CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Adam Thielen set up a few yards behind the ping-pong table in the Carolina Panthers' locker room to take the serve.
Swoosh!
Thielen delivered a powerful topspin return that sailed past his opponent for a point. A smile followed, for a brief moment replacing the intense focus on the face of the 33-year-old wide receiver.
“I’m a little competitive,’’ said Thielen, smiling again.
It’s that competitiveness that made it tough when the Minnesota Vikings, who play Carolina on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox) in a battle of 0-3 teams, began deemphasizing Thielen’s role behind Justin Jefferson and others to the point they couldn’t justify his $19.