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4-time Vikings Pro Bowler retires from NFL
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- 4-time Vikings Pro Bowler retires from NFL
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It seems like the Minnesota Vikings have a plan for second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy . But a fix or two needs to be made . However, McCarthy may need to get the offense to step up and score more points, as the defense saw a four-time Pro Bowl player retire from the NFL.
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Linebacker Anthony Barr made his decision , according to a post on X by Jordan Schultz.
"4x Pro Bowl OLB Anthony Barr is retiring after 10 NFL seasons. The former top-10 pick of the #Vikings started 108 games during his outstanding career."
Barr's Pro Bowl days were in the past. He made it four years in a row from 2015-2018.
Vikings LB Anthony Barr hanging up the cleats
Barr, 33, spent his first eight seasons with the Vikings before playing for the Cowboys in 2022. He returned to the Vikings in 2023, but missed the 2024 season because of a heel injury.
The announcement came on a post from his foundation , Raise the Barr, according to usatoday.com.
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"After an amazing ten-year career, Anthony Barr will officially retire from the NFL in just a few weeks. From the start, he used his platform not just to play, but to build Raise The Barr, turning his success on the field into real impact for families like his."
The departure of Barr leaves the Vikings with Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard on the outside of the linebacker group. Bo Richter and Dallas Turner are also in the mix.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he's excited about what the overall defense can do , according to a post on X by Will Ragatz.
Kevin O'Connell: "To think it's not even August yet and we're getting that type of cohesiveness among that first group defensively… My expectations are very, very high for our defense."
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O'Connell got fired up recently about seeing things in practice, according to vikings.com.
"I'm watching them make a play against the offense that I was coaching and I'm all geeked up [saying], 'Hey, that's a great play by Gink' right there, picking off that screen!' " O'Connell said. "[The defensive coaches] all kind of look at me like, 'Can we trust you right now?' "
If the Vikings are going to contend for a playoff berth in 2025, the defense will need to step up. That's especially true with an untested player behind center.
Related: Vikings' JJ McCarthy dealt tough truth by NFL Insider after Jordan Addison suspension
Related: Vikings' Jordan Addison suspended 3 games after DUI arrest
