{"id":113162,"date":"2025-12-09T15:06:45","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T20:06:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/vikings-stars-explain-how-coachs-special-pregame-message-led-to-snapping-4-game-losing-streak-113162"},"modified":"2025-12-09T15:06:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T20:06:45","slug":"vikings-stars-explain-how-coachs-special-pregame-message-led-to-snapping-4-game-losing-streak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/vikings-stars-explain-how-coachs-special-pregame-message-led-to-snapping-4-game-losing-streak-113162","title":{"rendered":"Vikings stars explain how coach’s special pregame message led to snapping 4-game losing streak"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The 2025 season isn’t what the Minnesota Vikings<\/a> had in mind after going 14-3 last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Entering Sunday, the Vikings had lost four straight games, falling to 4-8 with playoff hopes very low heading into a contest against the Washington Commanders<\/a>. But when the clock hit zero at U.S. Bank Stadium, the scoreboard read 31-0 in favor of the home team.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Vikings looked like their dominant selves from a season ago, and a pre-game message from head coach Kevin O’Connell could be a main reason why.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON <\/strong><\/a>FOXNEWS.COM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Defensive captain Harrison Smith was choked up in the Vikings’ locker room after snapping their four-game win streak, where he told FOX 9 KMSP<\/a> that O’Connell wanted his team to channel their high school selves. It’s a relevant message because, when playoff chances are slim toward the end of a season, players will sometimes ease off the gas pedal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

O’Connell reminded his players of those days when the NFL<\/a> was only a dream, and Smith’s fellow defenders Josh Metellus and Andrew Van Ginkel felt it was perfect heading into their latest game at home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“As soon as KO said it, I whispered under my breath, \u2018Go get it,'” Metellus told Fox News Digital after he and Van Ginkel helped Raising Cane\u2019s donate 100 children\u2019s bikes to the Boys & Girls Club of The Twin Cities in Minneapolis on Monday. “That\u2019s what I would tell myself right now if my 16-year-old self was talking to me right now. \u2018Go get it. Leave it all on the line and whatever happens, happens.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

COMMANDERS’ JAYDEN DANIELS TAKES HIT AFTER INTERCEPTION, RE-INJURES SHOULDER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“That\u2019s how I\u2019ve been my whole career to this point, and KO brought me back to that moment. That was really special.”<\/p>\n

For Metellus, O’Connell’s message brought back those high school days when he wasn’t being as heavily recruited as teammates at Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Florida. He would eventually get the chance to play for the Michigan Wolverines, but Metellus went into each Friday night game saying the same thing to himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Go get it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I think, for me especially, hearing that message, I\u2019ve had a different path to success than a lot of guys have had. I was just thinking in high school, 16 years old and no offers and playing with a bunch of guys who were really good, highly recruited. Always going into it and telling myself on a Friday night, \u2018Just got get it. Whatever you want to do, just go get it,'” Metellus explained. “I knew everything I wanted was out in front of me. I\u2019ve heard the stories, I\u2019ve seen guys\u2019 success stories, and I just applied myself and went out and got it. I always knew I would be where I wanted to be.”<\/p>\n

When Van Ginkel heard the message, he flashed back to his high school days at Rock Valley Community in Iowa.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s huge just because we\u2019ve been playing this game, a lot of us since elementary and middle school. Back in those days, you would dream about going on to play college football, going on to play in the NFL,” he said. “To play against [Commanders star] Jayden Daniels, who is an elite quarterback, stepping back on that field and being in the NFL is a big deal and something we shouldn\u2019t take lightly because it could be taken away in the blink of an eye. Always be out there with excitement and joy, and just remember your younger self would die to do this.”<\/p>\n

Van Ginkel played a vital role in the victory, intercepting Daniels after perfectly reading a screen pass on fourth down in Vikings’ territory.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At 5-8, the Vikings have very little hope still to reach the playoffs, but they’re still living the dream. That’s what O’Connell wanted to remind his team about, and that’s what Smith was emotional about.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It’s safe to say the Vikings will finish these remaining four games playing like it’s their last each week because, as these two both said, the NFL is never promised.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Make the best of the time you have playing the game you love.\u00a0<\/p>\n

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY<\/strong><\/p>\n

Metellus and Van Ginkel enjoyed impacting some of the children in their Minneapolis community, as they partnered with Raising Cane\u2019s for its sixth annual bike giveaway.<\/p>\n

The gift of some holiday cheers, and new wheels for these children to ride around on, is bigger than last year as Raising Cane\u2019s is giving away more than 4,000 bikes nationwide compared to last year\u2019s 2,500.<\/p>\n

“The event was awesome,” Van Ginkel said. “You see the smiles on the kids\u2019 faces, and any way that we can bring joy and excitement this holiday season and give back to the Boys & Girls Club, it\u2019s special to me. It means a lot and we thank Raising Cane\u2019s for donating these 100 bikes, and they said they donate 4,000 across America. So, it means a lot and I\u2019m excited to be a part of it.”<\/p>\n

Metellus added: “I think it\u2019s great for Raising Cane\u2019s to just bless these kids with the opportunity to receive a bike and to know that the community cares about them. There\u2019s people that care about furthering their development in this world. To be a part of this is always special. The way I was brought up, I always appreciate these things, especially around the holiday season.”<\/p>\n

Follow Fox News Digital\u2019s<\/strong><\/i>\u00a0sports coverage on X<\/strong><\/i><\/a>\u00a0and subscribe to<\/strong><\/i>\u00a0the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter<\/strong><\/i><\/a>.<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source – https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/sports\/vikings-stars-explain-how-coachs-special-pregame-message-led-snapping-4-game-losing-streak <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 2025 season isn’t what the Minnesota Vikings had in mind after going 14-3 last year.\u00a0 Entering Sunday, the Vikings had lost four straight games, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_2902945987_2902945987":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[16563],"tags":[],"stock_ticker":[],"class_list":["post-113162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-market-news","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nVikings stars explain how coach's special pregame message led to snapping 4-game losing streak - Wall Street PR<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/vikings-stars-explain-how-coachs-special-pregame-message-led-to-snapping-4-game-losing-streak-113162\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vikings stars explain how coach's special pregame message led to snapping 4-game losing streak - 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