Vikings fullback C.J. Ham is headed to Orlando for Sunday's Pro Bowl.
Because San Francisco's Kyle Juszczyk — the only fullback to see more snaps than Ham in 2019 — is preparing for the Super Bowl in Miami, Ham was named to his first All-Star game as an alternate, according to his agency IFA.
Ham, a 26-year-old Duluth Denfeld graduate, is the fourth Vikings player to make the Pro Bowl, joining defensive end Danielle Hunter, safety Harrison Smith and running back Dalvin Cook.
In his fourth season with the Vikings, he played a career-high 359 snaps while lead blocking for the NFL's sixth-ranked rushing attack. Ham, a special teams mainstay, earned a pivotal role on offense under Gary Kubiak and Kevin Stefanski, which is unlikely to change in 2020 as coach Mike Zimmer has said he wants the same system despite Stefanski's exit to Cleveland.
ANDREW KRAMMER
Loons sign homegrown player, add assistant
Minnesota United has signed its first homegrown player and completed its coaching staff.
It signed from its academy 15-year-old goalkeeper Fred Emmings from St. Paul and officially added Orlando City assistant coach Sean McAuley to fill new technical director Mark Watson's former job.
Emmings is 6-5 and spent two weeks training with Luxembourg's Under-16 national team. He previously played with the St. Paul Blackhawks Soccer Club before he joins United's Under-15 academy.
