The Minnesota Vikings are 0-4 in Super Bowls in their 64-year history.
They have not been to a Super Bowl since the 1976 season and have just one postseason appearance in the last four years. One current Vikings starter is looking to snap both droughts.
“I expect a Super Bowl,” Camryn Bynum said on “The Insiders” on June 20. “I know everybody says that, and everybody should say that. But you look at the guys on the team, you look at the locker room, all the experience that we have. You look how much depth we have, especially on the defense. So many guys it’s almost weird looking around because you’re like, ‘OK, how are we all going to get on the field?’ There’s just so many ballers. You look at the offense. There’s a baller at every position when you look across the whole board.
“That’s why I’m confident when I say I expect us to be a Super Bowl team. And really, our preparation has to tell it all. You say that every year. Every team says that every year, but we have to put all these names and everything. We have to make it real.”
The Vikings’ defense ranked 16th in total defense last year.
But they also fielded the league’s most aggressive defense, blitzing at a league-high 51.5% last season, per Pro Football Reference. And now they are breaking in two new quarterbacks.
The Vikings had to navigate half of the 2023 campaign without Kirk Cousins and saw him leave for the Atlanta Falcons in free agency this offseason. In his place, free agent pickup Sam Darnold is in pole position over rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy going into training camp.
“It’s an exciting year because there’s so many new faces on offense and defense,” Bynum said. “Having the two new quarterbacks, it’s fun being able to play against them. Just seeing what they bring to the table, and they’re both looking really good. And it’s exciting to see them compete, and they’re both looking good, so I can’t put one over the other. I just say they both look ready, and whatever coaches decide, I trust them and their decision.”
Cam Bynum Putting Faith in Vikings
Bynum said it was “fun” forming bonds with his new teammates. He also acknowledged the one decision Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Co. have to make that directly impacts him.
The No. 125 overall pick of the 2021 draft, Bynum is entering the final year of his four-year, $4.2 million rookie contract.
He is not stressing about it, though.
“You look at it for sure and you get excited about it just because I know the work I put in to put myself in whatever position I have put myself in,” Bynum said. “But at the end of the day, all I can do is play football, all I can do is prepare for season and leave it up to my agent, leave it up to the staff with the Vikings to figure that out. I know they’ll make the best decision.”
Bynum logged a career-high 137 total tackles, including 94 solo stops, putting him 14th and sixth in the league last season, respectively.
He’s also proven his commitment, moving from college cornerback to safety in the NFL.
Camryn Bynum Making Impact in Filipino Community
Bynum had made several public pleas last year for help to bring his wife, Lalanie, over to America from the Philippines, including on “The Insiders.” He set the process in motion and the couple has since been reunited.
For this interview, Bynum was in Manlla promoting his camp, “Camp Beezy Vol. 3 Manila Madness”, as part of his “Bynum Faith Foundation”.
Bynum spoke proudly about his experience.
“I wouldn’t say Manny Pacquiao level yet,” Bynum said of his fame locally. “But it’s getting close to that, especially with the football players out here. Because the one thing about Filipinos, they are super supportive and just the love that we have for people that are doing well in the Filipino community, you ride hard for each other.
“Me being out here, whenever I step on that field, everybody’s listening. That’s really what I care about the most. Everybody’s ready to learn, everybody’s excited to learn. So aside from all the fame and everybody being excited about being quote-unquote famous, they’re ready to learn and they’re eager to learn just because they know that I’m in the NFL and I can bring some knowledge to them So they’re ready to go and they’re ready to train hard too.”
He said that he wants to be the one to make the Philippines the hub for football in the region of the world.
