Vikings Fire GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah After Four-Year Run Marked by Draft Misses and QB Gamble
Nearly a month removed from the end of the 2025 NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings have made a major front office shakeup, firing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after four years at the helm. The move, first reported Friday, comes at a pivotal moment for a franchise in flux-and just ahead of what was shaping up to be a defining offseason.
Adofo-Mensah, hired in 2022, was brought in as a forward-thinking executive with a background in analytics and a reputation for calculated risk-taking. But those gambles didn’t always pay off, and the results on the field-and in the draft room-ultimately didn’t match the expectations.
Draft Struggles Pile Up
One of the biggest knocks on Adofo-Mensah’s tenure has been his inability to consistently hit in the draft. The 2022 class, his first, is widely viewed as a misfire, and the following three drafts didn’t produce the kind of cornerstone talent that teams need to stay competitive. While every GM has their share of misses, the Vikings’ recent draft history has lacked both depth and star power, a combination that’s tough to overcome in a league built on young, affordable talent.
It’s not just about who was picked-it’s about who wasn’t. And that brings us to the quarterback decision that may have sealed Adofo-Mensah’s fate.
The Darnold-McCarthy Decision
After a surprisingly strong 2024 season from Sam Darnold, who stepped in and gave Minnesota steady quarterback play, the Vikings faced a choice: bring him back for another run, or hand the keys to a rookie. Adofo-Mensah opted for the latter, drafting J.J. McCarthy in 2025 and letting Darnold walk.
That decision backfired in a big way.
McCarthy’s rookie season was historically rough-one of the worst by a first-year quarterback in NFL history. Meanwhile, Darnold found new life in Seattle, guiding the Seahawks all the way to the Super Bowl. It’s the kind of contrast that’s hard to ignore, especially for a fanbase hungry for postseason success and a front office looking for answers.
What’s Next for Minnesota?
With Adofo-Mensah out, the Vikings have turned to Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski to oversee the front office until after the 2026 NFL Draft. Brzezinski is a long-time figure in the organization, well-respected for his work on the salary cap and contract negotiations, but he’s not a scout or talent evaluator by trade. That means Minnesota is heading into one of the most important drafts in recent memory without a permanent general manager in place.
It’s a delicate situation. The Vikings need to rebuild trust with their fanbase, retool a roster that’s fallen short of expectations, and-perhaps most importantly-figure out their long-term plan at quarterback. Whoever takes over as GM will inherit a team with some intriguing pieces, but also a long list of questions.
For now, the Vikings are pressing reset at the top, hoping that a fresh set of eyes can steer them back in the right direction.