Kyle Sloter was a preseason legend during his time in Minnesota. Over eight appearances with the Vikings during their exhibition circuits from 2018 to '19, the former Northern Colorado quarterback completed 75% of his passes for 809 yards, eight touchdowns, and one interception.

Apparently, that was too good for his team to handle.

"I was told, when I was at the Vikings at one point, that I needed to do less," Sloter explained while appearing as a guest on the podcast The Victory Degree. "That I needed to go out there and be worse in the preseason because it was creating an atmosphere that was not what they wanted. They don't want competition between a backup quarterback and a starter. They don't want any controversy. They don't want those things. Especially when you have a lot of guaranteed money on a guy that is going to play, no matter what."

Kirk Cousins was Minnesota's signal caller at the time, having just signed the first fully guaranteed contract in NFL history—a three-year, $84 million pact.

"I have had people tell me that in order to make it as a backup in the league," Sloter continued. "...that you have to play like a backup. And it just was never me. It was never me to not go out there and compete."

If this is true, it's quite a slap in the face to not only Sloter, but also the hundreds of other players who give it their all every summer to try and make an NFL roster.

Sloter, now 31, was waived by Minnesota at the end of the 2019 preseason and went on to spend time with the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, the Vikings again, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also played in the USFL for the New Orleans Breakers and Birmingham Stallions, and in the XFL with the Arlington Renegades.


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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Former Vikings QB Said Organization Wanted Him To 'Be Worse' To Keep His Job.

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