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Naïve? Maybe. Delusional? The outcome says otherwise.

"I was just going to play football, and I didn't really worry about making it," Thielen said. "That was kind of my mindset going into the whole thing. 'I'm gonna do everything I can to make it, and that way I know if I don't, I gave it everything I had. I have no regrets.'

"I remember being a little nervous going into it, not knowing what to expect, but then you get out there and realize … I'm running the same routes I ran in college, that I ran in high school," he continued. "Just because it's the NFL doesn't mean you're doing anything out of this world you've never done before."

Thielen connected early on with first-round draft pick Cordarrelle Patterson, the two becoming fast friends despite an initial double-take by the latter.

"The first time meeting him I was like, 'Who is this guy?' You know, a skinny little white kid from Mankato and all this stuff," Patterson quipped. "I didn't know what to expect about him, man, but the way he carried himself from day one is just, I have the most respect for him.

"I was drafted, he wasn't, but Adam didn't look at me like a first-round guy. He just treated me like a brother. And the same way for him; I didn't treat him like he was a nobody because he wasn't drafted," continued Patterson, who would be Thielen's training camp and road game roommate for the next four years. "He's my brother. It feels like just yesterday, but that was 13 years ago. It's crazy."

Earning a spot

Thielen caught the attention of Vikings coaches that included George Stewart, who led Minnesota's receivers at the time, and Kevin Stefanski, who that season served as assistant quarterbacks coach.

Stefanski, now entering his first season as the Falcons head coach, recalled that weekend clearly, noting a 7-on-7 drill in which Thielen lined up as the underneath receiver.

"We had an in-cut behind him, so he was at about a 6-yard step and then a cut behind him at 15 yards, and the quarterback was throwing the in-cut," Stefanski explained. "But Adam jumped up and grabbed the ball and quickly earned the nickname 'Stealin' Thielen' for the rest of rookie minicamp."

An initial depth chart from that rookie minicamp slated Thielen as the fifth 'X' receiver behind Patterson and three other wideouts, only one of which (Chris Summers) went on to make the Vikings 2013 training camp roster.

But over the three-day camp, Thielen continued to make a case for himself. He didn't just learn the X spot; he learned the Y and the Z, as well. You asked him to do it, and Thielen delivered.

"We had a playbook, maybe 10, 12 pages, and his little ass gives me it all — he's learned every position," Stewart chuckled. "So if someone went down, it was, 'Coach, I can do that. I can do it.' That told me about his intelligence, and that was one of the reasons I wanted to keep him around."

Decisions are made each year following rookie minicamp, and Thielen gave coaches no choice but to do just that: keep him around.

Thielen made Minnesota's 2013 practice squad; from there, he just kept making his case.

The Vikings that season brought in veteran quarterback Matt Cassel to mentor and work behind Christian Ponder. Most of the first-team reps went to Ponder in practices, of course, and Cassel spent ample time throwing with mostly the practice squad. It didn't take long for the 31-year-old QB to take notice of a previously unknown wideout.

"He made an immediate impression on me," Cassel recalled. "His work ethic, his ability to pick up the offense and his eagerness to learn because, you know, this was his opportunity.

"You have to give the scout team looks for the defensive side, so Adam was with me, and we're running a lot of the reps and I'd be like, 'Man, this kid gets open constantly,' " Cassel said. "I mean, he had great precision on his route running. He'd come in and out of breaks … and he's not going up against slouches, either; he's going up against starters. And so slowly but surely, you start to look for him, because … 'Well, hell, I know Adam's going to go out there and beat his guy.'

"From that point on, I was telling coaches, 'This kid's got something,' " Cassel added.

Thielen did have one shortcoming, though: staying on his dang feet.

Stewart's deep-chested laugh comes through the phone as he describes the scene like it was yesterday. The way a young Thielen fell time and time again. Had the speed, athleticism and detail — but as soon as it came time to break and turn, he'd be on the grass like a fresh fawn.

"He slipped out of every route — just slipped and fell," Stewart chuckled. "He would run the route and at the top, he'd slip. So, we had to teach him how to keep his feet underneath his body. Once he started to do that, he just became better and better and better."

And better.

