3 Observations: Thielen Shines at Friday's Practice at U.S. Bank Stadium

[Viktor]

1. Home, sweet home


Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer wanted Friday to feel as much like a preseason game as possible. He had good reason to, as 29 of the 80 players on the roster had never been to the stadium.


Upon arriving, players donned helmets and shoulder pads on the sideline before retreating to the locker room. They then came out in position groups as they would in a real pregame environment, with the specialists, returners and quarterbacks and centers out first.


Players then went through their usual pregame warmups before practice started, but the environment certainly had the feel of the real thing.


Things won't exactly be normal for the 2020 season — at least to start — as the Vikings recently announced they will not have fans for at least the first two home games of the season.


But Zimmer has his team ready for that, too, as they were able to get familiar with not having fans while adapting to the drone of crowd noise in the background.


Zimmer had the Vikings play a simulated first half on Friday that gave every player on the roster a chance to take the field at U.S. Bank Stadium.