Beloved Minnesota Vikings player makes important decision regarding his NFL future

C.J. Ham has decided to retire, ending a very good career with the Minnesota Vikings

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham (30) kneels at mid field after their win against the Cleveland Browns in an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham (30) kneels at mid field after their win against the Cleveland Browns in an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham has decided to retire after a 10-year career with the Minnesota Vikings. The announcement came from his agency, Team IFA.

C.J. Ham announces retirement

The writing was on the wall for a Ham retirement after the final game of the season, when he got very emotional during and after the game.

Ham came into the league as a running back and was quickly moved to fullback due to his size. The 5-11, 250-pound fullback from Duluth, Minnesota, attended D-II Augustana in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he started his final two seasons, logging 2,551 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground, while also logging 949 yards and six touchdowns through the air.

He joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft and spent the entirety of his career with the Vikings. He made the practice squad his first year and ended up on the active roster for the 2017 season. He made it every year after that.

During his Vikings tenure, Ham had many great moments. He scored two receiving touchdowns and six more on the ground, with his biggest being in 2021, when he caught a 27-yard wheel route against the Baltimore Ravens.

He made two Pro Bowls in 2019 and 2023 and was an iron man throughout his career. He played in 141 games and earned the right to be a captain for his leadership on and off the field.

Ham announcing his retirement is the first domino to fall in the Vikings’ offseason. They are still waiting on safety Harrison Smith to make his decision, and that could come any day. It’s more than likely that Smith announces his retirement closer to the beginning of free agency, as it’s what he’s done the last few years.

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