Kyle Sloter has really enjoyed ‘proving people wrong’
By Adam Patrick
The Minnesota Vikings quarterback is in the middle of another impressive preseason and it may result in him earning a spot on the team’s final 2019 roster.
Every year since he got his first opportunity in the NFL back in 2017, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyle Sloter has taken advantage of his playing time during the preseason.
In 11 preseason appearances, Sloter has completed 75.3 percent of his passes for 1,059 yards, 10 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Almost every time he is out on the field, his team has a good chance to put points up on the board.
Despite Sloter slaying his preseason competition, once again, this year, the Vikings still haven’t given him an opportunity to work with the second-team offense. Instead, Minnesota seems set on keeping the underwhelming Sean Mannion as their No. 2 quarterback behind Kirk Cousins this season.
Due to him not getting any reps with the second-stringers this summer, some even believe that Sloter might not have a spot on the Vikings’ roster when they kick off the 2019 regular season on September 8.
People doubting him is nothing new for the young Minnesota quarterback though. Coming out of a small school like Northern Colorado, Sloter wasn’t even expected to land a job in the NFL.
But he’s been able to stay in the league for the last few years and it’s just the latest example of him proving his doubters wrong. During a recent interview, Sloter revealed that proving others wrong is something that has driven him to get where he is today.
"“I’ve kind of been a determined person my whole life. I really enjoy proving people wrong. I get an enjoyment (from) proving people wrong that tell me I can’t do something.”"
With the Vikings set to finish up their preseason on Thursday against the Buffalo Bills, it’s possible that it could be the last time Sloter takes the field in a purple and gold uniform.
It would be a bit of a surprise if Minnesota didn’t keep him on their roster this season though. Sloter has already done enough this preseason to keep his job with the Vikings and letting him go elsewhere is a decision that the team may end up regretting if Mannion has to play at all this year.
At the end of the day, it’s Minnesota’s coaches and front office staff that choose who makes up their final 53-man roster each year. But it’s not like the Vikings have made any poor roster decisions recently though, right?