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After announcing retirement, Minnesota native Ben Ellefson sticking around with Vikings

dane mizutani, pioneer press
·2 min read

Ben Ellefson’s playing career is over. His time with the Vikings is not.

Less than a week after Ellefson, a native of Minnesota, announced his retirement, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that the 26-year-old former tight end will be sticking around with the team in a hybrid role.

It sounds as if the Vikings are still in the process of ironing out an exact title for Ellefson as he transitions to the next chapter of his life. He is expected to start his new position around training camp, helping the coaching staff, as well as the scouting department.

“We just want to continue to be a resource for these guys,” O’Connell said. “He came to a conclusion that he still wants to be a part of our organization, and I sure as heck want him to be here as well.”

Though he noted that injuries were a big reason for his decision to hang up the cleats for good, Ellefson noted last week on social media that he feels fortunate he can walk away from the game he loves on his own terms.

“I think everybody goes through their own path in the NFL,” O’Connell said. “No career is like the other as far as the adversity these guys go through.”

After initially going undrafted out of North Dakota State in 2020, the Hawley, Minn., native signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars before landing with his home-state Vikings. He spent 2021 and 2022 with the Vikings, making an impact on special teams, not to mention a lasting impression on everyone around him.

“He poured it all out for us his whole career here,” O’Connell said. “There’s a reason why we tried to find and we have found a great outcome for him to stick around.”

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