Veteran Viking Gets Tangled Up in Mini Controversy

Veteran Viking Eric Wilson is a pretty cool dude. The soft-spoken, quietly confident linebacker has found a home within the Brian Flores defense, proving to be an indispensable piece of the puzzle.

He’s now sitting within a mini controversy.

During yesterday’s uninspiring triumph over the Dolphins, Wilson ran over official Adrian Hill, who wasn’t pleased. The NFL is now looking into the play, presumably to see about some sort of fine and/or suspension. ESPN’s Adam Schefter sends the update: “The NFL also said it is reviewing this play, at least the second today involving an interaction between a player and an official.”

Veteran Viking Eric Wilson Sees Play Under NFL Review

Consider the clip before going too far:

To be clear, the NFL must ensure the referees are kept safe. Seeing players wallop the officials cannot happen. Seeing the league respond in some manner by looking into the specific play isn’t an issue. Doing the opposite — not looking into a moment where a defender knocks over an official — would be a problem.

But then there’s a conclusion that must be reached: Wilson isn’t at fault in this moment. So, do a review and then move on swiftly after seeing a clearly innocent moment.

The game of football moves fast. Every so often, things happen that aren’t intentional. Think of those moments when a player is shoved when going out of bounds, knocking over a coach, a cameraman, or somebody else who happens to be in the way. The player isn’t trying to wallop the random sideline person; rather, it’s an unfortunate moment within a sport that features wildly fast, huge athletes.

Eric Wilson is a hard-charging player in this moment, going all-out to get to the passer. Note that things then stop abruptly. And then the real issue: Miami’s Ollie Gordon is pushing the ‘backer. Gordon, 22, is a huge player at 6’2″ and 225 pounds. Stopping on a dime isn’t easy.

Wilson’s body language tells us much. The Vikings veteran didn’t do something disrespectful afterwards. Quite the opposite, Wilson instantly tries to help the official to get off the ground while pleading innocence (perhaps by shifting the blame onto Gordon).

Surely, some of that pleading was due to a desire to avoid getting hit with a yellow flag, but that doesn’t outright negate the clear message that Wilson’s body language is communicating: this wasn’t intentional, I’m sorry, can I help you to get up?

Note, as well, the other official in the play. The gentleman wearing the #113 zebra jersey reads the moment well, recognizing that his co-worker is heated and the player isn’t going to make headway by pleading his case. Best to back off to let cooler heads prevail.

Wilson chatted with the media following the game. “That was funny, honestly,” he began.

The meat and potatoes of his answer: “I ended up apologizing to him and explaining the situation. He was cool about it, he understood what was happening. He just said he was trying to get me like, he didn’t want us fighting, apparently, me and the Dolphins guy, so he was trying to break us up.”

Eric Wilson is in the first year of a three-year agreement he signed just ahead of free agency in March. His season began somewhat slowly before playing better in Week 3 and Week 4.

Look for the Vikings veteran to get cleared of wrongdoing. Look for him in the #55 jersey down in the Week 5 New Orleans game.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.