Herrera appreciates team’s approach

Anthony Herrera has missed the last two games after suffering a concussion, but he expects to return on Sunday. The team’s patient approach makes him appreciate how they put his long-term health above a football game.

Of all the players that are listed on the Vikings injury report – an unlucky 13 in all – one player who is expected to make his return to action this week is guard Anthony Herrera.

Herrera has missed the last two weeks due to post-concussion symptoms, but said he has been happy with how the team and the trainers dealt with his injury – putting his long-term health over short-term success on the field.

“Everyone has been supportive of me and have all said the same thing,” Herrera said. “I was told by the trainers, coaches and my teammates that I shouldn’t get back on the field until I was healthy and ready to go. They said that my life is more important than a football game. I’m not sure every team would be that way, but that’s the way this group is.”

Herrera said it would have been easy for the team to pressure him to come back, but nobody did, which he said is what makes this Vikings team special.

“We’re a family on this team and we look out for each other,” Herrera said. “If one guy goes down, there’s someone else there to pick him up. That’s how a family works. We have been able to depend on each other and know that we’ve got each other’s back. That’s what teammates do.”

THURSDAY NOTES

The Vikings re-signed offensive tackle Drew Radovich to the practice squad Wednesday. Radovich was released in September and spent weeks with San Francisco after his Vikings release. Just last week, he was signed to the Colts practice squad, but was released by Indianapolis after just one week.

The Vikings made room for Radovich on the practice squad by activating tight end Garrett Mills to the 53-man roster. Mills replaces E.J. Henderson, who was placed on injured reserve with a broken left femur.

In a pair of practice squad moves, the Vikings signed linebacker J Leman, who was among the team’s cuts at the end of training camp. To make room for him, the team released cornerback DeAndre Wright. Since being released, Leman spent time with the Panthers, Eagles and Chargers.

From the “Thanks A Lot, Coach” Department comes this: Former Viking Daunte Culpepper has been announced as the starter for Detroit for Sunday’s game at Baltimore. He replaces an injured Matthew Stafford. Culpepper raised something of a stink with the Lions after practicing during the abbreviated work week prior to the Thanksgiving Day game with Green Bay only to be informed two hours before game time that Stafford would get the starting nod – a move that didn’t sit well with the 11-year veteran QB.

Randy Moss was among four New England Patriots players sent home Wednesday after showing up late for an 8 a.m. team meeting Wednesday. The players cited traffic tie-ups, but coach Bill Belichick had none of it. It is unclear whether any of the players will face an additional punishment or fines for their tardiness.

Just a couple of weeks after Brad Childress got a contract extension, his mentor Andy Reid was given a three-year extension with the Eagles that will have him under contract until 2013.

Former Vikings assistant Randy Hanson, who claimed head coach Tom Cable assaulted him, returned to the Raiders Wednesday. His role is now as a scout.

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John Holler has been writing about the Vikings for more than a decade for Viking Update. Follow Viking Update on Twitter and discuss this topic on our message boards. To become a subscriber to the Viking Update web site or magazine, click here.

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