Vikings Star Gets Honest About Missing Practice Amid Contract Dispute
It was out of character for Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus to be missing from the practice field for voluntary OTAs a week ago.
Advertisement
However, a trend has continued for the Vikings team captain and emotional leader of the team, who sat out 7-on-7s during mandatory minicamps on Tuesday.
The assumption: Metellus, in the final year of his contract, is looking for a new deal.
After practice on Wednesday, June 11, Metellus addressed his absence from team activities.
Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44) is a limited participant at mandatory minicamps amid a contract negotiation with the team.© Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
"It's all good, that's part of the process right now. I mean, the coaches, front office, everybody understands, you know, situation I'm here," Metellus told KSTP's Darren Wolfson on June 11. "I'm building that chemistry with my new teammates and the old teammates, and I'm here being the same guy I am all the time. So you guys know me. It ain't nothing change.'
Two summers ago, the Vikings proactively signed Metellus to a two-year, $8 million extension with the hopes that he would seize a prominent role in the first year under Brian Flores.
Advertisement
He did that, and then some.
After starting just three games in three years as a 2020 sixth-round pick, Metellus has started 27 games and surpassed 1,000 defensive snaps each of the past two seasons since Flores arrived.
Metellus has become an integral part of the Flores' amoebic defense that lines versatile players all over the field. Metellus is arguably the defense's most versatile player, capable of lining up at over a dozen positions as both a cover man and a pass rusher.
That's made his contract negotiations tricky when considering what he is worth to the team.
Metellus said that despite all the versatility, he values himself as a safety and merely learned all those roles to have an impact behind Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum, who signed with a $15-million-a-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts in March.
Advertisement
"I kind of had to, we had a Hall of Famer and a guy getting paid $15 million back there," Metellus said of his learning his hybrid role. "I had to find a way to fit in."
Metellus should garner a contract in the ballpark of Bynum's deal in Indianapolis, which ranks 10th in average annual value at the position.
"At the end of the day, I came in this league at safety, that's forever going to be my true position," Metellus added. "All the other stuff, I think, adds to my value. But at the end of the day, I'm a ball player -- 1,000 snaps at whatever position, I'm going to do everything to help the team win.'
Related: Randy Moss' Son Reacts After Going Unsigned at Vikings Tryout
Related: Packers Predicted to Replace Jaire Alexander With Ex-Viking, Former All-Pro
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Clarets appoint Fjlelde as set-piece coach
Burnley have confirmed the appointment of Pal Fjelde as a set-piece coach. Fjelde has previously worked at clubs in his native Norway, including Bryne, Viking, and Staal. He has also worked as a set-piece coach for the Norway Football Federation. "I'm very excited. It's a huge opportunity and I'm really happy to have the trust of the manager and from the club," Fjelde said. "I think more and more clubs see the importance of set-pieces and how crucial they can be in matches, so it's important to emphasise and put the work in on them."
USA Today
39 minutes ago
- USA Today
NFL Insider: 'Blessing in disguise' Vikings missed out on Darnold, Jones
The Minnesota Vikings quarterback situation is a unique one that needed to be sorted out this past offseason. They came into it with both Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold being free agents while J.J. McCarthy continued to rehab from the torn meniscus he suffered last August. The team had been rumored to be discussing the idea of bringing back either Darnold or Jones, but they ultimately didn't, and now they are all in on McCarthy going forward. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote as the Vikings training camp started that the veterans of the Vikings' 2024 quarterback group not returning may be a "blessing in disguise." The former top draft pick spent all offseason adding to his frame and sharpening his mind so that he would be ready to hit the ground running when his sophomore season started. Breer writes, ". . .It was a long rookie year, to the point where the Vikings offered deals to Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones to return. It may be a blessing in disguise that neither accepted. As a result, McCarthy has taken all of the first-team reps since the start of spring and has found his voice as a leader on the team." McCarthy dominated the talk on the first day of training camp with his ability to push the ball downfield. He most notably hit Jordan Addison on a 60-yard touchdown pass downfield that had social media buzzing after the team shared the play on social media. Seems the Vikings may be okay for now with the former National Championship-winning quarterback.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Phillip Rivers Calls it a Career
Phillip Rivers Calls it a Career originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Philip Rivers made it clear: his NFL journey ends where it truly began, with the Chargers. Though he last played in 2020 with the Colts, Rivers publicly confirmed on Monday what fans long assumed, announcing in a heartfelt team video, 'I'm retiring a Charger.' Rivers spent 16 years as the face of the Chargers franchise, from San Diego to Los Angeles, holding every major passing record in team history. His 137 career wins rank 10th among all NFL quarterbacks and second-most among those never to win a Super Bowl. In the emotional announcement, Rivers emphasized his gratitude. 'What I miss, and what I'm most thankful for, are the relationships,' he said, reflecting on a career defined as much by connection as by competition. The video was posted on the Chargers' social media page. "There's no one like Phil." Like many would expect, the responses were swift and emotionally charged. "As a NFL fan its hard to find a player to root for that has the same passion and intensity for the game of football as Phil," said one fan. This fan brought the emotion: "WE LOVE this so much! Forever 17! Major respect here: "256 Baby." San Diego love from this fan: "My QB. So much memories Phillip. Thank you. A true San Diego Charger." "1 of my fave players in any sport ever. rabid competitor. underrated & should be a 1st ballot Hall of Famer. a legend just for being the only football player EVER to play a game with a torn ACL. & a simple, great dude who was easy to root for. thx for everything Philip Rivers," mentioned by this commenter. More love: "Forever my quarterback." The Chargers later in the day sent out a message about their former quarterback. "The gosh darn best." Rivers threw for 63,440 yards and 421 touchdowns, ranking sixth in NFL history in both categories. He sits alongside legends like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Ben Roethlisberger, each with a Super Bowl ring, a distinction that eluded him. Known for his clean but fiery trash talk, Rivers stood out in an era of brash quarterbacks. 'Some clips I look at and just shake my head. But some, I think, dang, that was fun,' he said. 'It's like being in the backyard.' One of his most iconic moments came in the 2007 AFC Championship Game. Despite tearing his ACL the week before, Rivers played the full game against the Patriots. The Chargers lost, but Rivers' toughness became legend. The team's president, John Spanos, highlighted Rivers' legacy: 'He's one of the most important players in this franchise's history. It's what he did on and off the field, how he carried himself, and the success we had while he was here.' Rivers entered the league in the famed 2004 NFL Draft. Originally selected by the New York Giants, he was traded on draft day for No. 1 pick Eli Manning. While Manning won two Super Bowls with the Giants, Rivers went on to have a Hall-of-Fame-caliber run with the Chargers. He began as Drew Brees' backup but took over as the starter in 2006 and never missed another game. He started 252 straight, including playoffs — a streak only rivaled by legends of the game. 'Sixteen years. I never took that for granted,' Rivers said. 'They trusted me to be the quarterback. I'm forever thankful.' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
