Vikings share their team captains for the 2026 season

Last week, the Minnesota Vikings trimmed down to 53 players. Their initial roster was announced last Sunday, only for several subsequent moves to shuffle the bottom of the roster and build the practice squad.

But with the top of the roster mostly set, the Vikings announced eight team captains for the 2026 season. They include Brian O’Neill, Josh Metellus, Andrew DePaola, Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Aaron Jones.

O’Neill, Metellus, DePaola, Jefferson, and Jones served as captains last season. Murray, Van Ginkel, and Cashman replaced J.J. McCarthy, Jonathan Greenard, and Harrison Smith, who signed a one-year deal to return to Minnesota on Saturday.

The 2026 group emphasizes veteran leaders, and Murray’s inclusion signals a belief in the former No.1 overall pick. Smith will still be leaned on as a leader, so these labels shouldn’t be viewed as static, as the coaching staff stresses leadership starting with the players.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Vikings share their team captains for the 2026 season