Though Ham didn’t have a carry or reception in the game — he was targeted once by quarterback Sam Darnold — his presence was integral in the victory. Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said Tuesday that Ham played “a really, really good football game,” referencing his involvement in 21-personnel (two backs, one tight end) and on third-down protections.
Phillips noted Ham’s ability not just to find his own man in coverage but to pick up a different man if he needs to aid the offensive line in clearing space.
Playing football, not just playing it, Ham’s grandfather might say.
“It just shows how resilient he is,” Akers said. “How resilient, how responsible and how he can put things into perspective and understand that obviously it’s a tough time for him but he still has a job to do. Everyone’s not able to do that in a tough time like that.”
This is not the first time Ham has dealt with loss during his time with the Vikings. His mother, Tina Ham, died in 2020 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Ham said his teammates’ ability to read that he needed support Sunday and then provide it starts at the top of the Vikings organization with GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell.