The Minnesota Vikings' head coach Kevin O'Connell believes NFL fans and newcomers to the sport in Ireland will be seeing the best wide receiver "on the planet" in Justin Jefferson when his side play in Dublin in September.

The Vikings' short-straw road trip to Europe for back-to-back games against the Steelers in Ireland and the Browns in London comes with a competitive advantage.

Last season, the Vikings finished the year with a sparkling 14-3 record but ended up getting trounced 27-9 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs against the resurgent Rams. Over the offseason, starting quarterback Sam Darnold bolted for the Seahawks; University of Michigan hero McCarthy fills his big shoes this year.

On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings announced that they’ll become the first NFL team to play in back-to-back international games in two different countries in 2025. The first is set to take place against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ireland on Sep. 28, followed by a matchup with the Cleveland Browns in London on Oct. 5.

That ranks 13th overall but the is also a lot more than any of Minnesota's NFC North rivals. Green Bay ranks 26th (12,929 miles), Chicago is 28th (12,522) and Detroit is 29th (11,411). The Chargers are far and away the team with the most travel miles on deck (37,086 miles), while the Bengals will travel the least miles (8,753).

The Minnesota Vikings have only retired six numbers in their history. Cris Carter's No. 80 was the last number to be retired back in 2003, so the team has been stingy with adding to the list. But that doesn't mean the list can't grow at some point.

The Minnesota Vikings will play back-to-back international games early in the season, which could be a big advantage for them.

The hype surrounding the JJ McCarthy era in Minnesota seems to be growing by the minute. In the wake of a 14-win season with former Vikings QB Sam Darnold leadi