12 February 2026 9:02 pm

Good for you man, thanks for sharing. Got

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  vikesfanincheeseland
12 February 2026 9:04 pm

Oops. Meant to say that you just have to listen to your body sometimes. I hate going to the hospital, but have realized since getting a little older it’s necessary to get checked out.

bowbunch
Admin
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 10:06 am

comment image

Derby Skol
Reply to  bowbunch
12 February 2026 10:18 am

Billy Bob, how many fingers am I holding up?

Wait a minute, It has to be true or false. Billy Bob, the man’s holding up some fingers, true or false?

True?

He’s OK.

LOL, I gotta go watch that movie again.

bowbunch
Admin
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 10:30 am

comment image

Derby Skol
Reply to  bowbunch
12 February 2026 10:21 am

benjammin
Admin
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 10:46 am

holy sheet was she hot

Derby Skol
Reply to  benjammin
12 February 2026 11:20 am

She still is.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  Derby Skol
12 February 2026 11:56 am

Yes she is. I think she’s in her 50s, takes good care of herself.

bowbunch
Admin
Reply to  vikesfanincheeseland
12 February 2026 12:50 pm

And most importantly avoided the ridiculous plastic surgery people are doing these days.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  bowbunch
12 February 2026 1:51 pm

Yup

Mjolnir
Reply to  vikesfanincheeseland
12 February 2026 3:09 pm

49

turns 50 on the 28th of this month.

No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 8:04 am

Here’s the specifics on the new season:

The 2026 NFL league year and trading period is scheduled to begin on March 11. On March 9, teams will be allowed to exercise options for 2026 on players with option clauses in their contracts, submit qualifying offers to their pending restricted free agents, and submit a Minimum Salary Tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2025 contracts and fewer than three accrued seasons of free agent credit. Teams will be required to be under the salary cap using the “top 51” definition (in which the 51 highest paid-players on the team’s payroll must have a combined salary cap) by 4 p.m. ET on March 11. Also on March 11, clubs will be allowed to contact and begin contract negotiations with players whose contracts had expired and thus became unrestricted free agents.

Wrenage
12 February 2026 7:41 am

Football season ending leaves a gaping void…

Could be an interesting offseason, though. Maybe…

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  Wrenage
12 February 2026 7:54 am

Yep… the new league year starts on March 13th. Many roster spots will start to be clarified around then, as contract costs against the cap become guaranteed. Teams will restructure guys or cut them. Free agents will be available. The Vikings will need to not only overcome their $45M cap hole, but also free up more cap space to sign players.

So for us, it will be interesting to watch how they skin the cat. Who do they keep? Who do they cut? Who do they bring in? There will be a lot of “cipherin” goin on.

pirateflip
Reply to  No longer New Vikings Fan
12 February 2026 8:12 am

Surly Viking
Admin
Reply to  Wrenage
12 February 2026 8:34 am

I have been enjoying the winter Olympics even though I hate when the arbitrary judging impacts the results.

We get March Madness and the Masters soon.

Football ending leaves less of a void for me each season. I still want the Vikings to win a Super Bowl, but I am also pretty sure I will never see that.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  Surly Viking
12 February 2026 8:44 am

I’ve watched some Olympic sports that I would not watch if it wasn’t the Olympics. I’ve watched women’s hockey, ski jumping, curling, etc. Mostly I have it on in the background, but I did get into watching the US women’s hockey team win. That was fun.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 9:33 am

Yeah, mostly background noise for me also, but I am interested in the US women’s hockey team. There is a girl on the team from Lake City, MN. I lived most of my life in a town about 15 miles south of there.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  vikesfanincheeseland
12 February 2026 12:07 pm

Dude, I grew up in Wabasha. I saw the Lake City girl also. My wife and I were confused, because we were sure that there was no way that Lake City had a hockey program. My wife looked her up and she open enrolled to Red Wing so she could play hockey. I think they said she did that in 6th grade or close to that.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 2:00 pm

Yeah, I’m pretty sure she plays for the Minnesota Frost, women’s league of course. Yup, wabasha. Maybe we’ve crossed paths before VP.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  vikesfanincheeseland
12 February 2026 7:01 pm

Possibly. I was pretty much out of town after I turned 18. After college my parents moved to Pepin and I rarely made it back to Wabasha.

vikesfanincheeseland
vikesfanincheeseland
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 9:14 pm

Yeah, probably not, but who knows. You don’t have to answer, but I’m curious if you graduated from W-K.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  vikesfanincheeseland
12 February 2026 10:15 pm

I did.

NoDakRube
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 10:30 am

Curling rocks!! Big come from behind win by the USA Women’s team over the South Koreans last night…I think they might play at around noonish today.

