Vikings News

"Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress wouldn't address Green Bay's accusations that he and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell had tampered with retired Packers quarterback Brett Favre. But when asked today whether he had talked to Favre, as cell phone records reportedly indicated, Childress said, "You can't believe everything you read, but that's an NFL matter. I'm not going to touch that one" Childress arrived in Mankato today for training camp."

"Vikings veteran Pat Williams said the Green Packers should let Brett Favre move on. Coach Brad Childress said people shouldn't believe every story they read regarding Favre. Cornerback Antoine Winfield said he thinks Favre would be a great addition to the Vikings, though he doubts it would ever happen. On the day the Vikings reported for training camp at Minnesota State Mankato, the Favre speculation remained at the forefront Wednesday, though players said it's not a distraction. Williams said that because Favre has played almost 20 years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl for Green Bay, the Packers should honor his request to part ways. "If the guy wants to go, just let the guy go," said ..."

"With players not required to report until this morning, check-in day at the Vikings' training camp featured far fewer starters than usual Wednesday. Their three remaining draft choices were all on hand, though, after safety Tyrell Johnson, quarterback John David Booty and center John Sullivan signed four-year contracts. Johnson, a second-round pick from Arkansas State, said he had been working out in Eden Prairie for the past 1 1/2 weeks and never worried that he might not make it to camp on time. "I've been thinking about this for about the last month now," he said. "I've been training hard. I'm ready to roll, ready to prove myself and show everybody who Tyrell Johnson is." Booty, a ..."

"Give Antoine Winfield credit for honesty. As the majority of Vikings players attempt to steer clear of saying if they would like to see Brett Favre in purple, the cornerback made it clear Wednesday the future Hall of Fame quarterback would be a welcome addition. "I think it would be a great move for us, but I don't know if Green Bay would trade him to a division rival," Winfield said. "Favre is still a great player. That's what you want to do in this league is add as many great players as you can. I think Tarvaris will do a great job for us if it doesn't happen." Tarvaris, of course, is Vikings starter Tarvaris Jackson. The quarterback was one of several veterans who did not report to ..."

"The Vikings made sure they had no rookie absences at the start of training camp by signing their remaining three draft picks hours before the team reported Wednesday. The team signed safety Tyrell Johnson (second round), quarterback John David Booty (fifth round) and center John Sullivan (sixth round) all to four-year contracts. Johnson received a signing bonus around $1.5 million. His base salary starts at $295,000 this year and will total around $1.7 million over four years. He also gets a one-time incentive bonus of $600,000 if he is on the field for 35 percent of the defensive snaps this season or 45 percent in 2009. Johnson said it was important to him to get the deal done before the ..."

"The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to terms with fifth-round pick Letroy Guion and sixth-round selection Jaymar Johnson. Guion, a 6-foot-4, 303-pound tackle out of Florida State, started eight of 12 games during the 2007 season recording 31 tackles, including 17 unassisted and 6.5 tackles for loss. He also recorded one sack and recovered two fumbles. Johnson, a 6-0, 175-pound receiver out of Jackson State, caught 66 passes for 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns the past two seasons. He also returned 43 punts for 469 yards and two scores."

"Vikings players will report to training camp today in Mankato. Brett Favre, it's safe to say, won't be there. If the Vikings are going to return to the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2004, the players already on the roster must be responsible for it. They can't worry about the daily Favre updates that surface in the media and whether he could push them over the top."

"The Vikings have always made themselves great fodder for a satirist. Since their inception, they have routinely been good enough and popular enough to sustain relevance and yet star-crossed and self-destructive enough to make them weekly punchlines in a sport where fewer than 20 days a year count. What are we to make, then, of the 2008 Vikings who report to camp today? Everything Purple we have become accustomed to ridiculing is fading away like the ink on a Love Boat lawsuit."

"Jared Allen, defensive end The skinny: No kidding, right? The Vikings' trade for Allen -- and the historic six-year, $74 million contract they gave him -- created a buzz around the league and significantly improved an already stout defensive line. Allen led the league in sacks last season with 15 1/2 for the Chiefs. He also brought more swagger to the locker room and hasn't been bashful in expressing high expectations."

"Safety Tyrell Johnson, the Vikings' second-round selection and the team's top pick in the April draft, is near an agreement on a multiyear contract, and indications are it could be completed early today. Three of the Vikings' five picks agreed to terms Tuesday, a day before training camp opens in Mankato. The Vikings announced they had signed defensive tackle Letroy Guion (fifth round, Florida State) and receiver Jaymar Johnson (sixth round, Jackson State). Center John Sullivan (sixth round, Notre Dame), meanwhile, had a "verbal agreement" in place."

