Wednesday brought news of a homecoming for Adam Thielen, as the veteran wideout was traded by the Panthers to the Vikings. Thielen grew up in Minnesota, attended Minnesota State, and played for the franchise for nearly a decade before heading to Carolina in free agency two years ago. So it is indeed a homecoming in every sense of the word for the 35-year-old receiver.
There was nobody more excited to hear about the move than Thielen's family. In particular his daughter had an adorable reaction to learning she was heading back to Minnesota. In a video shared by Thielen's wife, Caitlin, to her Instagram story the wideout is captured celebrating the trade with his daughter in the cutest way possible, with the two chanting "We're going home!"
Usually a player and his family (understandably) have the opposite reaction to a sudden change in job and home, so if anything the joy of the Thielen family makes for a nice breath of fresh air.
Fans will be glad to see him back, too. In nine seasons Thielen made two Pro Bowls and an All-Pro team in Vikings purple. Not only is there a big need for his production with Jordan Addison set to miss the start of the season, Thielen has proven himself a reliable set of hands who should make for a valuable addition to the Justin Jefferson/Addison duo once everyone is back in the lineup. Plus Thielen gets a chance to compete; the Panthers aren't quite playoff contenders yet while the Vikings are coming off a 14-3 season.
A heartwarming reunion for the Thielens and the Vikings, as well as one that should serve both sides quite well.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Adam Thielen's Family Had Cutest Reaction to News of Vikings Trade.
