A native of Red Wing, Minnesota, Travis Toivonen likens his NFL journey to a path carved by Minnesota Vikings wideout Adam Thielen.
Toivonen, like Thielen, received just one college offer coming out of a small-town high school.
Toivonen, like Thielen, went undrafted and was preparing for life after football coming out of college.
And Toivonen, like Thielen, will have to defer the backup plan for now.
Toivonen signed to the Vikings practice squad on September 1, per a team release. It’s the latest stop in his professional football career, which he admitted is special after growing up a Vikings fan.
“This one hits a little different,” Toivonen tweeted in response to his signing.
Toivonen Lands on Vikings Roster With Help of Thielen’s Agency
Receiving just one college offer to play for Division I FBS school North Dakota, Toivonen carved out an illustrious career with the Fighting Hawks.
The 6-foot-4, 212-pound receiver caught 137 passes for 1,705 yards and 13 touchdowns in those four years, including a career-high 48 receptions for 684 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior in 2019. He tests in the 87th percentile for his height among NFL wide receivers, per Mockdraftable.
Toivonen admitted he knew he wasn’t going to be drafted but had hoped to make a good impression at a pro day.
Then COVID-19 hit, shuttering pro days across the country.
“Scouts got pulled off the road and that was it. Pro day canceled. For somebody like me – didn’t really have incredible college film, wasn’t going to run a 4.4 (probably closer to 4.7), it was really just a tough time,” Toivonen wrote in a personal 33rd Team essay.
Toivonen didn’t garner any interest in the league but stuck to his dreams of playing professionally by participating in the Fan Controlled Football League in 2021. Playing against a wide variety of talent levels from former NFLers to hopeful prospects, Toivenan became the league’s most prominent player.
“I was a late addition to the league, and they had me rated as the top receiver after like two weeks. And that was against some guys who have had pro experience, whether it was the NFL or the XFL. I went out there and they really didn’t have anyone that could stop me, so that just built up my confidence. It was really a matter of time for me before I would get that chance to prove myself,” Toivonen wrote.
He garnered enough attention to sign with the same sports agency that represents Thielen, Institute of Athletes (IFA).
IFA landed Toivonen a spot at the Minnesota pro day in the spring of 2021. Toivonen spoke with. a few teams but didn’t hear from anyone for months until the Seattle Seahawks signed him to the 90-man roster.
Toivonen didn’t make the final 53-man roster but was signed to the New York Giants practice squad last October. He didn’t make the final cut in New York this summer, leading to Minnesota taking a chance on the Red Wing native.
Toivonen Hopes to Follow Similar Path That Thielen Took
Toivonen is on a similar path Thielen took at the start of his professional career.
Starting as a practice squad player, like Thielen, Toivonen knows his path to playing in the NFL will come with his special teams contributions — a role he’s willing to embrace after seeing how far it took Thielen.
From Toivonen’s essay:
I’ve always believed that if you want something bad enough, you’ll make it happen. If you think you can do it, there’s not really anything that can get in the way. If you have a goal, if you have a dream, then definitely chase it. It’s hard to give up on something that means that much. If you want it, just go get it.
That’s what Adam Thielen did. His story isn’t lost on me – undrafted guy from Minnesota, just like me. Small school. And now that we’re repped by the same agency, we’ve been working out together the last few weeks. He’s definitely someone that I’ve look up to. And now, to have a chance to make it in the NFL like him, I couldn’t ask for anything else.
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Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell has hinted at reducing Jones' workload and using trade acquisition Jordan Mason as part of a "1A/1B backfield structure", ESPN's Kevin Seifert reports. O'Connell specifically mentioned goal-line and short-yardage situations as areas where Mason can help, noting that the Vikings "left a lot to be desired" in those situations last year. Jones returns as the starter after signing a two-year, $20 million contract, but it sounds like he's a long shot to match last season's career highs for snaps (700), rush attempts (255) and touches (306). The only disappointment in 2024 was scoring three times on 24 carries inside the 10-yard line, with just seven total TDs (five rushing) despite playing all 17 games and recording 1,546 yards from scrimmage (his most since 2019) at rates of 4.5 yards per carry and 8.0 per catch. While ceding goal-line carries is never a good thing for fantasy value, Mason's physical presence could help the 30-year-old Jones to stay healthy and maintain his strong per-touch yardage production.
