David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Teammate Would Pay to Watch WR Justin Jefferson

Posted on September 15, 2026September 15, 2026 by David Shama

In the Vikings’ season opening win Sunday, Justin Jefferson performed like…well…Justin Jefferson. The gifted 27-year-old wide receiver had two touchdown receptions and a catch for a two-point conversion in his team’s 39-22 comeback win over NFC North Division rival Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Teammates are accustomed to his heroics. “I don’t want to take anything for granted but that’s just kind of what I expect at this point,” offensive tackle Brian O’Neill told Sports Headliners.

Familiarity with Jefferson’s extraordinary standard of excellence, however, doesn’t mean teammates can’t gush over his skills that include route running, sure hands, speed, competitiveness, clutch play and work ethic.

“The things he does on the field, I am astounded (by). I am flabbergasted. He puts my jaw on the floor,” said Andrew DePaola, a team captain and the Vikings’ long snapper.

“I still can’t believe some of the stuff he’s able to pull off but I am just grateful I get to bear witness to that every Sunday…because he is a special, special player.”

Would DePaola pay admission to see his destined to be a Pro Football Hall of Fame teammate?

“Without a doubt, without a doubt. Yeah.”

Teammates refer to Jefferson as the “best in the world” at his position. They also see how much he loves to play.

“He’s just a ball player,” O’Neill said. “He’s just a kid playing football. You can tell he loves it. Loves everything about it. He just enjoys the heck out of playing the game.”

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson — Justin Jefferson image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson’s first pro season was in 2020. He has totaled 8,572 career receiving yards in 95 games and on Sunday became the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 8,500 yards. He trails only Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth (90 games) and Julio Jones (90).

The Vikings lost starting quarterback Kyler Murray early in the first quarter when he was hit in the head by the shoulder of Packer Javon Bullard. The cornerback was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

O’Neill thinks it was “probably a cheap hit” by Bullard. “I gave him a shove. I probably should have gone after him a little bit more, but I knew we were going to have a first down. I didn’t want to have anything offset (that).”

The Packers also had unnecessary roughness called later in the game on safety Evan Williams, but Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson didn’t think Green Bay played a chippy game. “It was a divisional game. It was a tough football game. It is what it is.”

It was a brief debut for Murray, the much-anticipated offseason free agent acquisition. “It sucks but Carson came in and did a good job,” O’Neill said.

Wentz, 33, helped the Vikings rally from a 19-10 halftime deficit. He didn’t receive a lot of reps in training camp and preseason games, but his experience and poise allowed him to meet the moment. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards, with three touchdown throws and an impressive QB rating of 123.6.

Wentz has started 99 games (played in 104) in his NFL career that dates back to 2016. “He’s always on point,” O’Neill said.

Worth Noting

The Vikings outscored the Packers 29-3 in the second half. In Green Bay’s last six regular season or playoff games dating back to 2025 the Packers have been outscored 134 to 56 in the second half. All defeats.

Harrison Smith, the Vikings’ 37-year-old safety who played part-time Sunday after just re-joining the team earlier in the month, told Sports Headliners his offseason debate on whether to continue his career included coming back after the regular season started.

The division rival Bears, who beat Carolina 59-37 on Sunday, are about a touchdown favorite against the Vikings next Sunday in Chicago.

Deepest condolences to Gary Smith and family over the passing of his wife Linda. Gary, the well-known athletics trainer whose career stops included the University of Minnesota, pro sports and the 1980 Olympics, was married to his wife for 64 years.

Rudy Gobert, the Wolves 34-year-old 7-2 center, is playing for his native France in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers and averaging 8.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. Remarkably durable, Gobert has never played in fewer than 70 regular-season games since joining the Wolves in 2022.

Former Armstrong High School and Indiana University basketball standout Race Thompson is playing professionally in Germany for the Skyliners Frankfurt team whose season recently started.

A certain longtime and uber passionate Golden Gophers football fan who refuses to invest time and money attending away games against quality opposition because of likely losses—and also undesirable start times—was amused yesterday. Not only did Minnesota let the air out of the balloon for a big season in their one-sided loss last Saturday to unranked Mississippi State, but on Monday came the news the Gopher-Washington game on September 26 in Seattle will kick off about 10 p.m. Minneapolis time.

The Akron Zips, who lost their opener 38-16 to Wake Forest and defeated Robert Morris 45-10 last Saturday, are about a 24 to 28 point underdog to the Gophers (also 1-1) this Saturday in Minneapolis.

Byron Buxton, the Twins center fielder now out for the season because of hip surgery, finished 2026 having played in 93 games. In 12 years with the club, he has played in over 100 games only three times.

An authoritative Wild source texted yesterday that “all is quiet” on the Quinn Hughes contract extension.

Select Wild training camp practices at TRIA Rink will be open to the public. Fans need to register at www.wild.com/openpractices to attend.

The Wild is joining other organizations in sponsoring the annual Used Hockey Equipment Drive. AAA Movers will collect drop-off boxes with used equipment from select rinks on September 30. Goalie equipment sticks and helmets and other items will be distributed free to hockey associations and individuals at Grand Casino Arena on October 11.

