Sep 23, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe (5) looks to the video board in the fourth quarter of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Metrodome. Vikings win 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
It is not apparently a foregone conclusion that Chris Kluwe will soon be a former Viking. Even though the Vikings drafted a younger, cheaper option in Jeff Locke. Drafted him in the fifth round as a matter of fact.
Call me a chump for saying this but I assumed Chris Kluwe was already out the door. But Kluwe himself has been assured this is not the case. Speaking to Judd Zulgad and Jeff Dubay Tuesday morning, Kluwe said he has it from Rick Spielman and Mike Priefer that he will have a chance to keep his job. “They told me it’s for competition purposes and we’ll see how it plays out,” Kluwe said.
Normally you would assume that if a team drafts a punter in the fifth they mean to hand the punting job over to that guy and cut the older, more expensive punter who has occasionally been a distraction due to his public political stances and other stunts. But the Vikings are the exception. They are the one organization that would take a punter as high as the fifth and make that guy win the job over the other guy the special teams coach has already expressed consternation about in public.
But the Vikings wouldn’t be fibbing would they? Spielman wouldn’t look Kluwe in the eye and lie to him? Antoine Winfield, tell us about Rick Spielman’s player relations skills. Do you believe Spielman would deliberately jerk anyone around?
And Mike Priefer wouldn’t want Kluwe gone just because he disagrees with Kluwe’s politics. Would he?
Of course not. That would be highly unethical. Pure and simple, Locke was drafted to compete. Kluwe has a chance to keep the job. Spielman is not a liar or a manipulator. Mike Priefer has nothing personal against Kluwe.
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