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Old Reliable Exec Will Run MN Vikings Draft
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- Old Reliable Exec Will Run MN Vikings Draft
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
On Friday the Minnesota Vikings made a shocking change in the front office and fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah . Despite renewing his contract last season, a 9-7 record constructed through significant offseason funds wasn't going to get it done.
Now the Zygi and Mark Wilf must tab another leader of their football franchise. Surprisingly though, they aren't in a hurry to seek a replacement. Key months of the calendar will be ripped off while Rob Brzezinski navigates new responsibilities.
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Rob Brzezinski earns new responsibilities for Minnesota Vikings
With 34 NFL seasons under his belt , and 28 of them coming with the Minnesota Vikings, few people know the organization and league better than Rob Brzezinski. As the Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Brzezinski now lands control of free agency and the draft.
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The #Vikings announce General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been relieved of his duties. pic.twitter.com/JYUHgjbU5x
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 30, 2026
Effective immediate, Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski will lead our operations through the 2026 NFL Draft. Rob brings tremendous credibility and experience, understands our roster and has the ability to build consensus and rely on the expertise of our personnel and coaches. After the draft, we intend to conduct a thorough search to identify our next general manager. Building a team that can contend for championships drives us every day, and we look forward to bringing our fans the success they so deserve.
It's not a surprise to see Brzezinski remain part of the operation. He has helped to navigate cap constraints for years, and he'll have to do that this offseason being nearly $49 million over the salary cap . What is a shock is that whoever will be brought in to lead the franchise, won't be part of key future decisions.
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Legal tampering starts on March 9, with NFL free agency officially kicking off on March 11. The NFL Draft starts on April 24. Minnesota has a matter of months until those dates, but won't involve their next general manager as a participant.
The search for a new GM will go down after the draft. Like most teams in this position, expect a pivot, likely the opposite of what they just had. I'd expect an older school type with a strong scouting background, someone rooted in traditional evaluation and personnel building.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 30, 2026
It's a curious decision given the current state of the team. Kevin O'Connell has a young quarterback that has yet to produce, and an aging roster that could be missing their window. The head coach will seemingly have plenty of say alongside Brzezinski for the time being. Hopefully the next leader is ready to be aligned as well.
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