Drop-off locations include Bloomington Ice Garden, Braemar Rink (Edina), Burnsville Ice Arena, CG Logistics Arena (Cottage Grove), Dakotah Sports and Fitness (Prior Lake), Eagan Civic Arena, Hastings Civic Center, M Health Fairview (Woodbury), Minnetonka Arena, Parade Ice Arena (Minneapolis), New Hope Ice Arena, Rogers Activity Center, St. Croix Valley Rec Center (Stillwater), St. Louis Park Rec Center, Tartan Ice Arena (St. Paul) and White Bear Lake Sports Center.

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Gophers Owe Their Fans Redemption After Inept Game

Posted on September 13, 2026September 13, 2026 by David Shama

The University of Minnesota’s embarrassing performance yesterday in a 38-13 loss to Mississippi State was yet another major disappointment to the fan base.

An announced attendance of 48,048 was near capacity at 50,805 seat Huntington Bank Stadium. The game against the Bulldogs was supposed to be a tossup and a Minnesota win would have sent fans home happy while many thought of buying tickets to future matchups.

Instead, the Dawgs jumped to a 28-3 lead with more than four minutes remaining in the first half. The upper deck of the student section headed for the exits, while most of the adults waited until the second half to find something to do less painful than watching the hometown team.

The contest was supposed to be a “barometer” game for a promising Gopher team with several players who had drawn preseason hype. But where was the pass rush led by acclaimed Anthony Smith? Where was the running game that was supposed to be an offseason priority?

Dawgs quarterback Kamario Taylor terrorized the Gophers with his passing (three touchdowns) and threat to make a big play with his legs (86 net yards). As for those Gophers legs, the team had a net rushing total of 13 yards.

The Gophers played a sloppy game, ringing up 12 penalties with a mix of miscues on offense and defense. That is the most in the P.J. Fleck era now in its 10^th season.

Make no mistake, the Gophers were out talented, outplayed and out coached in their game against their SEC opponents. The Dawgs are supposed to be a middling SEC team and with their dominant win made legendary coach Nick Saban look like a prophet. He not only picked the Dawgs to win the game but said recently the SEC has superior depth to the Big Ten where Minnesota had been picked to finish around 10^th in the 18-team league that has won the last three national titles.

Except for the extraordinary 2019 season when the Gophers went 11-2, Fleck’s teams have frequently come up short against opponents that were supposed to be “barometer” games. Last season Minnesota lost to California in another nonconference matchup. The two prior seasons the Gophers couldn’t win against the ACC’s North Carolina.

The Gophers have an abysmal record of late against Iowa, a program that annually contends for the second half of the A.P. top 25 but should be at least an occasional “W” for Minnesota. Dating back to 2014, the Gophers have won twice against their Floyd of Rosedale rival.

And when it comes to the blue bloods, the Big Ten’s best teams, the Gophers haven’t usually shown up. Review last year’s 42-3 loss to No. 1 ranked Ohio State or 42-13 beat down from No. 7 Oregon.

With big games coming September 26 on the road against Washington and October 3 at home versus Michigan, the Gophers will have significant opportunities to prove themselves. They owe themselves and the fans redemption.

Worth Noting

Three Mississippi State assistant coaches are former Vikings players: Jon Cooper, Brandon Fusco and Phil Loadholt.

At today’s Vikings and Packers game at U.S. Bank Stadium the Gjallarhorn will be sounded by franchise legend and 1988 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Alan Page. Longtime national anthem singer for the Wild, John deCausmeaker, a Navy veteran and musician, will perform the anthem before the game.

Former WCCO radio personality Dave Mona — Dave Mona

Congratulations to Dave Mona who is now in his 53^rd season of providing Vikings public address information in the press box.

Minneapolis-based attorney, sports historian and Sports Headliners advertiser Marshall Tanick points out new Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray is the fourth former Heisman Trophy winner in the franchise’s history that dates back to the 1961 season. The others are running back Herschel Walker (1989-1991 with the Vikings), quarterback Gino Torretta (1993) and QB Sam Bradford (2016-2017).

Murray won college football’s most prestigious award playing for Oklahoma in 2018 and Sooner alum Bradford won in 2008. Georgia’s Walker won the Heisman in 1982 and Miami’s Torretta in 1992.

The Timberwolves, who open training camp September 22, will have 27 of their 82 regular season games on national TV, plus 15 free over-the-air games on a local channel yet to be announced.

Timely meeting: Wild GM Bill Guerin speaks to the Capital Club this Wednesday, the same day his team opens training camp. He will share his insights on a team that seemingly has entered a “window” as a Stanley Cup contender. The breakfast program will be held at 317 Washington, the franchise’s headquarters in St. Paul. For more information on the breakfast and program, contact Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketing.com

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Could Kyler Murray Have Pack Running in Circles Sunday?

Posted on September 8, 2026September 9, 2026 by David Shama

Kyler Murray makes his debut as Vikings quarterback next Sunday and there’s reason to wonder if he will have the Packers “on the run.” The diminutive but athletic Murray ranks fourth in the NFL among quarterbacks since 2019 with 3,193 rush yards.

