Adam Thielen admitted he never saw it coming.

“Didn’t know this was going to happen until yesterday morning,” Thielen said after learning he was headed back to the Minnesota Vikings .

The veteran wide receiver was officially traded from the Carolina Panthers to Minnesota in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounder. The Vikings also received a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. The deal ends Thielen’s two-year stint in Carolina . It also returns him to the franchise where he became a household name.

The reunion comes at a critical time. The Vikings are preparing for the first season with rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy under center and needed immediate help at receiver with Jordan Addison suspended for three games and Jalen Nailo

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