Though he'd never played special teams prior to the NFL, Thielen wholeheartedly embraced the role and "made his bones" there, as Stewart noted — including blocking a Panthers punt in November 2014 and returning it 30 yards for a touchdown. (He briefly held the record for the longest blocked punt returned for a TD in franchise history … until later in the second quarter when Everson Griffen ran one back for a 43-yard score.)

Thielen played on kick coverage, kick return, punt coverage and punt return, demonstrating a fierceness that would define his pro career.

"That is ultimately the toughest position … running down and hitting people, making tackles," Cassel said. "And if you turn on that early film, Adam Thielen was in the mix of all that."

Making a name

It was through those plays that Thielen gradually earned more snaps on offense.

"I used to tell my players all the time, 'Everybody knows you can catch, OK? Everybody knows you're a receiver.' But your ability to get respect in this league is your toughness," Stewart recounted. " 'Can you go into that briar patch? Can you block a linebacker? Can you block a corner? Can you block a safety?' And once you get those things done, you put it on tape, that's where your respect comes from.

"He did all those," Stewart added. "I used to call him 'The Garbage Man.' He was the guy who went in and made those types of dirty plays."

Lions Offensive Coordinator Drew Petzing (a Vikings assistant from 2014-19) recalled an instance in 2014 when Minnesota traveled to Green Bay, and a lopsided game in the opponents' favor gave Thielen the opportunity to play on offense.

Petzing noted the Packers left their defensive starters in for a while. (Green Bay cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Sam Shields played every defensive snap, in fact.)

"I remember that vividly," he said. "He was out there working the first-team DBs and getting open and making plays."

Thielen continued to impress and scored his first offensive touchdown — a 44-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater — in the final regular-season game of 2014. He became a regular contributor on offense in 2016, playing all 16 games (10 starts) and racking up 92 catches for 967 yards and five touchdowns.

By 2017, there was no looking back.

Thielen started all 16 games and logged four games with 100-plus receiving yards. He recorded 91 receptions for 1,276 yards and four TDs en route to earning his first career All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.

In 2018, he set career highs in receptions (113) and receiving yards (1,373), plus scored nine touchdowns to receive another Pro Bowl nod. Thielen passed the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season with seven catches for 66 yards at Chicago in Week 11, becoming the first Viking since Randy Moss (1998-2003) with 1,000-plus receiving yards in consecutive seasons. In Week 8, he caught seven passes for 103 yards against New Orleans, becoming the first player in NFL history to record eight straight games of 100-plus receiving yards to start a season. He also joined Calvin Johnson as the only players in league history to accomplish the feat at any point in a season.

Former Vikings long snapper Kevin McDermott called Thielen's rise to stardom "inevitable" from the first day he walked through the door.

"He's a guy who simply will not be denied," McDermott said. "No matter the job, he'd do it without question and with maximum effort. I saw him put team above self, week after week, playing every phase of special teams on top of his ever-growing roles on offense."

Thielen garnered numerous nicknames from coaches and teammates, "Teach Tape" becoming another from Stefanski.

"As a coach, everything Adam did on the field was exactly how you wanted it coached," Stefanski said. "So you'd tag that play as you were watching tape, and immediately that play would go right to the teach tape."

Thielen often displayed humility; his play, however, demanded respect that wasn't always granted.

"I've told players, 'If you have to tell people how good you are, you're not that good,' " Petzing said. "He was like, 'I'm going to go out there and show people over and over and over again that I am the guy.' "

Take, for instance, joint practices with the Bengals prior to the 2016 season. During a hot-and-humid morning, a pair of Cincinnati defensive backs refused to line up across from Thielen during 1-on-1s.

"This team has no dawgs," the duo was heard saying.

Patterson didn't sugarcoat the situation when talking about Thielen a decade later.

"Look, there's not a lot of white receivers of Adam's caliber, and he just took the world by storm," Patterson said. "I don't think anybody expected him to be the guy he is. I can honestly say George Stewart, he was the one who really knew Adam could be whatever Adam wanted to be.

"The s**t he came through, to be 'the guy' … he just put his head forward, he grinded and he proved everybody wrong," Patterson added.

Grit & tenacity

Thielen made grab after highlight-reel grab for the Vikings, prompting plenty of "did he really just catch that" utterances over the years.

And as mentioned, he also stood out for his grit. His willingness to put it all on the line when his team needed him, regardless of injury.

In fact, when we asked former coaches which Thielen plays stand out the most, multiple pointed to situations of pure pluck.

