The Minnesota Vikings are hitting the reset button-again. After a disappointing 2025 campaign that fell well short of expectations, the organization made a decisive move on Friday, parting ways with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. It’s a shake-up that’s been brewing beneath the surface for months, and now it’s official: the Vikings are changing course at the top of their front office.
In the interim, long-time executive Rob Brzezinski will guide the ship through the 2026 NFL Draft. After that, the Vikings will begin the search for a new GM to take the reins. It’s a pivotal moment for a franchise that’s been stuck in the middle-good enough to compete, not good enough to contend.
Adofo-Mensah had been in Mobile, Alabama, all week for the Senior Bowl, which added a layer of surprise to Friday’s announcement. But behind the scenes, the signs were there. Reports of internal tension within the organization had surfaced throughout the season, and much of it pointed back to one critical area: the quarterback room.
Last offseason, the Vikings let both Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones walk, a decision that raised eyebrows at the time and now looks like a key turning point. Darnold, now headed to the Super Bowl, was allowed to leave without a clear succession plan in place.
The team’s strategy around J.J. McCarthy never fully materialized, and the lack of clarity at the most important position in football may have been the final straw for Adofo-Mensah.
And then there’s the draft record. Let’s be honest-Adofo-Mensah’s selections simply didn’t move the needle. In a league where young, cheap talent is gold, the Vikings didn’t strike it rich often enough under his watch.
Following the firing, ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggested on The Pat McAfee Show that there’s been a shift in Minnesota’s power structure. According to Schefter, some authority has quietly moved from the front office to the coaching staff over the course of the season.
That brings us to head coach Kevin O’Connell, who now stands squarely in the spotlight.
O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah arrived in Minnesota together in 2022, initially appearing to be a unified front. But as the dust settles, it’s clear that alignment may have fractured somewhere along the way. The Vikings’ ownership appears to have chosen O’Connell as their guy moving forward, and reports indicate he played a significant role in the decision to part ways with the GM.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Minnesota’s ownership held multiple meetings after the season, including extended conversations with O’Connell. Those discussions ultimately led to the decision to fire Adofo-Mensah-despite the fact that he signed a new contract just last offseason.
So what does this all mean for O’Connell?
Well, the pressure just got real. In four seasons at the helm, O’Connell has compiled a solid 43-25 record and led the team to two playoff appearances.
But the Vikings are still chasing their first postseason win under his leadership. With Adofo-Mensah now out and O’Connell seemingly gaining more influence over roster decisions, the expectations are only going to climb.
Minnesota is betting big on its head coach. And with a favorable schedule likely ahead in 2026, anything short of a double-digit win season and a playoff victory could put O’Connell in the same hot seat his former GM just vacated.
The message from ownership is clear: the time for excuses is over. The Vikings want results-and they want them now.