Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen found himself in a peculiar position during the 2023 NFL offseason. The Minnesota Vikings had released him, making him a free agent. The Carolina Panthers ended up signing him, but he recently revealed it was the Kansas City Chiefs he wanted to land with.
For the first time in his career, Adam Thielen was seeking a new team to play on. He had spent the first nine years of his career with the Vikings, but they were ready to move on.
Salary cap ramifications played a part, as he was owed a large chunk of money. Looking to get younger and save some cash, the team moved on from him.
In a recent interview, the veteran pass catcher revealed it was the Chiefs who he was hoping to sign with. But, the interest was not reciprocated.
“Well, I was trying to go there and they didn’t want me,” Thielen told Starcade Media while at the American Century Championship of the Chiefs’ lack of interest in him in 2023. “I’ll have to try to show them what I got [when we face each other].”
#Panthers WR Adam Thielen tells us he wanted to go to Kansas City last offseason but that the #Chiefs didn’t want him pic.twitter.com/Jm2J5weCBC
— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) July 12, 2024
Given the issues the Chiefs had at wide receiver during the 2023 season, their lack of interest in Adam Thielen is something they could regret. Alas, it didn’t end up costing them.
The Chiefs went on to win the Super Bowl last season despite their shortcomings at wide receiver. Thielen would have loved to be part of a winning team, as his first season with the Carolina Panthers was a challenging one.
The Carolina Panthers were the worst team in the NFL in 2023, finishing with a 2-15 record. Given their struggles, the team made some major changes this offseason.
A concerted effort was made to upgrade the supporting cast around Bryce Young. The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft struggled as a rookie even with Adam Thielen playing at a high level.
The 2023 season was his most productive in years. He caught 103 passes for 1,14 yards and four touchdowns. The receptions and yardage were his most since the 2018 season when he last made the Pro Bowl as well.
The Chiefs will be paying a visit to the Carolina Panthers in Week 12 on November 24th. Adam Thielen will be motivated to perform well in that game, showing Kansas City he still had plenty to offer on the field.
