Phil Loadholt: The Vikings Tackle Keeps ‘em Clean

Phil Loadholt #71 OT

Over the summer, Sideline Pass had the chance to interview Phil Loadholt as he reflected on his rookie year with the Minnesota Vikings. Coming to Minnesota from the champion Oklahoma Sooners, the 2^nd round draft pick was well prepared to step into a high profile offense with high expectations. The talented player took every chance he could to learn from the seasoned vets around him.  Loadholt was named to the All-Rookie team after stepping into starting RT job in 2009 and starting all but 1 game.

As the lead blocker for Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson, #71 Loadholt had his hands full. Both players are known to be “elusive”, doing whatever possible to keep a play alive. But they could be that versatile thanks to their OT who is always willing to put in work. He proved his work ethic long before landing on an NFL team. As a junior college player, Loadholt gained the attention of the nation’s top teams after earning a ranking as No. 20 overall player in Junior College Top 100 (Rivals.com). He earned his way on to the National Champion Sooners, which positioned him for his next stop in the pros.

During the off season, Phil stays in game shape by working out the NFL Alumni Derrick Deese who spent 11 years in the league. The committed player understands that it is a job – no matter how much fun he has on the field. He treats the role with the respect it deserves and we never have to worry about him passing any conditioning tests.

Listen to our short clip here!

Look out for our man Phil!