Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings
U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
January 4, 2026 – 6:00 p.m. GMT
Jordan Addison’s touchdown run accounted for 65 of the Vikings’ 161 net offensive yards against the Lions
The Vikings close out the 2025 regular season with a home game against their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers. Having won their last four games, the Vikings have a chance to finish the season with a winning record, the first time they’ll have done so in back-to-back years since 2019.
The Packers have already qualified for the playoffs – thanks to the Vikings’ 23–10 win over the Lions last week – and are guaranteed to take the no. 7 seed. With nothing to play for, they could choose to rest their star players, giving the Vikings a stronger chance of avoiding being swept by the Packers for the first time since 2019.
In what could turn out to be a last game in purple for Harrison Smith, the Vikings will be keen to give him a proper send-off, beating their closest rivals on home turf while wearing their classic uniforms. To find out everything you need to know ahead of the last game of the season, read on…
How to watch Packers vs. Vikings
- Packers vs. Vikings date: Sunday, January 4th
- Packers vs. Vikings kickoff time: 6:00 p.m. GMT
- Packers vs. Vikings UK channel: Channel 5 (Freeview: 5, Freeview HD: 105, Sky: 105, Virgin Media: 105, EE TV: 5) / NFL Game Pass on DAZN (stream)
Although there is nothing riding on it, Channel 5 have elected to show this game in the 6pm slot. Coverage on NFL Big Game Night will be presented by Dermot O’Leary, Sam Quek and Osi Umeniyora, starting at 5:30pm GMT. The game will also be available to watch live and in full via NFL Game Pass on DAZN.
What uniforms are the Vikings wearing against the Packers?
As the home team, the Vikings have first choice of uniforms for this game and have opted to wear their throwback alternate uniforms of purple jerseys and white pants. The Packers will therefore wear their primary road uniforms of white jerseys and yellow pants.
Ones to watch
Andrew Van Ginkel recorded his first fumble recoveries as a Viking on Christmas Day
The Vikings won the turnover battle for only the third time this season on Christmas Day against the Lions, coming up with four fumble recoveries and two interceptions. Andrew Van Ginkel came up with two fumbles and notched his first multi-sack performance since week 3. But most eyes will have been on 36-year-old safety Harrison Smith, who’s expected to make his final appearance for the Vikings on Sunday. He reached 21.5 sacks and 39 interceptions in his career last week; if he can manage just one more pick against the Packers, he’ll join the prestigious 40–20 club, which is currently occupied by just three other NFL players.
Max Brosmer showed us more evidence last week why he went undrafted in the spring; he managed just 51 passing yards against the Lions, who also sacked him for a loss of 48 yards, leaving the Vikings with 3 net passing yards – the lowest total by a winning team since 2006. 30 of his passing yards went to Justin Jefferson, who surpassed Randy Moss for the most receiving yards through his first six seasons in the league. The star receiver will have one eye on a sixth straight 1,000-yard season; he needs just 53 yards to reach that mark, but whether or not he reaches it may depend on whether it’s McCarthy or Brosmer under center.
Previous meetings
Adrian Peterson managed 199 yards on the ground against the Packers on the final day of the 2012 season
This will be the 129th regular season meeting between the Vikings and the Packers, and the 64th to be played in Minneapolis. The Vikings have won 32 of the previous 63 home clashes, including three of the last four. Their most recent meeting at U.S. Bank Stadium was in week 17 of last season, and saw the Vikings take a 27–10 lead by the end of the third quarter. They survived a late fightback from the Packers, who scored 15 unanswered points to make the final score 27–25.
The Vikings will be hoping to avoid the Packers doing the double over them for the first time since 2019, having lost the meeting at Lambeau Field back in week 12. Will Reichard opened the scoring with a 52-yard field goal and hit a 59-yarder on the stroke of halftime, but those were the Vikings’ only points as the offense struggled to get anything going. Emanuel Wilson scored a pair of 1-yard touchdowns, and Brandon McManus hit three field goals to give Green Bay a 23–6 win.
It’s the first time since 2021 that the Vikings have finished their season at home. Their last six season-enders have all been against Chicago, with the Vikings going 4–2 in those encounters. They haven’t finished their season at home to Green Bay since 2012, when they recorded a 37–34 victory in which Adrian Peterson almost broke Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, finishing with 2,097 yards thanks to a 199-yard performance on the day. Blair Walsh kicked a 29-yard field goal to seal the win in regulation, rather than allowing Peterson the opportunity to break the record. The Vikings finished with a 10–6 record and were bounced from the postseason by the Packers the following week.
Vikings injury report
Starting quarterback J. J. McCarthy returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since fracturing his throwing hand against the Giants. Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced on Friday that McCarthy would start Sunday’s season finale after being a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday.
Last week’s game saw the Vikings suffer new injuries to DL Elijah Williams (ankle) and return specialist Myles Price (ankle), who was hurt while returning the opening kickoff. Williams was placed on injured reserve on Monday, while Price was a non-participant in practice all week, resulting in him being ruled out to face the Packers. The only other players to sit out all week were RB Aaron Jones (ankle) and TE T. J. Hockenson (shoulder), both of whom were ruled out, ending their 2025 season.
With Hockenson unable to play on Sunday, there was a chance of some game time for rookie Gavin Bartholomew, who had been on injured reserve all season with a back injury. His 21-day window to return to the active roster was opened on December 17 ahead of the Giants game, and he was a full participant for the whole week of practice, but he was ultimately ruled out.
CB Dwight McGlothern is the only questionable player in this week’s injury report, having been limited on Friday with a hip injury. RB Jordan Mason (ankle) is expected to start in place of Jones, having returned to full practice on Thursday. Every other player who was limited earlier in the week reached full participation by Friday and should be good to go on game day. These include LB Blake Cashman (elbow), T Brian O’Neill (heel) and DL Levi Drake Rodriguez (rib). DL Jonathan Allen, DL Jonathan Hargrave and S Harrison Smith all rested on Friday.
Packers injury report
With their playoff seed confirmed, the Packers have said they’ll be resting some starters for this Sunday’s game, although some will play. One of those starters to be rested will be QB Jordan Love; he cleared the concussion protocol on Thursday, and will be available for the game. However, Matt LaFleur announced his intention for Love not to feature on Sunday, and that Clayton Tune would start under center against the Vikings, having been promoted from the practice squad on Wednesday. With second-stringer Malik Willis questionable with shoulder and hamstring injuries, the Packers signed Desmond Ridder to their practice squad; Ridder was on the Vikings’ practice squad earlier in the season, but was waived on December 2.
T Zach Tom (back/knee) is also questionable along with Willis, having been out since the Packers’ loss to the Broncos in week 15. WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion) is doubtful, having missed the whole week of practice, while OL Donovan Jennings (throat), WR Savion Williams (foot/illness), LB Nick Niemann (pectoral) and G John Williams (back) were all ruled out. The rest of the players on the injury report did not have a game designation, including RB Josh Jacobs (knee/ankle), LB Edgerrin Cooper (shoulder), WR Jayden Reed (illness) and DL Lukas Van Ness (illness/foot).
Score predictions
- John: Packers 15, Vikings 34
- Reece: Packers 13, Vikings 30
- TPJ: Packers 17, Vikings 20
Let us know your score predictions. Send us an email at UKVikingsFanClub@gmail.com or get in touch via any of our social media channels.
Photos courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings
