MANKATO, Minn. –Move-in day for 2016 Vikings Training Camp is in the books, and it seems each player had a unique top item on his packing list.
"A TV is essential," wide receiver Adam Thielen said. "Just a bathroom bag and a TV – that's all I need."
The Vikings will stay in the dormitories of Minnesota State University, Mankato during their 13 days on campus. Since the rooms' furnishings don't include televisions, a number of players bring their own.
Blair Walsh wheeled a flat-screen TV down the sidewalk on a blue cart, while veteran quarterback Shaun Hill toted a still-boxed monitor under his arm.
Jarius Wright opted to just rely on a smaller screen. The wide receiver said his smartphone tops his list for must-haves at training camp.
"Social media has to keep me up with what's going on in the world," Wright said.
And don't forget about the snacks.
Safeties Andrew Sendejo and Michael Griffin both emphasized the importance of packing extra food for their time at training camp.
"You have to have snacks while you're sitting in your room by yourself," said Griffin, who sticks to healthy options like peanuts, granola bars and fruit.
For Sendejo, a jumbo container of peanut-butter-filled pretzels are the go-to.
"Have you ever had them?" Sendejo asked the media Thursday. "They're extremely dangerous, too, because if you eat one, you're definitely going to eat a bunch."
New Vikings guard Alex Boone may have a gregarious personality, but his packing style is a little less over-the-top.
"My pillow is about [all I can't live without]," Boone said. "I don't bring much. I travel light.
"I'm just here to play football," Boone added.
Cornerback Jabari Price agrees with Boone that comfort is crucial at training camp. Price said he never gets on the road to Mankato without his portable foot massager.
"I'm going to need that more than anything," he said, laughing. "All you do is hook it up and push a button, so I like it."
Price isn't the only one who puts priority on his feet when packing.
Fellow third-year teammate Jerick McKinnon said he never wants to start training camp without his favorite pair of tennis shoes – Nike Yeezys. The running back wore one pair as he signed autographs for fans and disclosed that he had a second pair in his suitcase – along with two more pairs of a different model.
Players have plenty to think about as they prepare for training camp, and packing their luggage isn't always an easy task.
"I always over-pack every year, and every year I always say, 'Bring less stuff,' " Sendejo said. "You bring way too many clothes, way too much of this or that, and then you have to pack it all back up, load it back in your car, take it all the way back to the Cities and unload it again. Every year, I've gotten more efficient with my packing."
