Tyler Conklin might be joining Gang Green and the New York Jets, but the former Minnesota Vikings tight end knows his heart bled purple before anything else.
It had to be bittersweet for the former fifth-round draft pick when agreeing to a three-year, $21 million deal to go play football elsewhere.
On one hand, the opportunity to go play for a new city and team means another adventure to discover. But yet, on the other hand, it also means leaving behind the team that drafted him with the No. 157th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.
“I don’t say any of this lightly and with all the excitement I have for this next journey,” Conklin wrote in a released statement. “I am still beyond sad about leaving Minnesota. It has become my home and helped me grow from a boy to a man. It’s impossible for me to put into words how I feel about my 4 years here. I guess I just want everyone to know how much my family and I love it here! How much we love not just the state and everything it has to offer but the people of this state.”
— Tyler Conklin (@T_Conk1) March 17, 2022
Conklin came up big for the Vikings in 2021 with Irv Smith Jr. going down with a season-ending knee injury. He stepped up and took over as the No. 1 tight end and hauled in 61 receptions for 593 yards and three touchdowns.
The writing was already on the wall regarding his future for the Vikings with Smith coming back, along with the team recently agreeing to sign former Los Angeles Rams tight end Johnny Mundt to a two-year, $2.45 deal.
Smith tops the depth chart, and the Vikings have been cap-strapped in this year’s free agency period. So they haven’t exactly been big spenders.
Still, it would have been fun seeing Smith and Conklin work in unison with both Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen lining up wide in 2022.
“To the Minnesota Vikings fans, thank you all so much for your support and for making Minnesota my home for the past four years. It was an honor to take the field every week to play for such a loyal and passionate fan base,” said Conklin.
