Barring an injury to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the next time Vikings fans see Christian Ponder throw a pass in a game will likely be with a different team.
Ponder told the Star Tribune on Thursday that he’s looking forward to a fresh start, and a new opportunity to be a starter.
“I’m excited about the opportunities, but it’s sad to leave a place where I made a lot of friends and have been comfortable with my surroundings,” he said. “This is where I’ve called home the past four years. But I am looking forward to a fresh start and hopefully rejuvenating my career.”
Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner said Ponder is “too talented” to say he can’t be an effective starter in the league.
After being booed off the field during a preseason game in August, Ponder told reporters he was open to being traded; but the Vikings, specifically coach Turner, saw value in keeping him on the roster for the final year of his contract.
“I was obviously very disappointed in the opening (preseason) game the way our fans reacted to Christian because I think he’s done everything he can do,” Turner said at the time, according to Pro Football Talk. “He’s working his butt off. I think he’s a guy who is going to be valuable to our team.”
If Ponder is done in Minnesota, he’ll likely finished with a 14-20-1 record, 38 touchdown passes and 36 interceptions. He helped guide the Vikings to a playoff appearance in 2012 (behind Adrian Peterson’s MVP season), but an injury kept him from playing in a wild-card loss to the Packers.