"Football coaches crave player competition. The whole "every job is open" philosophy is designed to raise intensity and performance, meant to keep 'em on their toes. But as the Vikings report to training camp today in Mankato, most positions already have an established starter. That's not to say the depth chart should be written in permanent marker, but it seems the best position competitions will take place with the second unit. Here are four to watch:"

"The Vikings report to training camp in Mankato today under heightened expectations based largely on the team's active and historic offseason. Ownership shelled out nearly $70 million in guaranteed money, an infusion of talent that led at least one national pundit to pick the Vikings to win the Super Bowl. This, mind you, for a team that finished 8-8 and failed to make the playoffs last season. More than one Vikings player, without prompting, expressed similar goals this offseason, raising expectations for the team and the coach."

"The kickoff to the real propaganda campaign for a new Vikings stadium occurred Thursday, when the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission called in the media to listen to a presentation from the architectural firm Ellerbe Becket. This was beautiful stuff. The message was this plan would save $100 million by reusing parts of the Metrodome. There was even a suggestion on the Star Tribune sports pages that Ellerbe's idea was for a "reconstructed Metrodome.""

"Everybody has questions. How soon can quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco start in Atlanta and Baltimore? Where does Brett Favre play in 2008, if he plays at all? Is there another team such as the New York Giants that will come out of the shadows at playoff time to seize the Super Bowl? There are no ready answers in July and August. Training camp is a time to grind, but it's also a time for optimism. Let's set the stage for the NFL's 89th season."

"As he enters his third season with the Minnesota Vikings, expectations are higher than ever for coach Brad Childress and the team. And that's just the way he likes it. In a recent interview with the Pioneer Press before the reported Brett Favre tampering allegations, Childress expressed his excitement about the upcoming season, which kicks off Wednesday when players report for training camp in Mankato, Minn. Here are excerpts of the interview, conducted by Vikings beat writers Sean Jensen and Rick Alonzo:"

"Amid the obvious questions about the Packers/Favre/Vikings imbroglio -- Where will Favre end up, and was Greta Van Susteren's facelift worth the money? -- stands the most obvious question of all: Will anybody involved in this mess come out looking good? It wasn't that long ago that Brett Favre was an admirable retired football star, the Packers were the most admired young team in football, and the Vikings were hoping to benefit from Favre's absence. NFL fans, not to mention uncharacteristically optimistic Viking fans, were anticipating a night of choreographed and spontaneous drama on Sept. 8. The Vikings will open the season at Lambeau Field, and the Packers had planned to retire ..."

"Matt Birk isn't about to let pass the opportunity for self-depreciation. At the outset of an interview designed to go beyond the basics (yes, Birk is from St. Paul and attended Harvard), the Vikings center is asked how he views himself. Birk pounces: "Holding it together with duct tape and chewed bubble gum." Then he turns serious. "The first way I see myself is as a Christian," he says. "A husband, father, son, brother. All those things. I guess a football player is way down the list for me."

"Yes, the Bears have some issues as they head into training camp this week. But they are not alone. Each of the 32 teams in the NFL will be trying to answer deep questions, tie together loose ends and bury ghosts of the past. Here is a look at the other 31:"

"Vikings running back Adrian Peterson says that he's been following the Brett Favre saga, like everybody else, but that it isn't a distraction for the team, which opens training camp next week. "No, not at all," Peterson said Friday morning at the Vikings' Winter Park headquarters, where he was playing host to a youth football camp. "I've been watching it. It's not a distraction. It's kind of entertaining to me.""

"One thing about tampering charges: They almost never become public unless someone wants them to become public. Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson, otherwise known as "that idiot" to many football fans in and around Wisconsin, pulled off a beauty the other day. In fact, it was the gridiron equivalent of a triple play. By filing tampering charges against the Vikings, he accomplished three strategic objectives: the accusation of high treason — conspiring with the enemy! — shifts public sympathy away from Favre; it assures he will not play for the Vikings, otherwise those tampering charges will appear all too true; and it guarantees that Favre will not play again in Green Bay."

"Chad Greenway looked over the muddy, washed-out fields of City Park and shook his head. An unpleasant aroma, probably far worse a few weeks ago, permeated the air in this college town. Greenway, a former football star at the University of Iowa, was getting one of his first looks at the devastation caused when the Iowa River flooded last month. Greenway, already in Iowa City in part to attend the wedding of his college roommate this weekend, was met by Wilf, Vikings Vice President of Public Affairs Lester Bagley and a few other members of the organization Friday to help clean areas of the park."

