Apparently, Josh Metellus Needs to Overcome “Pressure” While Vying for Vacant Job
Even after all he has overcome and proven, Josh Metellus is still being tasked proving capable of meeting the “pressure.”
That’s the word coming from head coach Kevin O’Connell. The head coach chatted with Kay Adams, an interviewer who brings things around to the loss of Camryn Bynum and who will be stepping into the celebration coordinator job. O’Connell’s assessment: “Yeah, I think it’s going to be his co-pilot last year, Josh Metellus, who was a part of a lot of those with Cam. I told Josh, the pressure’s on.”
Josh Metellus & The “Pressure” to Celebrate
Full-time football player, part-time choreographer. Nice work if you can get it.
Metellus has overcome a lot in his career, going from the No. 205 pick back in 2020 to being a team captain and one of the most important components of Brian Flores’ defense. The safety basically does it all; there’s the regular safety responsibilities that stand alongside a vast array of other assignments that include playing linebacker and slot corner. So, too, does he get tacked onto the end of the d-line on occasion.
Oh, and he’s still putting in work for Matt Daniels on special teams.
At the top of the safety room is Mr. Metellus alongside Harrison Smith. The veterans are partners in crime, proving to be some of the NFL’s most versatile and intelligent safeties. In other words, great fits for what Flores is looking for in his defenders.
Metellus, in particular, has been shining lately. The 27-year-old defender is coming off a season where he yet again played in all seventeen games while picking up 991 snaps on defense alongside 210 snaps on specials. Metellus was rewarded with 103 tackles, 6 QB hits, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 5 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble.
The recent word is that Mr. Metellus is moving toward an extension.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah showed off some great savvy when he originally extended Josh Metellus, signing the defender to a deal that tacked on two more years to his deal for a total of just $8 million. A total bargain given where Metellus has taken his career. The same blueprint that Adofo-Mensah used with Metellus is now doing work with the new deal for Theo Jackson (a trio of seasons and a total of $9.315 million).
Jackson, perhaps, could get tasked with helping Metellus to keep the defensive celebrations fun, fresh, and fancy.
Oh, and one more tidbit: O’Connell apparently offered some reassurance to Harrison Smith that there would be no pressure for The Hitman to join the celebrations: “You’re not going to have to be Batman or Robin in the celebration dances.”
“I think I’m more likely to run out and participate with Josh Metellus before Harrison Smith will,” O’Connell goes to note. The coach then praised his roster for having “a lot of characters” and how Josh Metellus will be moving through some “auditioning” with those teammates.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.