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After a dispiriting loss at the Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday night, Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. posted a photo of his dinner on social media, an action deemed wildly inappropriate by a few enraged fans.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. violated some fans’ etiquette last Thursday night after posting a regular old photo on Instagram.
Fans teed off on Pace Jr., claiming he should not post pictures of his food after a loss and implying that he should’ve quietly sulked off social media.
Vikings LB Ivan Pace Jr. Irritates Fans with Dinner Post
Don’t eat and share pictures after losses, they say.
Pace Jr. Goes to In-N-Out Burger, and That’s Just Unacceptable after an L per Fans
The picture that caused the stir? It’s pretty basic and harmless.
tweeting, “How unserious are the Vikings? Ivan Pace Jr just posted In-N-Out on his story an hour after the Vikings defense got lit up for 37.”
An aggregator on X, formerly known as Twitter, jokingly piled on and pointed out, “Ivan Pace Jr. was probably celebrating he got defensive snaps tonight.”
Some joined James in his scathing critique of the food photo, while others chided him for pointing it out at all.
James added, “Flexing In N Out on your ig story fresh off a 37-point loss is a bold move.”
The Young Defender Should … Mourn the Loss More?
How should Pace Jr. have handled the loss in Los Angeles? The main grievance appears to be that he is enjoying himself after a 27-point loss. That is — the post implies that he’s proud of eating a cheeseburger at an establishment unique to California.
In the face of a bad loss, players are evidently supposed to eat without social media contributions. “Don’t you dare post a photo of your photo after a football loss,” is the mindset for those who partake in dinner picture criticism.
An Utterly Bizarre Grievance
This … protest? … regarding Pace Jr.’s good is simply terrible. Who cares if he ate after a game and posted a picture of it? As in — how in any earthly realm could that bother a rational and mature human being? The only theory is that a person upset over PaceBurgerGate takes football way too seriously, or that the Vikings’ wins and losses define that person’s existence.
, cornerback Shaquill Griffin (1), linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (0), safety Camryn Bynum (24) and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) celebrate against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</p>
<p>” data-medium-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/USATSI_24576749.jpg” data-large-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1180,height=787,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/USATSI_24576749.jpg” src=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/USATSI_24576749.jpg” alt=”Josh Metellus, Shaquill Griffin, Ivan Pace Jr., Camryn Bynum, and Byron Murphy Jr. celebrate a defensive play against the Rams at SoFi Stadium.” ><figcaption>On October 24, 2024, in Inglewood, California, Minnesota defenders Josh Metellus, Shaquill Griffin, Ivan Pace Jr., Camryn Bynum, and Byron Murphy Jr. celebrated together following a key play against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. The moment reflected Minnesota’s unity and defensive swagger as multiple playmakers converged to energize the sideline during a physical, high-stakes matchup under the Thursday night lights. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.<span></span></figcaption></figure>
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<p>That is, of course, unhealthy and downright weird. </p>
<p><strong>The Masses Can’t Distinguish between Real Life and Sport</strong></p>
<p>Players will eat. Players will eat before football games. Players will eat after football games. It’s up to them to decide if they want to share their lives with fans. A cheeseburger picture hurts no one. Perhaps if Pace Jr. posted something genuinely bad after his team lost, the outcry would make some sense.</p>
<p>This one does not. His post is just as innocent as sharing a photo of a family member. No harm done. There are bigger fish to fry. </p>
<p><strong>The Football Side for Pace Jr.</strong></p>
<p>Our Kyle Joudry actually mentioned Pace Jr. as a Vikings<em> trade option</em> last weekend, with the league deadline approaching in a week.</p>
<p>Unrelated to anything with cheeseburgers, <a href=)
Joudry explained, “At 24 and capable of bringing down the passer, Ivan Pace Jr. has a lot to offer. The issue in Minnesota is that Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson are now the top pair (as previously discussed on PurplePTSD). Leaning on the versatile veterans allows for maximum creativity and chaos for Brian Flores, vital ingredients to his defense that feeds into being aggressive.”
“Pace doesn’t do particularly well in pass coverage. Even worse, Pace’s run defense has taken a step back with quite a few missed tackles. So, at least some reason to consider a swap, especially since we’re considering a ‘backer who is in the final year of his contract before becoming an RFA.”
 against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.</p>
<p>” data-medium-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ivan-Pace-Jr.jpg” data-large-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1180,height=637,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ivan-Pace-Jr.jpg” src=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ivan-Pace-Jr.jpg” alt=”Ivan Pace Jr. lines up during the Vikings’ NFC Wild Card game against the Rams at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.”><figcaption>In Glendale, Arizona, on January 13, 2025, Minnesota linebacker I. Pace Jr. locked in before a snap during the NFC Wild Card matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. The undrafted standout continued his breakout season under the postseason spotlight, embodying the intensity and discipline that helped define Minnesota’s aggressive defensive identity late in the year. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.<span></span></figcaption></figure>
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<p>Pace Jr. was benched in Week 7 before regaining his job in Week 8. </p>
<p>Joudry added, “A sneaky team to monitor: the Carolina Panthers. Recent years have featured this team making an effort to bring in former Vikings — most notably, WR Adam Thielen — with some of these players being pass rushers — most notably, D.J. Wonnum and <a href=)
Patrick Jones.”
“Other former Vikings such as Akayleb Evans and Dan Chisena are currently employed in Carolina, too. In Ivan Pace, the Panthers could have a puzzle piece for the defense to keep building around.”
Stop caring about pictures of food. It’s a sign of emotional immaturity.