"Vikings owner Zygi Wilf is always excited for the start of the regular season, but this year he might be even more eager than usual. That's because the Vikings open on Monday, Sept. 8 at Green Bay -- the team that has filed tampering charges against Minnesota for having alleged "inappropriate dialogue" with quarterback Brett Favre. "Let's put it this way, I look forward to the opening game in Green Bay," Wilf said after saying he had "no comment at all" about the charge."

"The Vikings organization released a two-sentence statement saying they won't comment on the Green Bay Packers' reported allegations to the NFL that Minnesota tampered with retired quarterback Brett Favre. The statement said: "We are not commenting on the issue. These types of matters are handled by the league." No further clarification was offered."

"The rivalry between the Vikings and the Green Bay Packers just got a lot hotter. An NFL source said Wednesday that the Packers had filed a tampering charge with the league against the Vikings in connection with an alleged contact with Brett Favre. The source said the Packers had provided evidence and information about the alleged contact. At this point, investigators for the league will look into the matter and decide what, if anything, to do. The source added that the Packers believe the case against the Vikings is strong. Penalties can include the loss of draft choices and fines."

"Brett Favre was terrific last season, leading an otherwise average Green Bay Packers team to the postseason. Chances are, he'd be impressive this year, too — if he would quit acting like a crybaby and just agree to play. Instead of whining about how the Packers are treating him, instead of going on Greta Van Susteren's show on Fox News Channel and saying he's tempted to call the team's "bluff" and show up for training camp, Favre should wise up, shut up and show up."

"The Vikings' rivalry with Green Bay took an interesting off-the-field turn Wednesday when it was reported the Packers have filed tampering charges with the NFL against the Vikings for "alleged communication" with quarterback Brett Favre. The story, broken by Fox Sports' website and confirmed by a separate source, said the league is gathering information and talking to both clubs. Favre, who retired in March after 17 seasons but wants to return to the NFL, remains property of the Packers but has requested his release."

"The Green Bay Packers filed a tampering charge against the Minnesota Vikings last week, alleging that a Vikings coach had improper contact with quarterback Brett Favre , according to an N.F.L. official familiar with the Packers' actions. Favre, who had retired, has said he wants to play again. He has asked for his release because he believes the Packers do not want him back, but the Packers retain his rights. The N.F.L. has already gathered evidence from the Packers in regard to the allegation and must still meet with the Vikings. It will then decide whether to proceed with sanctions."

"On the same day that Brett Favre's agent claimed that the next move in the quarterback's ongoing unretirement saga belonged to the Green Bay Packers, news broke of the club's boldest move yet: The Packers have filed tampering charges against the Minnesota Vikings, alleging their NFC North division rivals had "inappropriate dialogue" with Favre, who technically still is Green Bay's property. FoxSports.com's Jay Glazer first reported the story Wednesday evening, and two NFL sources confirmed that the Packers are indeed pursuing tampering charges against the Vikings, claiming Minnesota offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell — the former University of Wisconsin quarterback and Favre's ..."

"Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said he feels the Vikings are his team. Coach Brad Childress agrees. In the face of speculation over where Brett Favre might play in the future, Childress backed Jackson on Tuesday. "He shouldn't feel otherwise," Childress said of Jackson's assertion. "He did everything in the offseason, to act like, to be — he improved in the (organized team activities). That's part of what that mantle is. You can see that nice evolution." Childress didn't say much about the Favre speculation because of league rules against tampering. Favre still is under contract with the Packers."

"First of all, not a lot of ordained ministers own saloons. "You have no idea how big that's been," said Joe Senser, restaurant owner, former Viking and, now, evangelical minister. "I've had all these people say, 'you claim to be a Christian but you own a bar. You sell liquor.' "First I ask them if they believe the Bible is the literal word of God. Then I tell them to read Proverbs 31, verse 6. 'Give beer and wine to those who are perishing.' '' That is one terrific piece of scripture. "Where should I be, in a church? I'm right where I should be. I've lost customers when I ask them why they aren't with their families late at night. They get offended and leave.""

"As the Brett Favre saga rages like an inferno to the east, Vikings coach Brad Childress reiterated Tuesday that he's comfortable with Tarvaris Jackson and said his third-year quarterback will enter training camp next week as the unequivocal starter. "I think I've always said that," Childress said when asked if Jackson is his guy. "I just think he's right where he needs to be in terms of being a third-year quarterback. Would I have liked to see him play 16 games last year? Absolutely, I would have. But I think he's in a natural evolution. He understands what it means to play an NFL season as a starter with all eyes on him, dissecting everything." Childress has watched the ..."

