EAGAN, Minn. — As a receiver in the NFL, Trent Sherfield Sr. has made a living handling everything that’s thrown at him.
However, getting a grasp on this past weekend took more composure than perhaps any catch he’d ever hauled in during a game.
Sherfield and his wife, Marcella, were expecting their second child, with her due date scheduled for Monday, Sept. 30. But if the seventh-year receiver has learned anything through fatherhood and playing football, it’s that not everything always goes according to plan.
"I woke up (Saturday) morning and then I came downstairs and my wife, she said, 'I think I'm starting to have contractions.'" Sherfield recalled. "She was like, 'Just go ahead and go to work, I can handle the contractions on my own for now.'"
Sherfield went to the team's walk-through, but by the time he returned home, Marcella's contractions picked up.
"We went to the birthing center around 1 (p.m.) ... and then my baby ended up coming at 7:43 that night," said Sherfield, who spent the rest of the night with his newly expanded family.
He got home from the birthing center around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and then hopped in a car with Vikings Football Operations Associate Riley Wigmore at about 4:45 a.m. to head to Lambeau Field.
"Riley drove me to Green Bay, and I slept the whole way," Sherfield said. "We got there just before the first team bus arrived … did my normal routine, warmed up and then played the game."
Sherfield not only suited up Sunday, but he recorded one catch for eight yards on the team’s third scoring drive of the game. Minnesota held on to beat the Packers 31-29, but for the Vikings receiver, there was something bigger waiting for him at home.
"Just a huge blessing just to be out there … but for me, on that particular day, nothing else really mattered — my daughter was born," Sherfield said. "I just wanted to get home and get to her."
"It was a blast," Sherfield added. "I played the most snaps I've played this year in that game, so going out in warmups, I was tired."
But as a father, he knows all too well about functioning on little sleep.
"Five hours (of sleep) is a good day for me," Sherfield joked.
When he returned home, the couple chose the name Adaliha, which for Sherfield, is a perfect fit.
"It means 'God is my refuge.'" he explained. "We were deciding between Angel and Adaliha — Angel was the name of my wife's father before he passed away in 2021 — but we decided with Adaliha."
"When my wife was giving birth, we really set the atmosphere, just by having gospel music (playing) and stuff like that. I really believe that it's a miracle whenever a child is born."
The undrafted receiver joined the Vikings this past offseason after stops in Arizona, San Francisco, Miami and Buffalo. So far this year, he’s caught three passes for 33 yards, but what hasn’t shown up on the stat sheet is his ability to block in the run game.
The Vikings are averaging 123.8 yards per game— a dramatic improvement from last season’s 91.4 yards-per-game average — and are averaging about a half yard more per carry, which has been instrumental in helping the Vikings sustain drives.
"I love it. I think that this scheme fits me well," Sherfield said. "I'm playing my role and loving where I'm at. Just excited to be part of this team.
Sherfield and the Vikings will be in London on Sunday for a game against the New York Jets, and while his wife and children won't be making the trip, he’s still looking forward to heading overseas for the second straight year after playing in London last season with the Bills.
"We've just got to keep it going and get ready to go across the pond and get a win," said Sherfield, who said his mom would be joining him on the trip. "Being able to go 5-0 into the bye week would be really good … because we've got a long haul after this bye week."
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on KARE 11 with a one-hour pregame special starting at 7:30 a.m., A half-hour wrap-up special will also air following the game.
