-
Kevin Seifert
EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings activated center Ryan Kelly from injured reserve Saturday, completing his nearly two-month recovery from a pair of concussions that seemed to threaten his career.
Kelly, who signed a two-year $18 million contract with the Vikings in March after spending his first nine seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, has suffered a total of five documented concussions since entering the NFL. The Vikings diagnosed him with concussions during their games in Weeks 2 and 4 this season before placing him on injured reserve. He has played a total of 113 snaps in 2025.
Upon his return Sunday for the Vikings’ game at the Green Bay Packers, Kelly will wear a new helmet model and is also likely to use a Guardian Cap, according to coach Kevin O’Connell. It will be the first game this season when all five members of the Vikings’ starting offensive line have played together.
The Vikings opened Kelly’s 21-day practice window November 12, and he followed with six symptom-free days of practice over the ensuing two weeks. O’Connell said this week that the Vikings were waiting until Kelly was «essentially banging down the door to get back on the field.»
«You never want to go on IR,» Kelly said upon returning to practice. «But I think in the grand scheme of things it was the best option to give me time to see specialists and do what I needed to do, and I’m grateful [the Vikings] had the had the foresight to do it.»
The Vikings had already created a roster spot for Kelly by waiving cornerback Dwight McGlothern Jr. on Thursday. McGlothern re-signed Saturday to the Vikings’ practice squad and was then elevated to the active roster for Sunday’s game.