"Amid reports of Brett Favre's possible departure from Green Bay, Minnesota is projected as a popular destination for the legendary quarterback. Tarvaris Jackson has been here before. "Every time a quarterback comes up, they throw Minnesota in there," Jackson said Tuesday afternoon, following a long workout at Tom Shaw Performance Enhancement at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. "It's nothing new." As a sports fan, Jackson tuned in to the Favre follies, one of the more fascinating NFL stories of the offseason. But Jackson isn't losing any sleep over speculation that the three-time MVP quarterback could unseat him in Minnesota."

"Former Vikings defensive end Darrion Scott received a three-game suspension from the NFL for violations of the league's conduct policy, according to ESPN.com. Scott pleaded guilty last week to a gross misdemeanor charge of child endangerment. The plea allowed him to avoid trial following an April 28 incident at Scott's townhouse in Eden Prairie in which he put a plastic dry cleaning bag over the head of his 2-year-old son. The fact Scott also was arrested in December after a small amount of marijuana was found in his car meant he had multiple offenses under the NFL conduct policy and thus enabled the league to take action against him."

"Vikings safety Darren Sharper played alongside three-time MVP quarterback Brett Favre for eight seasons in Green Bay. But, amid speculation that Favre might be interested in joining the Vikings, Sharper quickly backed his current quarterback, Tarvaris Jackson. "T-Jack is our guy," Sharper said. "I have the utmost confidence in Tarvaris. "With the team we have, I think we can make it to the Super Bowl." Sharper was coy when asked about Favre. "Brett in Minnesota? Man, the Packers aren't going to let him go," he said. When asked what he would think if they did, Sharper said: "I don't know. I don't evaluate offensive players." Sharper, though, made clear that he believes ..."

"The Vikings' Darren Sharper spent his first eight NFL seasons as Brett Favre's teammate, so when the veteran safety learned in March that the quarterback planned to call it quits he was, well, skeptical. "I'm not completely sold that he is going to retire," Sharper told KFAN Radio at the time. "Come midsummer, when everyone starts talking football and he's done about four months worth of fishing and playing golf, it wouldn't be a surprise to hear speculation that Brett Favre might be coming out of retirement." It's more than speculation. Favre reportedly has asked the Packers to release him if they don't want him back, and Green Bay officials have made it clear that Favre won't be ..."

"Free Brett Favre! This is no way to treat a legend. The Green Bay Packers are trying to embarrass Favre into staying retired. They are trying to humiliate him into giving up any thoughts of playing football this season. That's no way to treat our boy. Imagine, telling him he can return to the team but insisting they are committed to Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback. How degrading. If Favre isn't good enough to be welcomed back ahead of Rodgers, then general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy should be thrilled to see him sign with another team, especially one in the division. If he's that bad, why are they so afraid?"

"Brett Favre has three years left on his contract with the Packers calling for $39 million. No doubt this is one of the reasons the veteran quarterback has had second thoughts about retiring. Memo to Vikings owner Zygi Wilf: "You want a stadium, put Favre in a Vikings uniform." Well, there is no question that the chances of the Vikings getting a new stadium would improve overnight if all of a sudden a trade could be made for Favre, who is asking for his release. The Packers made it clear that Aaron Rodgers was their No. 1 quarterback after Rodgers took part in all of the Packers' minicamps and spent all year in Green Bay getting ready. I never have met an owner who wants to win ..."

"I know, I know, you're sick of Brett Favre. You're a fan, so you ingest so much sports news, information, gossip and statistical minutia that you grow weary of stories before they've completed the 24-hour news cycle, and here's the latest Favre saga, playing on an endless loop like "It's a Wonderful Life" at Christmas. While it's true Favre has been listed by Homeland Security as an Emotional Terrorist, and it's true that the guy is a serial texter, cries more often than Dick Vermeil and has become a bigger pain in the butt than Roger Clemens' favorite syringe, there is also this: The Packers are nuts not to want him back. Green Bay General Manager Ted Thompson keeps treating Favre ..."

"When it comes to science, a small child either looks backward or upward, to the dinosaurs or the stars. Robert Smith looked up. Today, at the age of 36, he still sees stars, albeit with ever more powerful implements. "I was a fan of astronomy as a little kid," said Smith, "but I didn't buy my first telescope until my rookie year in the NFL. I was out on a lake at night, fishing, and looking at the sky when it hit me. Shoot, I can afford a telescope now. So I went straight out and bought one." Smith was one of the amateur astronomers profiled in last year's PBS special "Seeing in the Dark." The show was not about his football career. It was about intellectual curiosity."

