Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon has had some nifty celebrations this season. He’d love to have another in his hometown.

McKinnon, who grew up outside Atlanta and spends plenty of time there during offseasons, returns Sunday when Minnesota faces the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“It’s going to be fun,’’ McKinnon said Monday. “Back home. Home city. Hopefully, I can score a touchdown. I want to do a celebration. … I’ve got something in mind.’’

McKinnon, who played at Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Ga., and in college at Georgia Southern, has made the most of the five touchdowns he has scored in the exhibition and regular season.

In the preseason, he pretended to be a batter hitting a home run following a 108-yard kickoff return. Once the games began to count, McKinnon has done a dance with offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles modeled after “Hit Dem Folks,” has gone to the ground and pretended to swim and has driven a speedy car in mock fashion.

McKinnon hasn’t scored since an Oct. 29 game against Cleveland in London. He’s hoping to put on a show Sunday before friends and family members.

“I can’t lose (the game) because if I lose I have to hear it for a whole year,’’ McKinnon said. “I’m trying to do everything I can to make a play when I get a chance to. I have a lot of family there.’’

Losing wasn’t a problem in McKinnon’s only previous NFL appearance in Atlanta. He carried five times for 33 yards in Minnesota’s 20-10 win on Nov. 29, 2015.

CHRISTMAS CHEER

When Vikings players walked into the locker room Monday, they saw that safety Andrew Sendejo had filled two empty lockers with Christmas decorations.

Sendejo went all out. He included a Christmas tree, stockings and plenty of fake snow.

“Every holiday, Dejo’s doing something, so that’s nothing new to us,’’ said cornerback Xavier Rhodes.

There were plenty of favorable reviews. Linebacker Anthony Barr called it “impressive,’’ but he did wonder about the timing.

“It’s a little early,’’ Barr said. “We could have waited until December, but we’ll take it. Hopefully, (Vikings coach Mike Zimmer) doesn’t see it. He won’t be happy.’’

THIELEN’S PAYDAY

Adam Thielen’s big season is literally starting to pay off.

When Thielen caught his 70th pass in last Thursday’s 30-23 win at Detroit, it assured he will earn an extra $500,000 next season. He also has escalators in his contract for next year for $250,000 for 80 catches and $250,000 more for 90 receptions, meaning he could make a total of $1 million extra.

As a restricted free agent in March, Thielen signed a four-year, $19 million contract plus incentives. He has base salaries this season of $2.746 million and next year of $2.85 million.

Thielen against the Lions became the first Minnesota player since Sidney Rice in 2009 to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark. With five games left, he has career highs of 70 receptions for 1,005 yards.

BRIEFLY

–Defensive end Everson Griffen said on the NFL Network he and his wife Tiffany have named their newborn son Sebastian Gregory Griffen. He was born last Thursday, shortly before Minnesota beat the Lions. During the game, Griffen pulled out his undershirt, upon which he had scrawled, “I just had a baby boy, what should we name him?’’

–The Vikings, fifth in both, remain the NFL’s only team in the top five in total offense and total defense. The last time they were that high in both categories was in 1994 when they were third in offense and fifth in defense.

—Cornerback Xavier Rhodes is ready to give McKinnon a nickname. “I’m going to start calling him Ricky Bobby ‘Shake and Bake,’’’ referring to a scene in the movie “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.’’ “Once he gets the ball, he’s making the first guy miss.”

–Rookie defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson said he lost his appeal of a $9,115 NFL fine for a facemask penalty in Week 5 at Chicago. “I’m just going to be sure I don’t get any more facemask penalties,” he said.