As Stephen Weatherly walked into the Vikings’ weight room eight days before veterans reported for training camp in July, his frazzled expression quickly caught head strength and conditioning coach Mark Uyeyama’s attention.
“‘Uye’ was like, ‘Stephen, you good?’ ” Weatherly recalled. “I was like, ‘Working two jobs.’ ”
It was a Wednesday morning, and Weatherly was beginning a hump day routine more common to thousands of Minnesotans who watch him play than to the 52 teammates who will suit up with him this fall. He’d arrived at the Vikings’ headquarters to squeeze in an early-morning workout, before showering, changing into a collared shirt and commuting to Innovative Office Solutions in Burnsville, where he’d sit in on marketing meetings and ride along on order fulfillments as an intern with the company.