ST. PAUL — A hometown hero's storybook recently added a "home-plate hero" chapter.

The legend of Minnesota native Adam Thielen expanded, even after his retirement from football.

Hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 16-15 Team Offense victory in the 2026 UNRL Celebrity Softball Game co-hosted by Thielen and former Vikings teammate C.J. Ham will do that for a fella.

Vikings receiver and return specialist Myles Price excitedly encouraged, "Get the water!" and Team Offense doused Thielen with two coolers after his second round-tripper of the night.

A couple hours before Thielen made the latest keystrokes with a bat, he fielded a question about his softball swing.

"Yeah, my swing is also retired," Thielen joked. "I don't want to ruin my golf swing. I put a lot of time this offseason into my golf swing, so I don't want to ruin that."

Piggybacking quickly, Ham quipped, "I mean my swing can't be retired because it never started. We'll just leave that there."

Both former undrafted players who retired together this spring appreciated the opportunity to reconnect with former teammates and some of the newest Vikings in an enjoyable, relaxed way to raise money for their philanthropic efforts — Thielen Foundation and the Ham Family Scholarship Fund. Thielen described the event as one of his "favorite nights of the year," and Ham added he views it as "one of the greatest nights of spring for a lot of these guys, a lot of the fans."

The helmets-off interactions are fun for fans and extend avenues for Thielen and Ham to continue positively affecting a community they care about so deeply.

"When we started the Thielen Foundation, we just really wanted to keep it broad, and our mission statement is helping youth reach their full potential," Thielen said. "We did that because we didn't really have one specific spot.

"Where it's grown is we've really found and narrowed [our focus to have] the most impact. A lot of that is through sport, empowering, giving resources and opportunities to kids that maybe don't have those resources and opportunities," Thielen continued. "And then it's amazing what happens when they finally get those resources and opportunities and just a little bit of support and encouragement. … It's about what it does in their life, how it changes them as people and prepares them for life."

Added Ham, a Duluth native: "We both played here for a long time, grew up here. Minnesota is our home, and the fans have always showed so much love. At the end of the day, I did this for my family and all these things, but I also felt a sense of pride and the sense of I'm doing it for my fellow men, as well."

Thielen was happy to return as host of the softball game after passing the reins to Ham while the receiver was with Carolina.

"I thought it'd be a lot more difficult just getting guys to show up or support because I'm no longer their teammate, but just the support that we've had the last couple years and C.J. stepping in, it means a lot to us," Thielen said.

The winning homer was Thielen's second of the night. His first, which was nearly caught by defensive lineman Elijah Williams, started an 8-run rally in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Receivers fueled the scoring spree. After the rarity of back-to-back walks of receiver Dontae Fleming — who plated Team Offense's first run with a solo shot in the bottom of the first and flashed leather in the field — and tackle Walter Rouse, receiver Justin Jefferson smoked a 3-run homer.

Team Defense, which also included specialists, switched from punter Johnny Hekker to long snapper Andrew DePaola for a bit before returning to Hekker in the bottom of the fifth.

After tackle Ryan Van Demark reached base, undrafted rookie receiver Luke Wysong hit a 2-run homer before offensive lineman Henry Byrd knocked one beyond the fence. Running back Aaron Jones, Sr., followed by legging out a triple and scored on a single by Price for the eighth run of the inning.

Wysong had robbed Hekker of a 3-run homer with a leaping catch in the top of the first, but safety Theo Jackson crushed a no-doubter to plate DePaola and defensive lineman Levi Drake Rodriguez for a 3-0 lead in the first.

Outside linebacker Bo Richter's first of two homers on the night made it 4-1 in the top of the second, and tight end T.J. Hockenson hit his first of two four-baggers in the bottom of the third.

DePaola homered in the top of the fourth to make it 5-2 before Team Offense's 8-run fourth resulted in a 10-5 edge.

Hekker didn't leave the ball within reach of an outfielder to start the fifth, and Jackson followed with his second homer of the night. Linebacker Ivan Pace, Jr., was robbed of a single by receiver Jeshaun Jones' nice back-handed catch right before Richter's second round-tripper to make it 10-8 Offense on the way to the bottom of the fifth.

Jeshaun Jones and Hockenson opened that frame with solo homers. Rouse singled and completed his jog around the bases on a homer by guard Will Fries before quarterback J.J. McCarthy followed with a homer to make it 15-8.

Team Offense opened with Van Demark at pitcher, but Jefferson replaced the lineman in the top of the second.

Team Defense mounted a valiant comeback in the top of the sixth after linebacker Eric Wilson was robbed by Jeshaun Jones' leaping catch to start the frame. Richter reached first after a close play and was plated by Rodriguez's 2-run homer.

Safety Kahlef Hailassie and linebacker Jake Golday followed with singles and scored on DePaola's second homer of the game.

Pace then logged a ground-rule double and scored when Andrew Van Ginkel tied the game at 15 with a 2-run homer.

Van Ginkel had claimed the Home Run Derby title a couple hours earlier, prevailing over the strongest challenges by DePaola and Richter.

Jackson and outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss followed with singles, but the rally ended when Aaron Jones caught a fly to right field by Dallas Turner and threw to second for a double play enabled by Jackson leaving early.

Team Offense needed just one batter — the host — for the decisive swing.

See the Vikings 2026 Schedule.

View future opponents for the Vikings.

Buy single game tickets.

Download the official Vikings App.

See more about the 2028 NFL Draft in Minnesota.