Chargers Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken (a Vikings coach from 2007-21) recalled a December 2016 contest against Jacksonville, during which punt returner Marcus Sherels suffered a sidelining injury and Thielen a dinged-up shoulder.

Ficken sought a fill-in for Sherels, asking a couple of eligible players if they'd be willing to — at the very least — stand in for a fair catch. He found no takers.

"Adam couldn't even raise his arm above his head," Ficken said, "but he heard both of these guys say, 'I ain't doing it.' And Adam goes, 'You know what? Put me out there. I'll do it.'

"That's just who he was," Ficken added.

Stefanski and Petzing both referenced the Minneapolis Miracle game, named of course for the incredible catch by Stefon Diggs to score a walk-off touchdown as time expired.

Thielen may not be discussed as much around that game, but he should be.

What many might not know is that earlier in the divisional contest, Thielen was tackled along the sideline and suffered a fractured back. And yet, he never came out.

"The second-to-last offensive series, he runs a slant and [draws] defensive holding on [Marshon Lattimore]," Stefanski detailed. "Case scrambles, he's looking, looking, looking, and he throws the ball up to Adam — Lattimore now draped all over him, and Adam still catches the ball. So with a broken back — defensive holding, DPI, makes a huge play in the game his team needed him? To me, that play totally epitomizes who Adam Thielen is."

There was the backside post in Detroit in 2019, when Kirk Cousins faked a handoff, drifted to his left and whipped the ball to Thielen, who laid out in the back of the end zone to make an incredible catch before colliding with the wall. Thielen, who started the snap in motion to the right before working his way back, injured his hamstring during the unique play.

"That route never gets thrown, and nine times out of 10 the guy doesn't even run full speed," Petzing said. "Kirk pulled up, and we're like, 'Where is he throwing the ball? Oh my gosh, he's throwing the backside post!' Thielen tracks it down in the back of the end zone and scores the touchdown."

And don't forget later that same season, after the Vikings defeated the Saints in another playoff stunner — this time the Wild Card Game — to advance to San Francisco. During practice that week, Vikings corner Mackensie Alexander and Thielen tangled on a play, and Alexander's cleat sliced his teammate's heel down to the Achilles tendon.

Whereas "99 percent of guys" wouldn't have attempted playing just a few days later, Thielen caught five passes for 50 yards in Minnesota's effort against the Niners.

A game's impending outcome never dictated Thielen's determination. An easy win, large-margin loss or contest determined in the final seconds, he played every down the same.

"He was always fighting through the whistle," Petzing said. "He'd make blocks … put his body into situations — you're supposed to, right? But not everyone does — and just always gave his best on every single play."

Faith and football

Thielen largely credits his Christian faith with being able to give 100 percent.

His work ethic, of course, has always been undeniable; watch him play, read about his journey, and there's no question he grinded to get where he did.

He also says his belief in the Lord has helped him along the way.

"I grew in my faith throughout my career thanks to great men and leaders in the locker room," Thielen said, noting Ham among them.

"Even though C.J. is younger than me, his faith was a lot stronger than mine — and he was really one of my greatest mentors in my faith walk," Thielen said. "I'm forever grateful for that. … We've had some amazing conversations, just life stuff we could talk about and help each other through, or maybe sometimes it's just listening.

"I wouldn't be where I am in my faith walk if it wasn't for you," he told Ham.

Realizing his "true identity in Christ," Thielen explained, meant he wasn't defined by football performance — and effectively could play freely, driven by a deeper purpose.

"It allowed me to give everything I have, because God gifted me the opportunity — and I could be OK with the results, good or bad," Thielen said.

Numerous coaches and teammates over the years have been encouraged by Thielen's commitment to his faith.

"I think that's the biggest story of all. It's a great story, his success and everything on the field, but his faith is actually what drives it all, and the support cast he has with his family," Ficken said. "It's tough to undervalue that part."

Minnesota nice

Thielen's values and upbringing also are evident in his ability to positively impact others.

On the field, he was all-toughness, all-the-time. Off it? He's Minnesota nice, of course.

Thielen's former teammates describe the way he strengthened a locker room not only as a team leader but as a friend.

He showed connection and compassion to Ameer Abdullah, who joined the Vikings via trade midway through the 2018 season and recently acknowledged the mental difficulty of joining Minnesota, a team already solidified with a No. 1 running back, after being injured in Detroit.

