Adam Thielen. Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Vikings veteran WR takes pay cut before regular season

By Jordan Sigler | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 11:42 AM ET

The Minnesota Vikings immediately asked for a hometown discount from a veteran wide receiver before the start of the regular season.

Per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Vikings and Adam Thielen agreed to a revised contract that cut his salary by $2M and took away $4M in possible incentives.

"The Vikings and WR Adam Thielen have agreed to terms on a revised contract, reducing his salary by $2 million and removing $4M in incentives, per sources," Pelissero posted on X. "This wasn’t about money — Thielen wanted to come home, and volunteered to help the team’s salary cap to make it happen."

The #Vikings and WR Adam Thielen have agreed to terms on a revised contract, reducing his salary by $2 million and removing $4M in incentives, per sources.

This wasn’t about money — Thielen wanted to come home, and volunteered to help the team’s salary cap to make it happen. pic.twitter.com/RHok55X89R
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 30, 2025

The Vikings sent a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for Thielen.

The native of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, had his best seasons with the Vikings, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2017 and two Pro Bowl nominations for 2017 and 2018.

The Vikings had plenty of money to pay Thielen, as they have $16.1M remaining in cap space, per Over The Cap. However, Thielen's willingness to accept a pay cut will allow Minnesota to make an aggressive move to add help should it be in contention to make a run at the playoffs later in the regular season.

Thielen wanted to retire as a member of the Vikings. He considers his return for the upcoming season a bonus.

“I just didn’t think that this was even a possibility," Thielen said in his news conference on Friday. "I thought the next time I would be talking to you guys was when I was signing a one-day contract and retiring.”

Now, he has an opportunity to join a talented receiver corps with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Thielen will also help develop the future of the Vikings, quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Jordan Sigler

Jordan Sigler is a sports writer with a decade of experience as a journalist, including his time as a breaking news/day cops reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. His sports coverage across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, and college football world has also been featured at ChiCitySports, Gridiron Heroics, Pro Football Network, and Athlon Sports. Based in Austin, Texas, Jordan graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas Tech University in 2014

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