Randy Moss practiced with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday for the first time since being traded from New England and told supporters he expects to reverse the club’s fortunes.
The Vikings have lost two of their first three games, but the return of Moss, a receiver who became an NFL star in a prior seven-year stint with Minnesota, gives quarterback Brett Favre a prime target and fans new hope.
“To all the Vikings fans that are coming to the Metrodome, pull your 84 jerseys out,” Moss said. “I think this is going to be a fun ride.”
Moss will play for the Vikings for the first time since his 2005 trade to Oakland when Minnesota visits the New York Jets (3-1) on Monday night.
“There’s no other place I would rather get traded to,” Moss said. “I thought about this time and time again. How is this thing going to play out? Is the love for me still here? All I’ve been seeing is nothing but positives.”
Moss was playing in the final year of a three-season contract worth US$27 million and said he expected not to be back with the Patriots next season.
New England gave him his wish two weeks before the NFL trade deadline, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick said on Thursday that discipline problems and money were not factors in the decision, without saying what the reasons were.
“There was never any incident or discipline problem with Randy,” Belichick said. “There never has been one with me in four years, and it certainly wasn’t about contract and money.”
Moss caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns two seasons ago to help the Patriots reach the Super Bowl, but did not make a catch in Monday night’s rout of Miami
Belichick would only say Moss was traded for “a combination of factors” and “in the best interest of the team.”
The Vikings will face the Patriots on Oct. 31.
“I look forward to facing those guys,” Moss said.
In seven prior seasons with the Vikings, Moss caught 574 passes for 9,142 yards and 90 touchdowns.
However, even with Favre, who turns 41 on Sunday, back in the lineup, the Vikings have struggled, ranking among the bottom of the NFL in most passing statistics in part because Favre has lacked a threatening receiver to catch his passes.
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