Adam Thielen got some air time Tuesday with Tim Riggins, Willie Beamen, Coach Bud Kilmer and Icebox.
Or at least their lookalikes.
Thielen joined the Good Morning Football Crew *for a special Halloween edition, in which Peter Schrager did his best Jon Voight impression from *Varsity Blues, *Nate Burleson pulled off Jamie Foxx, Kyle Brandt suited up as Taylor Kitsch from *Friday Night Lights, and Kay Adams represented *Little Giants *as Shawna Waldron for all the 90s kids out there.
And as for Thielen? He repped the Mavericks Purple of his alma mater but shared that he and his wife, Caitlin, doubled as characters from *The Purge *Monday night. The couple also plans to spend time Tuesday night with their son, Asher, who will be dressed as Elmo.
But even on Halloween, Burleson and Schrager said there's no more disguising Thielen's talents on the football field.
Burleson, a former Vikings receiver, event went off-script to start the segment, apologizing to Thielen for ranking him and Stefon Diggs 17th overall on his list of receiver duos last season.
"I need to re-do that list," Burleson said. "Because your combination, what you guys do on the field, the balance you bring to that offense, absolutely superb. So my apologies. I see you ballin'."
Adams called Thielen and Diggs "one of the best receiving duos in the league this season" and asked Thielen about their chemistry on and off the field.
Thielen responded that the teammates and friends constantly push each other to be the best they can be. While the Minnesota native currently ranks second in the league in receiving yards (627) and scored his first touchdown of the season at Twickenham Stadium Sunday, Diggs has also racked up 422 yards and four touchdowns through the air, even after missing two games with a groin injury.
"I think that's the best thing about Diggs, is that he's going to go to practice, and he's going to grind every single day, and I love it about him," Thielen said. "We tell each other every day, 'Man, I love you. Because if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be the player I am,' and vice versa.
"We have a lot of fun playing the game, and we both, I think, play it the right way. There's nothing better than when you see guys who have success that come to work every day and bust their tail and are extremely competitive," Thielen continued. "I mean, there's not a more competitive guy out there than Diggs, and that kind of brings my competitive spirit out, as well."
Brandt recapped Thielen's journey, from Division II football at Minnesota State University, Mankato, to undrafted rookie signee in Minnesota, to practice squad and special teams to now being one of the league's highest-performing receivers.
When asked if there was one, defining, "Welcome to the NFL" moment, Thielen said there really hasn't' been.
"I'm still trying to get better every day, I'm still trying to prove that I can play at a high level, and I think that's something that I have to keep doing," Thielen said. "It doesn't matter what day of practice it is, it doesn't matter who we're playing or where we're playing. I have to bring it every day because in this league, someone's always coming for your job. If you're not performing, you'll get your job taken real fast. So I just have to keep playing ball and keep getting better."
