9 seasons later with the Minnesota Vikings, and fullback CJ Ham has officially hung up his cleats, a decision that may not have been easy, but one that Ham felt was necessary for him. While he may not have added some big numbers to his stat sheet, his efforts as a Vikings player never went unnoticed. Shortly after the 2x Pro Bowl announced his retirement, he received a message from the league, leaving his partner somewhat shocked. 

“Tell me how @cjham_93 is officially retired as of yesterday…and had a drug test this morning?” Stephanie Ham wrote via Instagram story. 

The news that came directly from Ham’s wife implies that the league called a drug test on him on March 20. While the timing adds confusion, Stephanie’s reaction suggests the situation wasn’t as intense. Along with her message, she added laughing and shocking emojis to sum up her feelings about the whole situation. 

A player has to submit a urine sample after receiving notification from the league. The process is very time-sensitive, and players must complete the drug test within a four-hour window. Failure to report or positive results can draw penalties or potential suspension. Moreover, the test checks for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and banned substances, with medical experts from official facilities analyzing the submitted results.

In the past, multiple NFL players have failed these tests after detection of substances such as PEDs and marijuana. These include Ricky Williams and Josh Gordon, among others. At the time of writing, there’s no update on how Ham’s test turned out. 

On February 3, CJ Ham broke the news of his retirement on social media through his agency, The Institute for Athletes (Team IFA). The carousel post featured Ham in Minnesota’s jersey and carried a powerful note by his long-term agent, Blake Baratz.

“You embody everything that is good in this world,” Baratz wrote. “A true man of faith, a tireless community ambassador, a true professional and student of your craft, a loyal and accountable teammate, and, most importantly, an unwavering and devoted husband and father to your family. You have used your platform for the good of others and have left the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings organization, and the city of Minneapolis better than you found them 10 years ago, which is a true testament to your remarkable character and your core beliefs.”

In 2016, the Vikings selected him as an undrafted free agent after he impressed Kevin Stefanski during a pro day workout at the University of Minnesota. Stefanski served as the team’s assistant at that time.

“I’m putting the Gophers running backs through some individual drills,” Stefanski had said. “And there’s one kid [Ham] who’s just staring me right in the eyes, doing it exactly how it needs to be done, doing it with maximum effort. And I said, ‘Who’s that kid?’”

Ham became part of the team’s rookie minicamp and eventually earned his spot on the active roster in 2017. He started his decade-long journey as a running back before transitioning to a fullback role. Meanwhile, Stephanie’s update comes after the franchise honored Ham alongside former teammate and friend Adam Thielen. 

Vikings Legends CJ Ham and Adam Thielen honored after their retirement

To celebrate the retirement of lifelong friends CJ Ham and Adam Thielen, the Vikings held a joint press conference at the team’s Eagan headquarters earlier this week, surrounded by their family, friends, and former colleagues. CJ and Adam didn’t just start their NFL journeys together; they have known each other for a long time.

The duo goes as far back as high school, where they played pep football against each other and then became rivals once again in College. Talking about CJ and their time together, Adam Thielen noted,

“We’ve spent a lot of time together in this building, we’ve actually also spent a lot of time together training outside this building, so it’s fun to be able to do this with him.” Thielen said. “A special football player and an even better person, who has really helped shape me.”

CJ, for his part, couldn’t fight back his emotions as he reflected on his journey with the team,

“There’s nothing like game day at The Bank,” Ham said, while fighting back tears. “From the beginning, I felt all the love. Just a fellow Minnesota kid living his dream of wearing the purple and gold someday. I know that resonated with many Minnesota fans, so I felt as if I was doing it for my family and me, I was also doing it for you.”

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell also talked about his time with both Thielen and Ham, having mentored both.

“Their impacts clearly on and off the field have left a tremendous impact, not only on myself as the head coach of this team, all of our players, but also your families and what you guys were able to establish in the community here in the Twin Cities and beyond,” O’Connell said of Ham and Thielen.

“I know I, today, get the opportunity to not only speak for our team and our organization, but Minnesota Vikings fans everywhere, just saying, ‘Thank you for your impact that you guys both had.'”

From signing as undrafted free agents to retiring together, this duo has seen a lot of highs and lows during their decade-long NFL journey. The native Minnesotans now approach an offseason with no training camps or pressure to prepare for the season ahead.

At 32, CJ Ham has a long road ahead, and fans will likely see the Vikings legend in a different role sooner than expected.