The Vikings suffered a devastating loss to the Seahawks earlier today, as kicker Blair Walsh missed a chip shot field goal that would have put Minnesota ahead with just seconds remaining in the contest. The defeat was so painful that it appears to have affected the plans of veteran Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway, who spoke about his NFL future after the game.
“I’ve got to play one more year,” Greenway told reporters, including Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). “I can’t let it end like this.”
If Greenway makes good on his intentions to return, he’ll be entering his 11th NFL season, all of which have been spent with the Vikings after they selected him in the first round of the 2006 draft. This isn’t the first we’ve heard of Greenway wanting to return for the 2016 campaign (he said as much in late December), but it sounds as though today’s loss has reinforced those wishes.
Of course, the feeling would need to be mutual, as the Vikings also have a decision to make on Greenway. The 32-year-old isn’t signed for next season — he earned a base salary of $3.4MM this season after accepting a pay cut, and he’d likely have to take even less than that to return. With Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr dominating the snaps at linebacker, Greenway only saw the field in base packages, playing in about 58% of Minnesota’s snaps.
Photo courtesy of USA Sports Images.
this was his 10th year he was drafted in 06.. sick reporting dude
No kidding. And he is signed for next season as well. He’s not a FA as the article suggests.
Burg is right that this past season was Greenway’s 10th (I’m guessing the confusion stemmed from the fact that he didn’t actually make his debut until 2007), but he doesn’t have a contract for next season, so referring to him as a potential free agent is accurate.