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell has hinted at reducing Jones' workload and using trade acquisition Jordan Mason as part of a "1A/1B backfield structure", ESPN's Kevin Seifert reports. O'Connell specifically mentioned goal-line and short-yardage situations as areas where Mason can help, noting that the Vikings "left a lot to be desired" in those situations last year. Jones returns as the starter after signing a two-year, $20 million contract, but it sounds like he's a long shot to match last season's career highs for snaps (700), rush attempts (255) and touches (306). The only disappointment in 2024 was scoring three times on 24 carries inside the 10-yard line, with just seven total TDs (five rushing) despite playing all 17 games and recording 1,546 yards from scrimmage (his most since 2019) at rates of 4.5 yards per carry and 8.0 per catch. While ceding goal-line carries is never a good thing for fantasy value, Mason's physical presence could help the 30-year-old Jones to stay healthy and maintain his strong per-touch yardage production.
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell expects Mason (ankle) to "bring something to the table" in goal-line and short-yardage situations, ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert reports. O'Connell also discussed returning starter Aaron Jones, saying "when [Jones] has... that 1A/1B backfield structure, he can be a total game-changer every time he touches the ball." In other words, O'Connell hopes the 223-pound Mason can be 1B, taking carries between the tackles while Jones gets most of the work in space. The Vikings traded for Mason in mid-March, shortly after San Francisco gave him a second-round restricted free agent tender (and after Minnesota re-signed Jones on a two-year, $20 million contract). Mason missed the final five weeks of his 2024 breakout season with a high-ankle injury, but there hasn't been any report of surgery or a prolonged rehab process this offseason.
The Vikings signed Moore (knee) on Wednesday. Moore missed the entire 2024 season with a non-contact knee injury he suffered in a joint practice with the Dolphins last August. He was a second-round pick by the Cardinals in 2021 and appeared in 39 games for the team across three seasons, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards and three touchdowns. In Minnesota, Moore will look to compete with Jalen Nailor for a depth job behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
The Vikings have rejected multiple trade calls on McCarthy (knee) this offseason and aren't pursuing Aaron Rodgers in free agency, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Minnesota is still expected to sign a veteran quarterback after losing Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens last week, but it won't be someone that represents a serious threat to take the starting job from McCarthy. The 10th overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft appeared be pressing Darnold for the starting gig last summer after throwing for 188 yards and two touchdowns in his preseason debut, only to be diagnosed with a torn meniscus a few days later. McCarthy had season-ending surgery in mid-August and didn't resume on-field work until the winter, but he should be back to full strength well before training camp. It isn't yet clear if he'll have any limitations during spring practices.
Minnesota will sign Jones from free agency, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports. Jones has spent the past four seasons in Jacksonville, but now he'll get a fresh start with a new squad. He's coming off a 2024 season that saw him haul in three of his five targets for 41 yards over 17 games. He also contributed as a kick returner, and he could slot in as a regular special-teams contributor in 2025.
Okudah agreed to a one-year deal with the Vikings on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The 26-year-old corner will head to his fourth team in as many years, hoping to rejuvenate his career after suffering a hip injury last season that held him out nine games. Okudah joins a retooled Minnesota secondary -- while the club managed to retain Byron Murphy on a massive deal, it otherwise lost Shaquill Griffin, Stephon Gilmore and Fabian Moreau to the open market. Okudah has only appeared in 49 percent of his teams' regular-season games through his first five seasons.
The 49ers traded Mason (ankle) to the Vikings on Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The 49ers placed a second-round tender worth $5.3 million on Mason when free agency began, but he'll now be shipped out along with the No. 187 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft in exchange for the No. 160 pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick, per David Lombardi of SFStandard.com. Mason will receive a two-year contract with the Vikings that's worth up to $12 million and includes $7 million guaranteed. Mason served as the 49ers' starting running back for the first half of the 2024 regular season due to Christian McCaffrey being sidelined with Achilles injuries. Through the first eight games of the regular season, Mason rushed for 685 yards and three touchdowns on 134 carries while adding 10 catches (on 12 targets) for 86 yards, though he missed the final five games due to a high-ankle sprain. Ty Chandler was slated to be the Vikings' backup running back, but Mason's addition is an upgrade to the backfield led by Aaron Jones, who agreed to a two-year contract with Minneosta on March 9.
The Vikings signed Wilson to a contract Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Wilson started 12 of his 17 regular-season appearances with Green Bay in 2024, recording 72 tackles (38 solo), including 2.0 sacks, two pass breakups, including one interception, and one forced fumble. The veteran linebacker now stands to play a key rotational role in Minnesota's interior-linebacker corps. He began his career with the Vikings, playing with the team from 2017-20.
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Homegrown WR, Linked to Adam Thielen, Signs With Vikings