3 Former Vikings stars have sons ready to follow NFL footsteps

Three former Vikings stars have sons ready to follow in their NFL footsteps

At the SEC Championship Game in December, a pair of proud fathers got together at halftime. They talked about their sons and their hopeful bright futures in the NFL. 
These were not ordinary fathers chatting. One was Randy Moss, a hall of fame Vikings wide receiver, and the other was Jake Reed, also a former Vikings receiver. Their sons playing in the game in Atlanta were tight end Thaddeus Moss of LSU and safety J.R. Reed of Georgia. 
“It was good to see Randy,” Jake Reed said. “His boy was out there, and my boy was out there. I told him, ‘I don’t want my boy to get Mossed,’ and we laughed a bit about that.” 
J.R. Reed didn’t get beaten by Thaddeus Moss, defending him three times without allowing a reception. But Thaddeus’ Tigers beat J.R.’s Bulldogs 37-10 before going on to win the national championship. 
There figure to be more chances for Thaddeus and J.R. to face each other in the NFL. Both are projected to be mid-round picks in the April 23-25 draft. Randy Moss and Jake Reed aren’t the only former Vikings stars with a son about to get drafted. Cornerback Antoine Winfield Sr.’s son, Antoine Winfield Jr., a University of Minnesota safety, is projected to be a first- or second-round pick. 
Randy Moss played for the Vikings from 1998-2004 and in 2010. Jake Reed was with them from 1991-99 and in 2001. And Winfield Sr. played for them from 2004-12. 
Mike Tice, Minnesota’s head coach from 2002-05, coached Moss and Winfield Sr. Before that, he played a tight end and served as an assistant coach for all but one of Reed’s seasons with the Vikings. 
“I think it’s phenomenal,” Tice said of the three sons about to be drafted. “I think it’s a tremendous deal. It bodes so well for the parents of these young men able to go out there and follow in their dad’s footsteps, if you will.” 
If one of the sons truly follows in his father’s footsteps, it would be a first in Vikings history. In the 59-year history of the franchise, no son of a former Vikings player ever has been on their regular-season roster. The closest to that was safety John Lowdermilk, the son of former Vikings center Kirk Lowdermilk, on the practice squad in 2015.
Winfield Jr. grew up mostly in Eden Prairie before moving with his father and mother Erniece to The Woodlands, Texas, a Houston suburb, for his sophomore year in high school after his father retired from the NFL. He would love to be part of the first Vikings father-son duo. 
“That would mean everything,” said Winfield, 21, “I grew up a Vikings fan. I grew up around the area, so I’m familiar with it all. I was raised a Vikings fan and it would just be a dream come true to play for them.” 
J.R. Reed feels the same way. He spent most of his time in his first five years in the Twin Cities, and said it was “surreal” to visit the Vikings locker room. He mostly grew up in Frisco, Texas, a Dallas suburb, where his bedroom still features some Vikings-related items, including a “Three Deep” poster on the wall featuring his father, Randy Moss and hall of fame wide receiver Cris Carter. 
“It would be amazing just to be part of that legacy,” said J.R., 24. “I’ve always been around that culture and heard great things about what (the Vikings) do up there. When I play video games, I take the Vikings most of the time.” 
Winfield Jr. and J.R. Reed were raised to play the game. Both of their fathers got them started when they were very young. 
“Ever since (Winfield Jr.) was two years old, I put a ball in his hand and we were always tackling, running around and doing his thing,” said Winfield Sr., a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Vikings. “I taught him everything I know.” 
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https://www.twincities.com/2020/04/17/ex-vikings-stars-randy-moss-jake-reed-antoine-winfield-have-sons-ready-to-follow-in-their-nfl-footsteps/