kevin stefanski

Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns

A thrilling late touchdown helped the Minnesota Vikings defeat the Cleveland Browns 21–17 in the first game of the 2025 NFL London series. There was fierce back-and-forth action between the two teams during the match, which was played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which was crowded with more than 61,000 spectators.

The Browns took an early lead after taking advantage of a Vikings blunder, led by rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who made his first NFL start. The game’s first touchdown came from a connection between Gabriel and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Running back Cam Akers threw a touchdown pass to tight end Josh Oliver as the Vikings swiftly responded with a trick play. Cleveland had a slim 10–7 lead at the half after the score stayed close throughout the first half.

Minnesota took the lead in the second half after Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz led a drive that resulted in a rushing touchdown by Jordan Mason. After leading a lengthy drive and finding David Njoku for a touchdown to give the Browns a 17–14 lead again, Gabriel kept up his impressive play for Cleveland. In the fourth quarter, both defenses made crucial stops, but with just 25 seconds remaining, Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison—who had just returned from suspension—caught the game-winning 12-yard touchdown pass to give Minnesota the victory.

The Vikings’ victory was historic because it made them the first NFL team to play consecutive international games in different nations in the same season. Despite their rookie quarterback’s poise, the Browns lost their opportunity for a major upset, while Minneapolis opened the London series with an exciting comeback thanks to Addison’s clutch catch.