Justin Jefferson has something special planned for Dublin when the Vikings face the Steelers at Croke Park.
It's the first time Ireland is hosting a regular-season NFL game, so the Minnesota wide receiver wants to make it memorable with a new twist to his touchdown dance.
“We’ve got a little addition to the Griddy, a little Ireland edition. Hopefully, I’ll get to bust it out Sunday,” Jefferson said Friday after practice at the campus of Sport Ireland. “I definitely want to put on a show, especially since this is the first time we’re playing in front of people from Ireland.”
An Irish Times reporter asked: "Will you call it the O’Griddy?”
Smiling, Jefferson responded: “I might. I might take that, actually.”
Jefferson, who hasn't scored since Minnesota's 27-24 win over the Chicago Bears in the season opener, said he's combined some research with his knowledge of Irish culture to add to his routine.
The Vikings, like the Steelers, landed in Ireland on Friday morning and the team will be sticking around afterward because they play the following week in London against the Cleveland Browns. It's the first time that an NFL team has played back-to-back games in different international cities.
“It's such a cool opportunity for our organization,” head coach Kevin O'Connell said of playing abroad.
The Vikings are 4-0 in regular-season international games — all in London.
They beat the Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets 23-17 last season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In that game, the Vikings had three interceptions — including a pick-6 by Andrew Van Ginkel.
The QB situation
Carson Wentz is starting Sunday in Dublin while J.J. McCarthy is still recovering from a sprained ankle. Wentz was solid against Cincinnati, but with how the defense played, he didn't have to do much.
Talking to Chad Hartman on WCCO Friday, Purple Insider's Matthew Coller says the Vikings are in a tricky spot with a veteran and a young player, and a team that is built to win around that.
"I don't think any of us has any idea where this roller coaster is about to take us, because if you told me that McCarthy played next week or he didn't play until 2026, I could see both of those outcomes happening," says Coller. "Carson Wentz, you said, played like an adult. There were, we said the same thing on my postgame podcast and some fans didn't like it, but he is, he's a grown up. He's played for a really long time versus a kid who is the youngest starting quarterback in the league this year. And I thought McCarthy showed a lot of his youth in the two games."
Coller says McCarthy has also showed some serious promise, and he noted that the differences in his game versus Wentz go beyond some poor offensive line play in the Atlanta game, and in the first three quarters of the Chicago game.
"He showed his upside in the 4th quarter of Chicago, but when you go back to that Falcons game, yes, everyone, I am aware the left tackle wasn't playing," Coller says, referring to Christian Darrisaw being back for the Bengals. "You know that happens sometimes in football? That happens. But the real issue to me was that McCarthy held the ball for too long. He held it for longer than almost any quarterback in the league that week. Well, Carson Wentz was the exact opposite and got rid of the ball as quick as any quarterback in the league."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.