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Vikings GM Search Takes Unexpected Turn
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- Vikings GM Search Takes Unexpected Turn
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday, January 30th, after four years’ worth of poor drafts and one offseason of atrocious quarterback decision-making. Fast forward to late April, and the club has begun its search for a replacement. The caveat? It’s a closed search; the team will not announce any general manager candidates.
The Wilfs want a full search, albeit secretive, yet the strongest candidate might already be running the building.
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It’s an odd twist for a team that is usually pretty damn transparent.
Rob Brzezinski Has the Inside Track After the Draft
Curious about the Vikings ’ GM wishlist ? You’re out of luck.
Rob Brzezinski sits down with Vikings.com’s Gabe Henderson to discuss front-office philosophy and team-building approach, offering insight into Minnesota’s leadership structure during a recorded segment, Feb. 17, 2022, as the organization transitioned into the Kevin O’Connell era with a renewed emphasis on collaboration and long-term planning. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
The Search Begins — But Don’t Ask Who’s Involved
Mark and Zygi Wilf, the team’s longtime owners, released the following statement on Wednesday:
With the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, our search for the next general manager of the Minnesota Vikings is underway. This will be a thorough and deliberate process led by ownership, with support from a small internal advisory committee of senior leaders.
We have also engaged respected firm TurnkeyZRG to assist in conducting a wide-ranging search that includes experienced football executives, emerging candidates and individuals with diverse professional backgrounds. Our focus is to identify a decisive leader with a clear vision for team building, strong communication skills and the ability to build alignment across an organization.
Out of respect for all involved, we do not intend to publicly announce candidates and will provide further comment when the search is complete.
This basically means that one day soon, the Vikings will declare a new general manager, and unlike the 2022 process, no contenders will be made public.
Brzezinski as the Frontrunner
While the process of scouting a new general manager will be extensive, the interim candidate, Brzezinski, just has to be the frontrunner. He formally expressed interest in the big job this week, and he has run the show for three months. There have been no major blunders, and Brzezinski’s brief time in the saddle has been highlighted by the signing of Kyler Murray and onboarding a mostly impressive draft class, at least by a few-days-after standards.
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Brzezinski has worked for the Vikings for 27 years. He knows everything about the enterprise and is willing to work within the team’s existing structure, in addition to collaborating with Kevin O’Connell.
Minnesota may ultimately hire an outsider, but Brzezinski should be considered the favorite.
The Theoretical Outside Candidates
Of course, the whole premise of this article is that fans won’t know the candidates’ identities, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from speculating on Adofo-Mensah’s replacement since January 30th.
Zygi Wilf converses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell along the sideline during a playoff atmosphere, sharing a moment during the second quarter of a wild card matchup, Jan. 15, 2023, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as the Vikings hosted postseason action in front of a packed home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
Along with Brzezinski, the following list can be considered a reasonable group of possible applicants:
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Alec Halaby (PHI)
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Andy Weidl (PIT)
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Ed Dodds (IND)
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George Paton (DEN
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John McKay (LAR)
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Matt Berry (SEA)
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Ryan Cowden (NE)
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Trent Kirchner (SEA)
And that batch will just have to do for curious minds because outside of leaks, the Wilfs don’t want the process to be overly public.
The Athletic ‘s Alec Lewis noted on Dodds this week, “Dodds is one of the most deserving options if the Vikings want to go the experienced scout route. For years, his name has surfaced in these GM conversations. He interviewed with the Detroit Lions in 2021, then the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024.”
“Last year, the Tennessee Titans considered him for the role that ultimately went to Mike Borgonzi. The Texas native started with the Raiders . His career took off with the Seattle Seahawks , where he focused on college scouting. Tape and relationships guide his opinions. Other longtime NFL scouts believe he deserves an opportunity.”
GM Can’t Pick the Head Coach
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There’s one awkward aspect of this search and perhaps another reason why Brzezinski leads the pack: the new general manager won’t be hiring a head coach. That part is done. It’s O’Connell.
Almost every new general manager has a first order of business: hiring a head coach — the guy who will determine if his football team is any good and bring his free-agent and draft decisions to fruition. In Minnesota, at least for another season, O’Connell is the head coach, and he’s not going anywhere.
Kevin O’Connell watches from the sideline during the second half of a postseason contest, focused on late-game execution as Minnesota battled the Rams, Jan. 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale with the season on the line in an NFC wild card showdown. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
NBC Sports ‘ Mike Florio on the process : “The overriding question is whether coach Kevin O’Connell will emerge from the process with greater influence over the roster. That will make the specific terms of the G.M. job critical — and it will potentially impact Minnesota’s ability to interview and hire candidates under contract with other teams.”
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So, whether it’s Brzezinski or a newcomer, O’Connell remains a fixture of the Vikings and probably the more important of them all. The new general manager cannot waltz into his new office and fire O’Connell . That’s off-limits.
