Good news: A player who announced his retirement will have another opportunity to play for the Minnesota Vikings.
Ben Ellefson will remain in the NFL for the foreseeable future, along with the Vikings.
Less than a week after the native of Hawley, Minnesota, declared on his Instagram account last Thursday that he was retiring from the game, Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell informed media members in the Twin Cities that Ellefson will be joining the football staff in a hybrid capacity.
Before Tuesday’s optional organized team activity practice, O’Connell gave a brief speech outlining Ellefson’s opportunity to investigate coaching, scouting, and player development opportunities this season.
“Ben and I have communicated a little bit, and he expressed his desire to continue being a part of and around our team. We’re sort of deliberating and reaching a decision together. He will still be a part of our team, but not as a player,” O’Connell declared. “He’s going to retire and come work for us in a slightly more hybrid associate role to start his coaching career. He is excited about the prospect of working in the player engagement field with his teammates and perhaps even dipping his toe into scouting.
“When you have players like Ben and a lot of players that we have on our roster, you just want to continue to be a resource for these guys, and he came to the conclusion that he still wants to be part of our organization, and I sure as heck want him to be here as well,” O’Connell said. “I’m really excited about it, and you guys will probably see him around training camp and back out around our team, which will be really exciting. As that role kind of progresses, he’ll be with us through the year in that role.
Ellefson was placed on injured reserve for each of the Jaguars’ and Vikings’ 16 games played between 2020 and 2022, despite making five starts during that time.
After playing in seven games as a rookie in 2020, he was signed by Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State. He started four of those games.
After being released by Jacksonville due to roster reductions in September 2021, Ellefson signed a contract with Minnesota.
In 2021, he participated in five offensive and special teams games for Minnesota. In 2022, Ellefson made a comeback to the Vikings, appearing in four games and recording one start. He mostly served as a blocking member but also caught three passes for 26 yards. After being put on Injured Reserve in October, he made an effort to play again but was not successful.
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The 26-year-old made the decision to change course.
Ellefson posted on Instagram, saying, “Thank you, football for the people you’ve brought into my life and the opportunities you’ve given me to pursue my dreams to the fullest.” “Those who doubted me have been overpowered by the people who have been a blessing in my life. Therefore, I would like to thank the believers for taking a chance on me and for their assistance and support as I strive to give this game everything I have and to the best of my abilities. It is a long list, and I am lucky.
“Injuries are part of the game and although they are a big reason for me moving on, I am fortunate to be in a spot where I can still walk away from the game as a player, ready to tackle whatever is next in my life,” Ellefson said.
He quoted Colossians 3:23–24 in the Bible to end his post.
According to O’Connell, he wanted to give Ellefson enough time to come to terms with his decision to end his playing career and find total peace.
“I believe that each player in the NFL has their own journey. Regarding the hardships these guys face due to injuries or anything else in life that arises while they strive to be an NFL football player every day, no two careers are the same, according to O’Connell. “Ben has given his all to us throughout his time here, and for good reason. We’ve been looking for a solution, and we’ve found one that will allow him to continue being a part of our team and the game of football, which is what he wants to do. It’s a pretty unusual situation, but most importantly, I think it should have a really fantastic conclusion that Ben can be thrilled about.”