Men also won their first match….all are twenty something year olds with a 52 year old to keep them out of the bars and make sure they go to bed on time.So a young team, could be really good in future Olympics, anything they win this year is a bonus.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  NoDakRube
12 February 2026 12:07 pm

Curling is very confusing to me, but it is definitely cool to have on in the background.

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  Surly Viking
12 February 2026 8:44 am

Pretty sure I will never see the Vikings win a Super Bowl either Surly. I have to admit that the NFL doesn’t interest me nearly as much as it once did. I didn’t watch the Super Bowl this year, and I don’t feel like I missed anything.

Wrenage
Reply to  Surly Viking
12 February 2026 8:50 am

I like vegging out with whatever game is on Thursday and Sunday nights. I often don’t care who is playing, so I can just watch the game free and easy.

So, I will miss that.

bowbunch
Admin
Reply to  Wrenage
12 February 2026 8:39 am

Surly Viking
Admin
Reply to  bowbunch
12 February 2026 9:49 am

Never watched a car race….
Not my thing.

Now, the Nascar simulators they used to have at the Mall of America were a lot of fun.

bowbunch
Admin
Reply to  Surly Viking
12 February 2026 10:29 am

This weekend is the Daytona 500. They have the Duels tonight which sets the starting lineup. Restrictor plate racing is a different animal than most tracks, but it is pretty exciting.

VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 7:27 am

Taxing people on income not earned in your state seems highly illegal. The federal government should revoke California’s statehood and divvy up the land between some of the surrounding states, or just have it revert back to a territory which will have to reorganize before it can re-apply for statehood.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 8:45 am

Also it seems highly unethical.

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 8:49 am

And to think Jesse James had to use a gun.

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 9:23 am

The Billionaire Tax they are trying to get on the ballot is worse.
It could pass in Nov but be retroactive to 1 Jan if you lived in the state on that date.
So even if you moved out of the state to avoid the tax and where no longer a resident they would still take 10% of your money to pay for Illegal Immigrant Health Care (with big ‘donations’ to local politicians of course).

JRobert
JRobert
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 9:34 am

Good luck trying to actually collect from folks who have left.

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  JRobert
12 February 2026 9:42 am

I expect it to be in court for quite awhile, rich people can afford lots of lawyers.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 12:10 pm

If CA is doing this kind of stuff to get money, shouldn’t that tell you that you are living larger than your income?

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 4:29 pm

??
Not sure what you are asking.
It tells me that Commiefornia wants more of ‘other peoples money’ to give away and steal.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  SoCalMinnFan
12 February 2026 7:02 pm

That’s what I mean. CA wants too much money. They need to trim back.

MT Viking
Reply to  VikingPhilip
12 February 2026 10:19 am

I don’t view it that way. The money that the owners make that in turn goes to the front office and players is “earned” on the field. When the Vikings play in Tennessee, the gate receipts and TV revenue, etc are coming in from Tennessee, not from Minnesota. Ergo it makes sense to tax the players on the revenue in Tennessee.

Much like if you were to go work in North Dakota, or your employer contracted you out as a 1099 in North Dakota.

VikingPhilip
Reply to  MT Viking
12 February 2026 12:12 pm

Of course, if you worked in the state. They should only tax you for what you earned in the state. If you read the mythical words above, CA is also taxing them on their entire income, most of which was not earned in CA.
If you went to ND and did some clinical work, would you expect ND to tax you on all the money you made in MT?

manly-purple
12 February 2026 7:10 am

A new thread two days in a row?

FloridaSKOL
12 February 2026 6:54 am

Good morning, SKOL!

FTP!

JacksonVike
12 February 2026 6:22 am

Happy Thorsday,

Surly Viking
Admin
12 February 2026 5:20 am

GM
FTP
SKOL

Jared Allen is correct about Kirko, and it is not even Tuesday….

No longer New Vikings Fan
Reply to  Surly Viking
12 February 2026 7:06 am

Good morning Surly

Rec for FTP!

SoCalMinnFan
SoCalMinnFan
Reply to  Surly Viking
12 February 2026 9:24 am

FTP Auto Rec.

About The Author

Gone fishin'

Gone fishin'

I'm a dad, husband, Army vet, believer, and a die-hard, life-long Vikings fan from the great state of North Dakota. I've been a Viking fan dating back to 1980, I've been covering the Vikings for nearly a decade, and I founded Skoloholics in 2022. I work in real estate and property management, I love spending time with family, working in the yard, doing anything in the outdoors, and as you can tell from my username, I love fishing. SKOL!!!!!!!!!!

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