The Minnesota Vikings escaped with a 21-17 win over the Cleveland Browns in London on Sunday, as Carson Wentz finished the game-winning drive with three straight completions to wide receiver Jordan Addison, including the touchdown to win it.
But early in the game, unbeknownst to the television broadcast, Addison was not on the field. ESPN's Kevin Seifert reported it was a "coach's decision" to bench Addison for the first quarter, and he took the field in the second quarter.
Addison was clearly being disciplined; the question was for what. The Vikings were staying and practicing at what amounted to a remote compound 90 minutes outside of London, where any sort of trouble would presumably be hard to find.
After the game, head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed why Addison was benched for the first quarter.
"He missed a walkthrough this week. Those types of things aren't in alignment with our standards. Wanted to make sure he was held accountable for that. But at the same time, he knows that.
I thought he handled it professionally. He spoke with the team to let them know that whenever I gave him the opportunity to go in the game, they could count on him, and he makes the game-winning catch."
Addison said he wasn't sure how long he'd be held out of the game, but he thought it was possible he wouldn't play at all. In any case, he was held accountable for whatever led to his missing that walkthrough. Any other possible discipline, like a fine, was not and will surely not be made public.
Jordan Addison's future with the Minnesota Vikings is very clear
Missing a walkthrough is a failure to meet a minimum professional standard the Vikings, and all teams, hold players to. But it's also the latest "thing" with Addison.
Addison served a three-game suspension to start this season after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge related to a DUI incident in California in July of 2024. He pleaded no contest to a reckless driving charge involving alcohol, with 12 months of probation and a $390 fine.
In July of 2023, Addison was cited for going 140 MPH in a 55 MPH zone on a Twin Cities area freeway. He reportedly agreed to a plea deal that resulted in a $686 fine and his driver’s license being revoked for six months.
Along with costing him over $88,000 per game, Addison's three-game suspension also wiped out the $4.6 million in guaranteed salary he was due to make over the final two years of his contract.
The Vikings have a decision to make on his fifth-year option by early May, and the prospect of a lucrative contract extension looms after that.
After the aforementioned driving incidents, O'Connell backed Addison, and he did so again after the benching for the first quarter of the game against the Browns.
"I love Jordan Addison. He’s a guy that I care about tremendously. He knows that every guy in that locker room has his back.
He knows that I will never waver in my confidence and belief in him, but at the same time, we’ve got standards, and personal responsibility and accountability are huge if you want to talk about culture.”
O'Connell professing a failure to meet cultural standards is one thing. But Addison being disciplined for the start of the Browns' game even had Justin Jefferson questioning himself as a leader.
"He's a great player. He's a tremendous talent. I've just got to do better at keeping him under my wing and making sure that he has his head on straight."
At a certain point, the talent vs. trouble equation doesn't make an exception for a player who impacts their on-field availability with off-field trouble. Addison is getting to that point rather quickly, with a missed walkthrough so closely following his three-game suspension.
Addison's on-field performance is pushing him toward $30-plus million per year territory when it comes time for his second contract. Will the Vikings make that kind of investment in a player who has shown they can't fully trust him? And who has the player who is a shining all-around example for him to follow, doubting himself as a leader?
If Addison continues to bring distractions, the public support from the team will eventually go away. Behind the scenes, maybe that support is already eroding as the time for big financial decisions lurks around the corner.
Addison's future as a Viking is subject to some doubt until further notice. The sentiment is moving one direction rather sharply right now, and time will tell if it changes.