A fifth-grade student from Minnesota showed his Vikings fandom in a unique way. He willingly gave up extra points on a test by refusing to write Jordan Love's name.
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The student, Bennett Gulland, took what appeared to be a standard spelling test. He had words such as "option," "action," and "portion." However, Fox 9 noted that Bennett's teacher threw in an extra challenge. The students had to spell the name of the Packers quarterback. Per Fox 9, this was a nod to the teacher's Packers fandom.
Bennett refused. Instead, he chose to write the name of Sam Darnold, who has led the Vikings to a 14-2 record and a playoff berth. The teacher did not give the fifth-grade student the bonus point. It may not have helped that Bennett missed the "o" in Darnold's name.
Powerful: A fifth-grader in Minnesota REFUSED to write Packers QB Jordan Love's name on a spelling test missing out on an extra credit point.
This kid is awesome 👏
(via @FOX9) pic.twitter.com/xbNexvE0Wj
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 29, 2024
"My son brought home the spelling test and explained to me as a Vikings fan he couldn't bring himself to write Jordan Love," Nick Gulland, Bennett's father, told Fox 9. "So, he wrote Sam Darnold instead. I found it hilarious! I was also proud of him for taking his Vikings fandom to another level."
Refusing to write a particular quarterback's name is understandable considering the longtime rivalry between the two NFC North teams. After all, their games have the title of "Border Battle."
The fans of these two teams do not particularly like each other, but they have come together for the purpose of entertainment. A fitting example is another "Border Battle" that happened hours before Sunday's pivotal game.
Fans of the Vikings and Packers met on the Stillwater Lift Bridge, which spans the St. Croix River separating Minnesota and Wisconsin. According to MPR News, 25 fans from each team took part in a five-round tug-of-war contest on the bridge. The purpose — beyond friendly competition — was to support local businesses and raise money for first responders.
The Packers fans won three of the five rounds to take the Border Battle while all of the fans in attendance raised an estimated $4,000.
The actual NFC North game did not play out in the Packers' favor. Green Bay's offense put up 25 points while Minnesota kicker Will Reichard missed two field goal attempts. However, Darnold and the Vikings' offense gained the two needed first downs to seal the game in the fourth quarter.
The Vikings reached 14-2 on the season with the 27-25 win and put themselves in contention for the No. 1 seed and the NFC North title. The Packers fell to 11-5. Although they still have a secure spot in the playoffs.
