The Vikings have officially wrapped up their first practice in Dublin, Ireland, and they’re appreciating the new environment.
Select players spoke Friday — around 5 p.m. Dublin time — with Twin Cities, U.S. and Irish media members alike and reflected on their first handful of hours overseas.
“First impressions are, it’s definitely beautiful,” Justin Jefferson said. “Getting the clean, fresh air and, really, just being out there on the field and getting a little bit of movement [was great].
“I didn’t really have any expectations of Ireland, because I never really thought I would actually be here,” he added, “but it’s a good vibe.”
Harrison Smith is looking forward to spending a little more time in Dublin after having a quick introduction in 2013. A second-year player at the time, Smith took part in a trip to Europe to meet with fans and promote the NFL internationally.
He noted the group “spent about six hours” in Dublin, where he connected with fans and then made sure to hit up an Irish pub.
“The Guiness does taste better over here, for sure,” he quipped.
Smith noted he and his teammates have more to learn about Ireland but have enjoyed understanding some of the “real” Vikings ties to the island.
“We haven’t spoken a lot on it, but we did get a bit of an Irish history lesson from one of our rookies, Chaz [Chambliss] today, and we learned about the Vikings coming over here,” Smith said. “We could maybe get a little deeper into that.”
He added with a smile, “It wasn’t as detailed as you would have liked, but we learned a few things.”