Whether or not he realizes it, Thielen's ability to "connect with anyone" has left life-long impressions on Abdullah and countless others.

"I mean, every single corner of the locker room got a piece of Adam Thielen," he said. "Him being a running mate with Stefon Diggs was one of the most interesting things, because Stefon is an emotional, fiery guy. Adam can be emotional and fiery on the field; when he's off the field, he's one of the most joyous, kindhearted people.

"Adam could be kind of a chameleon," Abdullah added. "One minute he'll be sitting with Kirk Cousins and they're talking about golf. The next minute, he's over there with Sheldon [Richardson], with Stefon, and they're doing different dance moves or whatnot. And then in the next minute, he's with me, Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks and Stephen Weatherly talking about conspiracies.

"Adam Thielen was a locker room glue guy. One hundred percent," Abdullah said.

And it wasn't only the locker room he made better.

Thielen represented his home state well on game days, and he's been passionate about investing in it well beyond the gridiron. He participated in Community Tuesday initiatives early on, and in September 2018, he and his wife Caitlin officially launched the Thielen Foundation. From renovating high school weight rooms and hosting football camps, to supporting The Salvation Army, hosting an annual charity softball game and partnering with M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital to enhance its behavior health unit, Thielen Foundation is committed to bettering the lives of Minnesota youth.

"He's a hometown hero, man," Patterson emphasized. "He's everything he's supposed to be. He's doing everything right. The stuff he's doing off the field is even better than what he's done on it."

Thielen's efforts do not go unnoticed. He's twice been named an NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Club Winner — first with Minnesota in 2022 and with Carolina in 2024.

Though the honor is valued, recognition has never been sought. Another aspect in which he and Ham share similar experiences.

"We're just serving. We're just out there to give back to the community, and that means a lot to us," Thielen told an agreeing Ham. "I think it means a little bit extra to us, because we've spent our whole lives in Minnesota. The people in Minnesota mean just a little bit more to us, and it's more gratifying when you're in those moments serving than when you're receiving recognition or an award."

As Thielen admired former Vikings Man of the Year recipients such as Chad Greenway or Kyle Rudolph, he in turn laid a foundation for those players who came behind him.

Ham looked not only to Thielen's tryout success story as inspiration but also to his community commitment.

"You and Caitlin showed us the way," Ham told Thielen. "You showed us we can impact … in so many ways. Not just with money, but in showing up, being there — and that is something Steph and I have seen through you both."

On his own terms

After 13 seasons, 10-and-a-half of them with his home state team, Thielen is walking away.

From the playing field, at least. It's unlikely the Detroit Lakes kid will truly wander too far from the game he holds in his heart.

He believes — knows — he could still play. And come Week 1 of the 2026 season, there's a good chance that heart of his will feel the pang of not lacing up his cleats.

But to play 13 years in this league? It's rare. To leave on your own terms? Nearly unheard of.

"I have no regrets," Thielen said. "I know I've given everything I've had to this game, and now it's time for me to give that same [energy] to other areas of my life."

He's excited to coach football, soccer and track teams for Asher, Hudson and Cora. He's looking forward to cozying up on the couch and watching the Vikings with his family — and, probably, hitting up a game or two at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Thielen may have worn the jerseys of three different teams during his storied career. But he always knew he'd wrap it all up as a Minnesota Viking.

Truthfully, so has everyone who's been a part of the journey.

"Playing for [and retiring from] their home state team — that's what every kid dreams of doing. I think it's really kind of a cool, full-circle moment for him, something that's really special," Petzing said. "I'm sure every kid who's ever caught a ball in [Minnesota] thinks of him. It's pretty cool."

Over the phone, a typically lighthearted Patterson allowed emotion to slip into his voice.

"I wouldn't trade our time together for anything, man," he said. "I'm so happy for that guy. I'm proud of him. And he's got better things to do besides football. God put him in the right direction, and I'm just happy for everything he did."

As Thielen sits atop a stool in TCO Performance Center, he takes a breath and smiles once again.

"It means everything," he emphasizes. "Growing up a Vikings fan, them being the team that gave me my chance. I'm playing on special teams, they give me the chance to play receiver and trusted me to take on that starting role and play here 10 seasons, then 11.

"It's a special place," he added. "A special organization."