Fries shared an anecdote about his dad having him flip tires and do push-ups with the added weight of chains when he was in fourth grade to build strength for football and baseball.
"It was just good hard work he had me doing, and I think from a young age, that really instilled a work ethic in me that, 'I'm not going to be outworked by anyone.' I would train and do everything I can in my power to be the best guard that I can be," Fries said. "It was not fun at the time, but it's great now thinking back on it. It's kind of funny."
The Vikings confirmed their belief in Fries' trajectory with a substantial multiyear contract. He wants to reward that faith in him.
"There's no expectation when you're a seventh-rounder. Maybe you make the roster, maybe you don't, maybe you're on the practice squad. But I always knew that I belonged in the NFL, and I knew I belonged to be a starter, and I knew I could play at a really high level," Fries said. "And that's what I expect to bring here, is to play at a high level and be the best I can for this team.
"I think the only limitations are the ones that you put on yourself. So, you know, as long as you are willing to put in the work, you can accomplish, really, anything that you want," he added. "It's not easy. There's a lot of early mornings, long nights and doing extra and doing stuff that people don't want to do, but that's what it takes. And there's no secret, it's just doing what others won't, and being able to kind of push those things that are uncomfortable."