Todd Swank: The Minnesota Vikings Put Me on the Field. This Seems Like Poor Judgment.

August 9, 2026

The Minnesota Vikings Put Me on the Field. This Seems Like Poor Judgment.

The Minnesota Vikings Put Me on the Field.

This Seems Like Poor Judgment.

Todd Swank's Diary Entry for August 9, 2026

Hard to believe it’s already football season, but apparently time doesn’t care what I think. So on Saturday, we headed to Eagan and the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center to investigate. We had a pretty good idea what we’d find there, but we definitely didn’t know where the day was going to take us.

Of course, we were there for Minnesota Vikings Training Camp, our annual ritual to get a sneak peek at the returning veterans and new additions who will own our emotions for the next several months. Every August, hope is undefeated, the roster looks loaded, and this absolutely feels like the year they finally make the Super Bowl run they so richly deserve. Please don’t check back with me in January.

We’ve been Vikings season ticket holders for several years now, and I have to admit they take pretty good care of us. Four free training camp tickets, a couple free drinks, an air-conditioned room to escape the heat, and even an autographed player photo. Granted, it was a player who may not still be on an NFL roster by October, but I’m choosing to call it a collectible.

They even gave us four free passes to the Vikings Museum, which is pretty cool, although this was our fourth trip and shockingly the exhibits haven’t changed much. Minneapolis Miracle? Still miraculous. Purple People Eaters? Still purple. Moss, Peterson, Tarkenton? Still legends. And that giant Super Bowl trophy display I keep expecting to see? Still apparently under construction. I’m starting to think they may be waiting for us to actually win one before building it.

Luke, Avery, and Abby joined us for the day, which felt like a minor miracle all by itself. Getting all three of them free on the same Saturday isn’t easy anymore, so naturally I’m taking it as a sign. If the universe can pull that off, surely the Vikings can finally figure out the Super Bowl thing.

Then came the coolest surprise of the day. While checking in, I ran into someone I knew from the Vikings organization from our London trip. As we were talking, one of his colleagues suddenly asked, “Hey, how would you guys like to go on the field before practice and lead the SKOL chant?” I believe I said yes before he finished the sentence. Stand on the field in front of the whole crowd, throw my arms in the air, and scream SKOL at the top of my lungs? You had me at SKOL.

I’d love to say our SKOL chant shook the entire place, but honestly it was kind of a bust. We were off to the side with no microphone, so most of the crowd seemed to have no idea we were even doing it. By the end, maybe a quarter of them were following along. Not exactly the roar I had pictured in my head. Still, getting to stand on that field for a while was pretty damn cool.

Part of the fantasy of getting on the field is hoping somebody in the organization notices you and says, “Hey, we could use that guy.” I mean, look at these dudes. Big, strong, athletic... sure. But I feel like I could hang with them for a while. Maybe not physically, but conversationally I’d be a huge locker-room asset.

Pretty soon it was time to head back to our seats and let the actual football players have the field, which was probably best for everyone. I loved watching our favorites get ready for battle, especially Justin Jefferson. The guy just moves differently than everybody else. Even at practice, he somehow makes running around in 85-degree heat look ridiculously cool.

Of course, all the buzz surrounds the quarterback battle. Who’s going to win the job between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy? I was hoping watching them go head-to-head in practice would give me some insider clarity. After carefully studying both of them for several minutes, I can confidently report that I still have absolutely no idea.

J.J. McCarthy has been a frustrating watch the past couple years, mostly because he’s spent so much time injured. We’ve seen flashes where he looks like a real NFL quarterback, and plenty of others where he looks like he just wandered into the huddle by accident. So I’ll admit I was pretty happy when the Vikings announced they were bringing in some real competition at the position this year.

The knock on Kyler Murray has always been his size, and seeing him on the field next to the other guys really drives it home. It’s like somebody’s little brother wandered into the team photo and then refused to leave. But I watched him with Arizona and remember plenty of great stretches. He’s quick, dangerous with his feet, and can absolutely sling it. Put that behind this offense and I’m pretty excited to see what happens.

I have faith in the “Quarterback Whisperer” Kevin O’Connell. Whoever he picks to lead this team Week 1, I’m convinced the Vikings are going to surprise a lot of people this year. Of course, I say some version of that every August, then spend January explaining why next year will be different. But this year really will be different. I can feel it. Which is exactly what worries me.