Vikings Shock: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Fired
In an unexpected turn of events, the Minnesota Vikings have dismissed Kwesi Adofo-Mensah from his position as general manager. The decision, announced on Friday, comes after a season in which the team failed to qualify for the playoffs, generating a significant impact on the organization. Zygi and Mark Wilf, owners of the Vikings, have appointed Rob Brzezinski, a long-time football operations executive with the team, to lead the front office until the 2026 draft. Mark Wilf did not rule out Brzezinski as a permanent candidate for the general manager position and promised a thorough search after the draft. In addition, he indicated that they will lean towards a traditional agreement that grants the next general manager personnel decision-making power, with a “strong involvement” from coach Kevin O’Connell.Adofo-Mensah, who was hired in 2022, was the first NFL general manager with a background primarily in data analysis. He declined to comment after his dismissal. Wilf refrained from detailing the specific reasons behind the dismissal, including the influence of offseason decisions from 2025 that led Sam Darnold to sign with the Seattle Seahawks and J.J. McCarthy to play before he was fully prepared. The timing of the firing was unusual, given that Adofo-Mensah had participated in a post-season press conference on January 13 and had been in Mobile, Alabama, this week, evaluating Senior Bowl practices. Furthermore, it had only been seven months since he signed a multi-year contract extension with the Vikings. When questioned about the timing of the dismissal, Wilf explained that the team’s ownership wanted to avoid an “impulsive” reaction. During the season, there was talk of an underlying “tension” in the Vikings’ environment, according to sources close to the league. Wilf assured that the decision was “100% from ownership” and that no one outside had urged to fire Adofo-Mensah. Minnesota had three winning seasons during Adofo-Mensah’s four years, with a .632 winning percentage, the fifth-best in the NFL during that period. However, the Vikings have a 0-2 postseason record, and Adofo-Mensah’s drafts have been among the least productive in the league. The team’s attempt to select McCarthy without competitively moving back was unsuccessful this season, despite a $350 million cash investment for its 2025 roster, the highest in the league. The Vikings have only received 172 starts from players selected between 2022 and 2025, the second-lowest number in the league. They are one of 11 NFL teams that have not drafted a player for the Pro Bowl in that period. Adofo-Mensah, hired in January 2022, was only the second general manager of the Wilfs in their 20 years as owners. He replaced Rick Spielman, who joined the organization in 2006 and was promoted to general manager in 2012. The Vikings tasked Adofo-Mensah with the task of renewing the team’s culture, which the Wilfs considered too tense under Spielman, and of changing the way decisions were made.It’s not necessarily fair to talk about a single decision, and that’s how we approach it. It’s a body of work, a cumulative set of decisions. It’s four years of where we’ve been. As owners, and I know our fans feel it, and our entire organization feels it. We need to get to a better place.
Mark Wilf
