Adam Thielen wasn’t with the Carolina Panthers for a long time. But even through a pair of tough, losing seasons, the veteran wide receiver had himself a good time.
On Wednesday, the Panthers officially accommodated Thielen’s wishes—as he was traded back home and to the team he began his NFL career with, the Minnesota Vikings. But he wouldn’t move on with showing his gratitude to the Carolina organization and its fans . . .
Thielen signed with the Panthers on a three-year, $25 million deal in the spring of 2023. He went on to lead the team in receiving in his two seasons there—totaling 151 receptions for 1,629 yards and nine touchdowns.
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Many of those passes came off the hand of Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, who Thielen talked about during his reintroduction to Minnesota on Thursday.
“I will say this about Bryce, because he deserves the respect. He’s a great man. He’s a great leader. And he’s a great quarterback,” Thielen told reporters. “You saw that at the end of last year. Just the stuff he had to go through, the adversity through his first two years in the league. You don’t wish that upon anybody. For him to handle that, and to where he’s at right now. It says a lot about his character and who he is, and what kind of player he’s going to be in this league.
“So much respect for him. Because I guarantee you l’m not here today without him. Him trusting me. Him giving me opportunities. And believing in me to be able to still continue to play this game that I love.”
Before joining Young and the Panthers, Thielen—a Detroit Lakes, Minn. native and Minnesota State University product—spent his first nine pro seasons with the Vikings. He left as a two-time Pro Bowler and, at the time, the franchise’s fourth all-time leading receiver.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: WR Adam Thielen thanks Panthers after being traded to Vikings