It makes a nice story to report that Thomas Tapeh is back in Minnesota where he played for St. Paul Johnson High School and the Gophers. With a reported five-year, six million dollar contract, the Minnesota Vikings brought the 28-year-old fullback here this winter where his mother and other family still reside. He’s happy to be back in town and likes his new team, but told Sports Headliners earlier this month that as a free agent this winter he was determined to join whatever NFL team provided the best opportunity. “It’s a business,” said Tapeh, who will make New Jersey his off-season home.
He played for four seasons in Philadelphia after being drafted on the fifth round by the Eagles. Playing for a “better future,” Tapeh intrigued the Vikings enough to offer him the best contract of his career and a role he’s accustomed to, sacrificing his body while blocking for others. In the NFL he has rushed 22 times for 69 yards and no touchdowns. As a featured runner for the Gophers, he might have achieved those totals in less than four quarters.
In Philly, Tapeh blocked for Brian Westbrook who has rushed for over 1,200 yards in each of the last two seasons. Here he will lead the way for Adrian Peterson who ran for 1,341 yards last season as a rookie and led the NFC in rushing. Tapeh recognizes both Westbrook and Peterson as great backs. “I am grateful, man. I really am,” he said.
The Vikings will depend on their running game led by Peterson and veteran Chester Taylor. Defenses will crowd the line of scrimmage and the combat will be demanding and nasty including for Tapeh who at 6-1, 240 will block defenders of varying sizes and temperaments.
What have the Vikings’ coaches told him about his opportunity here? “This game, the nature of the beast is competition,” he said. “You survive by competing. …The opportunity is what I make of it. That’s how I see it.”
Tapeh has been working at Winter Park, preparing his body for the season. “The older you get in this game, you realize you can’t pound the body like you used to when you first came out,” he said. “It’s more endurance. It’s a marathon. It’s not a sprint. When I first came in you try to lift heavy, heavy, heavy. You can’t do that no more. You gotta start light and increase as the time comes closer to the season.
“But right now you take it slow until about a month away from the season. Then you pick up. That way you hit the season full stride. You can’t go crazy no more, man. You get tired quick.”
What aches and pain linger? “This is football, man,” Tapeh answered. “What don’t linger? Back, neck, knee, hip. You name it. That’s why you go slow. You rehab the body. Basically what we’re doing right now. Just rehabbing. …”
Tapeh wouldn’t complain about any particular pain. “It’s just pain,” he said laughing. “That’s all it is. Deal with it. It’s just football. Anything in particular? Nah. Just got to keep going.”
Coach Brad Childress was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator for two seasons when Tapeh was a young player in Philadelphia. He spoke about how Childress was a patient teacher, explaining in detail how plays worked. Now he’s reunited with Childress and wants to help the Vikings “win a championship.”