The 29-year-old former Cardinals quarterback will face a Packer defense still learning under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon who is Murray’s former head coach in Arizona. There is always a learning curve with a new scheme and leader.

Green Bay will play without superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons whose absence could mean two things benefitting Murray and the Vikings.

First, less pass rushing pressure on Murray—who was much more effective when not harassed last season playing for the Cardinals. When pressured, Murray’s passer rating last season was 65.6, per an article last summer from http://www.si.com/nfl/packers/. From a clean pocket, it was 97.0—a 31.4-point difference (which is considered typical in the NFL).

Second, the absence of Parsons in not being available to chase down the elusive Murray on scrambles or designed runs is significant for a Packer defense that was just okay against rushing last season. And that defense must keep track, too, of pass receiving threats like wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, two of the better duos in the NFL.

Daniel House

Local football authority Daniel House, known for his football film breakdown and data driven research, is curious about Murray’s impact on Sunday, too. “By moving the pocket off of play-action, there will be natural scrambling opportunities,” he said in a text. “He is also a threat to scramble when coverage gets locked up downfield.

“I really want to see if there are some designed quarterback runs and run-pass options (RPO) dashed into the Vikings’ game plan. Those elements fit Murray’s game well. Even if Murray only pulls the ball on designed runs a couple of times per game, the defense still has to respect and prepare for it.”

The Vikings have prioritized the run game in the offseason, hiring Frank Smith as assistant head coach to improve what has been a struggling aspect of the offense. That, too, could cause issues for the Packers on Sunday, and contribute to having Murray on the loose as a ball carrier.

“Frank Smith’s impact on the run game is what I’m most fascinated to see this year,” House wrote. “I’m expecting big changes, so it may be challenging for the Packers to know what the Vikings are going to do schematically in Week 1.”

You can follow House on X: https://x.com/DanielHouseMN

Worth Noting

CBS has made Sunday’s game its featured telecast and the on-air headliner crew of Jim Nantz, J.J. Watt and Tracy Wolfson will be at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Vikings are 1.5 point favorites, per the BetMGM sportsbook.

There were 72 NFL games with a game-winning score in the final five minutes of the fourth quarters or overtimes in 2025. That is second-most in a season all-time. Approximately 70 percent of games were within one score (eight points) at some point of the fourth quarters.

A former front office executive with NFL teams, who text messages with Sports Headliners, is bullish on the Vikings, predicting they will win the NFC North with a 12-5 record. He has the Lions finishing second in the division and making the playoffs as a wildcard, while the third-place Bears and fourth-place Packers miss out on the postseason.

CBS will also bring its lead college football team to town Saturday for the Minnesota-Mississippi State game: Brad Nessler, Charles Davis and Jenny Dell. Nessler is a native of St. Charles, Minnesota.

Gopher head coach P.J. Fleck, starting his 10^th season, said on Monday that State’s Kamario Taylor, who ran for a touchdown and passed for 354 yards in the Bulldogs opening win against ULM, is “one of the best” quarterbacks he’s seen here.

Gracious Matt Limegrover, who was with Jerry Kill’s Gopher staff as offensive line coach and offensive coordinator from 2011-2015, has been an assistant offensive line coach with Fleck since January and has coached at 11 different colleges and universities. Fleck praised how Limegrover and offensive line coach Brian Callahan work together.

When the Gophers need muscle trying to score inside the five-yard line they may miss 6-foot, 215-pound Fame Ijeboi. They certainly miss him for quality depth on the running back roster with freshman Ryan Estrada injured in the opening game last Thursday and out for the season. Ijeboi is now at Purdue and the power runner and Gopher transfer averaged 7.9 yards per carry and scored one touchdown last Friday in his team’s season opening win over Indiana State. He ran 11 times for 87 yards.

That was former Gopher and Nebraska wide receiver Malachi Coleman who caught a touchdown pass for Wisconsin in his team’s opening loss to Notre Dame.

The Badgers have Wisconsin-based Culver’s as their jersey patch sponsor. The Gophers have yet to announce a deal on the new innovation that adds revenues to college athletic departments.

Former Gopher quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who played his last two seasons of college football at Rutgers, is a rookie on the Commanders 53-man roster where his teammates include ex-Viking WR Stefon Diggs.

A couple of takes after the first weekend of Big Ten football: Rutgers is the worst team after a feeble loss to UMass, defending conference and national champ Indiana could again be the best in the league and UCLA coach Bob Chesney might be the second coming of Curt Cignetti.

Northing announced yet, but it seems like a logical move for the Timberwolves to pick up 38-year-old and 18-year NBA veteran power forward Kevin Love. He could be a terrific addition on the court and off.

Love is among the elite outlet passers in league history and can stretch the defense with his three-point shooting range. His passing would add a valued element to the built-to-run Wolves offense.

In the locker room the Wolves no longer have the veteran presence of three players from last season. Gone are Mike Conley, Joe Ingles and Kyle Anderson.

As of yesterday morning, the Twins’ remaining opponents had a combined winning percentage of .463, the second-lowest strength of schedule in baseball. The Twins, 68-76, have 18 games remaining on the schedule.

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