Vikings HC explains why Jordan Addison was benched vs. Browns

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) runs with the ball against Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during the third quarter of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Vikings HC explains why WR Jordan Addison was benched early vs. Browns

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 4:44 PM ET

What did Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison do to land in head coach Kevin O'Connell's doghouse?

During the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, O'Connell benched the third-year WR. Following Minnesota's 21-17 win in London, the coach revealed why.

Kevin O'Connell was holding Jordan Addison accountable

"[Addison] missed a walkthrough this week," the coach said. "Those type of things aren't in alignment with our standards, and we wanted to make sure he was held accountable for that. But at the same time, he knows that. I thought he handled it professionally. He spoke with the team to let them know that, whenever I give him the opportunity to go in the game, they can count on him and he makes the game-winning catch."

Addison caught the winning touchdown on a 12-yard pass from quarterback Carson Wentz with 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter. He finished with five receptions for 41 yards and one TD catch.

Wentz to Addison... VIKINGS LEAD LATE IN LONDON. @NFLUKIRE

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— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025

"I never want to let my teammates down," Addison said postgame, per ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "They're always there for me. So I am going to make sure I'm always there for them. When they needed me, I was there."

Perhaps this will help Addison learn an important lesson and make the WR stay on the straight and narrow path.

While talented, Jordan Addison has struggled with discipline

Addison, 23, was suspended for the first three games of the 2025 season after violating the league's substance abuse policy. During the offseason, he pleaded no contest to a "wet reckless" charge. He was initially charged with a DUI on July 12, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to those charges on December 3, 2024.

Skipping the walkthrough will raise more questions about Addison's ability to stay disciplined. Still, it's easy to see why the Vikings keep giving him second chances. Through two games, he had nine receptions for 155 yards and one TD catch.

Per Sky Sports, Vikings star WR Justin Jefferson said he plans to take Addison "under his wing" so he can stay out of trouble. Minnesota hopes he's a good mentor for the third-year wideout, who needs to start learning from his mistakes.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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