‘It was surreal’: Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle embraces Churchill culture on vacation

Walter Rouse (left) and Viktor the Viking, the official Minnesota Vikings mascot stop to enjoy the northern lights while visiting Churchill in March 2025. (Minnesota Vikings)

A Minnesota Viking has spent a portion of his offseason enjoying an unforgettable travel experience to Churchill, Manitoba.

“That first night when we finally got there, I mean, being underneath the northern lights, it was surreal,” said Walter Rouse, offensive tackle for the Vikings.

“It was truly an amazing and once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Rouse was drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. In February he was approached by a staff member of the Vikings video department with a video detailing the sights and sounds of Churchill.

The staff member asked Rouse if he was interested in traveling to the northern Manitoba community for a winter excursion with expenses covered by the team.

“I’m like, this sounds too good to be true,” Rouse said with a smile.

“I’ve always wanted to see the northern lights, and I was thinking about going somewhere in the offseason. Then I was like, ‘this is perfect.’”

It was an opportunity he could not pass up. Rouse and Vikings mascot Viktor the Viking traveled to Churchill in March for a five-day trip.

Rouse, who grew up in Maryland, got accustomed to a Minnesota winter this past season. Living in Minnesota helped prepare his visit to Manitoba, which has a similar climate. He said experiencing the wind chill in Churchill, however, was a whole different feeling when he stepped off the plane.

“It definitely felt like I was going to freeze my nose off and my hands, but we got through it,” Rouse said as he laughed.

A long weekend up north gave Rouse an opportunity to experience ice fishing, snowshoeing, and dog sledding, most of which he had only seen in pictures.

“I loved every single minute of it,” he said.

The 6’6 athlete could not believe how the depth of the snow while traversing in snowshoes.

“This is going up to my hips like it’s really deep,” he said.

He admitted he was a little scared heading out on to the lake for ice fishing but enjoyed the opportunity to try to catch some fish.

“I remember when we drove on to it, I was holding on, I was like, ‘oh my goodness’,” he said.

Meeting the tour guide who brought them dog sledding was a highlight seeing the control the animals have firsthand. It reminded him of his current playing days on the gridiron.

“You got the leader in the front and you got the workhorses. You got dogs that just help keep the pace,” he said.

“They just all work well, you know, sort of like an offensive line, you know?”

“We even got a SKOL chant going as well.”

Rouse and Viktor the Viking spent a portion of their trip having fun with students from the Frontier School Division in Churchill where they taught kids the game of football. Rouse was surprised to see a contingent of Vikings fans way up north.

“This one kid came in with the whole Vikings cheerleader set and I was like, ‘what are the odds?’ this is amazing,” he said.

“We even got a SKOL chant going as well.”

He enjoyed learning more about the fanbase of Vikings fans in Winnipeg while chatting with residents up north.

Members of the community gave Rouse an opportunity to learn about the Indigenous culture of Churchill including the art of tufting.

He said he really enjoyed learning the history of the hobby, and the art that can be made from fine caribou hair and other arctic animals.

“That was the one (thing) that stood out the most to me,” he said.

Rouse said future visitors to Churchill have to try the food at Ptarmigan where they enjoyed numerous meals while on the trip.

Rouse played in his first regular season NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals last December. As he trains for this upcoming season, he said watching this year’s NFL Draft in Green Bay has him pumped up for September.

“It’s just like a full circle moment and, you know, I can’t wait to get the rookies up here, especially the ones in the O-line room,” he said.

While he didn’t see any polar bears on the trip, he said he would love to come back to Churchill to see them and beluga whales for a whale watching tour.

“You made friends out of me, and I can’t wait to see you guys again,” he said.