"Can you picture Brett Favre in purple? Two veteran Vikings cannot. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Pat Williams said he has full confidence in the development of Tarvaris Jackson as the Vikings' quarterback. "I love my team," Williams said Friday. "I will ride it out with T-Jack. He's been with us, and he's made progress this offseason." Receiver Bobby Wade said the current crop of players has a "feel for each other." "I think we have the makings of a championship team," Wade said. "I wouldn't trade Brett Favre for anybody on our roster right now.""

"Matt Birk, the Vikings' Pro Bowl center, is breathing heavily, having just pushed his truck across a parking lot, as he says, "If this is good enough for Walter Jones, the best in the game, it's good enough for you." Walter Jones is the Seattle Seahawks' All-World tackle. "You," surprisingly, is me -- a 45-year-old, 175-pound sportswriter with skinny legs, a trick back and a death wish. I'm working out with Birk and Mike Morris on Monday morning. That's "Superstar" Mike Morris, the KFAN morning radio show host, former Vikings long snapper and proprietor of the MILO Barbell Club in Burnsville. MILO stands for Mike's Insane Lifting Order. Milo, Morris informs me, is also the Greek ..."

"On the day former Minnesota Viking Darrion Scott was to pick a jury to decide if he had assaulted and strangled his 2-year-old son, the beefy defensive end pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. In a deal with prosecutors, Scott, 26, pleaded guilty to child endangerment for sticking a dry-cleaning bag over his son's head in April. It was all part of a game in which the 289-pound Scott was playing the "bogeyman," he told a judge in a written statement his lawyer read into the record. But Scott conceded, "There is no question in my mind that what I did was stupid and reckless.""

"Former Vikings quarterback Kelly Holcomb's NFL career appears to be finished after 12 seasons. Holcomb, who played for six teams, will become part of alma mater Middle Tennessee State's radio broadcasts this season, working as a sideline reporter. He told the Nashville-based Tennessean that his NFL career is likely done. Holcomb was acquired by the Vikings in training camp from the Eagles for a sixth-round pick in 2009 and started three games in place of an injured Tarvaris Jackson."

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead and snort. But think about it. Your very own Minnesota Vikings are the perfect fit for Brett Favre, who would want to win immediately. No other team comes close, except the Packers, and they don't want him. Imagine, the Vikings really would be Super Bowl favorites. Plus, Tarvaris Jackson could learn from the best for a year or two. And Zygi Wilf could rev up the bulldozers. He would be the area's man of the year for working so diligently toward bringing a championship to Minnesota."

"Tyrell Johnson admits that after spending his spring taking part in the Vikings' Organized Team Activities and minicamp, his first choice wouldn't have been to head to Carlsbad, Calif., for the NFL's rookie symposium. "I wasn't too excited about it because all the veterans go home and all other rookies go home," he said. "I was ready to go home. But when I got there, I told myself to get something out of it and I did.""

"Vikings second-round pick Tyrell Johnson -- the team's top selection in the April draft -- said Thursday he doesn't know where contract negotiations between his agent and the team stand, but he isn't concerned. "I plan on signing before training camp starts, I can tell you that," said Johnson, a safety from Arkansas State. "It's very important. I'm not one of the big-time guys who can do that and not go to camp on time. I need to be there on time and help the team this season.""

"All-pro defensive end Jared Allen wants to move past the fixation on his past alcohol-related issues next season with the Vikings. In fact, Allen will share his experiences in hopes of benefiting the 2008 rookie class. "This is probably the last time I'm going to talk about it. I think everybody kind of hung on to it as long as they could. Everyone wanted to be part of the breaking news and then the success story," Allen said Monday. "But this is a cool way to impart some wisdom on the rookies, and this is an area I can help. "It's a way to give back. Hopefully, someone can learn from my mistakes.""

"The Vikings waived rookie defensive backs Marcus Griffin and Travis Key on Monday. Both were signed after failing to be drafted last April. Griffin, a safety from Texas, was rated a fifth- or sixth-round pick by NFLdraftscout.com after intercepting four passes last season and being named an All-Big 12 first-team choice by league coaches. Key was listed as a cornerback on the Vikings roster despite playing strong safety as a senior at Michigan State. The moves leave the Vikings roster at 81 players, one over the number they can take to training camp later this month."