Nick Brady was minding his own business and watching the Vikings try to will themselves to another tense victory Sunday when a string of events thrust him into an unwitting spotlight.
RandBall: Meet Nick Brady, the Vikings fan who became a meme during Sunday’s game
Vikings fan Nick Brady was caught on Fox cameras with the purest expression of fandom after Aaron Jones dropped a potential touchdown pass. Next thing he knew, his phone was blowing up.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
December 2, 2024 at 7:45PM
First, Vikings running back Aaron Jones dropped a potential go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter with the Vikings trailing 19-13. Then, after showing the replay of the drop, Fox cut to a slow-motion replay of Brady’s reaction in the stands: an exasperated look that could only be describe as “yikes.”
Next thing he knows, his phone is buzzing like crazy. And a reporter (me) is trying to get ahold of him because those who have lived long enough on the Internet know this: Brady had just become a meme.
“I was just in the moment at the game, you know, and I was like, what is going on?” Brady said Monday. “I look and I have 70-something text messages. Snapchats flowing in. I’ve got Facebook Messenger requests. I’m hearing from people that I went to college with that I haven’t talked to in probably like nine, 10 years. And then the first one I open up is that clip you just showed, and I’m like, oh, boy.”
To be clear, Brady does not mind this at all. He smiled almost constantly throughout our entire conversation, which you can watch here:
In the course of trying to find out who he was, I encountered several people on social media who essentially said the same thing: His expression perfectly matched the mood of an entire fan base.
I’m guessing everyone can have a lot more fun with it now that the Vikings eventually won 23-22, with Jones redeeming himself after that drop and two fumbles (one lost) with the game-winning TD catch.
One fan was even polite enough to ask me to ask Brady if it was OK to use the short clip as a meme (not that it would stop anyone else).
“I mean, yeah, there’s worse things,” he said with a laugh, giving his consent. “I wasn’t dipping my chicken strips in pop or using a hot dog as a straw. I mean, I’ve been a Vikings fan my whole life and it’s cool to be associated with the team you love.”
Brady, who was wearing a T.J. Hockenson jersey, has gone to at least one Vikings home game almost every year of his life and watches the rest on TV.
“I was telling people that’s the exact face I make sitting on the couch watching the game at home,” Brady said. “It’s very raw and authentic.”
He was watching for Fox cameras the rest of the game, but he never made his way back onto the screen. No matter, everyone went home happy in the end, as they usually have in this 10-2 season.
“Every game they’re in it. You find yourself getting comfortable watching them play and then before you know it you’re on the edge of your couch or standing up giving a facial expression the world is seeing. It’s being a Vikings fan to a T. It’s a ride.”
Here are four more things to know today:
- Patrick Reusse and I of course talked about the game, plus the Gophers’ dismantling of the Badgers and so much more on Monday’s podcast.
- Reusse and I briefly touched on the return of Lindsay Whalen as a Lynx assistant coach, but you should read more about it here.
- Astute reader/listener Adam pointed out that Kirk Cousins now leads the NFL in both interceptions (13) and fumbles (12). I have a feeling that might get brought up a time or two before the Vikings and Falcons play on Sunday.
- Star Tribune Vikings writer Andrew Krammer will join me on Tuesday’s podcast to break down Sunday’s film and get into the Vikings’ worrisome injuries on defense.
The Gophers face the Ospreys in their final tune-up before Big Ten play begins Sunday at Nebraska.
