The Minnesota Vikings will release receiver Adam Thielen on Friday, according to a source, concluding a storied tenure for the Minnesotan who captured the hearts of fans throughout the region.

Born in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and having played collegiately at Minnesota State Mankato, Thielen signed with the team in 2013 after serving as a tryout player at rookie minicamp. By the end of the 2022 season, he had more career catches (534) than any player in team history other than Cris Carter and Randy Moss, both of whom are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But as he approached his 33rd birthday, Thielen began to lose ground to younger players in the Vikings' offense. Over the final five games of last season, he ranked fourth in targets behind Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and K.J. Osborn.