Top Vikings Boss Might Avoid the Ax
Because the Minnesota Vikings’ self-professed “competitive rebuild” process has failed to launch in 2025, a season when the club was on tap to contend for a Super Bowl, some have questioned general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s job security. But the latest suggests that Adofo-Mensah’s seat may not be all that hot after all.
Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might avoid the ax as new indicators point toward growing confidence in his direction and roster decisions.
The Vikings’ owners just extended Adofo-Mensah, and he may get some runway to fix his current plight.
Not So Fast on “Fire Kwesi” Predictions for Vikings
The Vikings GM could be safe this offseason.
Darren Wolfson on Adofo-Mensah
Over the last few weeks, as Minnesota’s season has firmly sat on the toilet, oodles of Vikings have pondered whether Adofo-Mensah is the key architect of the team’s doldrums — a fair question as Adofo-Mensah is the chief boss.
But theories about his termination may be premature.
KSTP’s Darren Wolfson said on SKOR North airwaves this week, “There is inevitably going to be a fall guy, or two. Whether it’s the OL coach, special teams coordinator, there are going to be changes come January.” He also mentioned that he “hasn’t gotten the sense” that Adofo-Mensah would be canned.
Wolfson is well plugged into Vikings-themed affairs. If Adofo-Mensah were on his way out, Wolfson would say so.
Ink Not Yet Dry on Contract
On May 30, 2025, the Mark and Zygi Wilf handed Adofo-Mensah a multi-year contract extension that will kick in after this season. They believed in the process, the plan — the whole setup that may have failed. Stay tuned.
While it wouldn’t be totally unprecedented in NFL-speak for the Wilfs to swallow the extension as a mistake and eat the financial hardship, the brothers may stay committed to Adofo-Mensah just to avoid a knee-jerk business decision. Believe it or not, there’s a chance that Adofo-Mensah self-reflects, recognizes the errors of his ways, and simply doesn’t repeat them. He doesn’t outwardly seem like a stubborn individual.
And the Wolfson comment suggests the Wilfs may allow it.
A Collaborative Mistake(s)?
Many are quick to blame Adofo-Mensah for the Vikings’ current mopes — perhaps a reasonable conclusion — but some evidence claims that Minnesota’s leadership group and coaching staff work more collaboratively than those of other NFL organizations.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis said this week on his show, “If you’re trying to pin where the Vikings are as an organization, on one particular person, probably not correct. I will say this: when you are hired to do those jobs, when you’re hired in that role, you know the requirement, the expectation, the standard, and the task.”
Adofo-Mensah may have supporters with more say than most realize. If so, the young executive may be given the opportunity to clean house or change the decision-making structure in free agency and around draft time.
Almighty Verdict after Week 18
Of course, it is unclear, as a matter of certainty, if Adofo-Mensah’s job is secure. The Wilfs will render a verdict in about one month. When former general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer got the ax in 2022, the announcement arrived the Monday after Minnesota’s last regular season game.
It’s probably a safe bet that Adofo-Mensah will get more time in the offseason to clean up his mess, but keep an eye on “Black Monday” for confirmation.
More Change-Oriented Takes
Over at Daily Norseman, one contributor wrote last week, “Who’s on the chopping block? Who is on the chopping block? EVERYONE. If Minnesota doesn’t start winning games at the end of the season, I don’t believe anyone is safe, and that includes Kevin O’Connell. The Wilfs cannot be happy with the on-field product we have seen this season.”
“KO has spoken at length about creating a team that can win any type of football game, but the last two games have shown that there is a type of game we can’t win: a physical one. Last Sunday, we witnessed Emannuel Wilson absolutely bullying the Vikings’ defense for 60 minutes. The stagnant offense we saw in week 12 also isn’t anything new in the O’Connell era.”
O’Connell’s contract is fresh, too. The Wilfs extended him last January.
Jesse M. at DN continued, “As many explosive plays as the scheme produces, it has also shown stretches of inability to effectively move the football and score in the red zone. Perhaps O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah have built up enough good faith to earn one more season, but this is the NFL. Crazier things have happened, and if we don’t see this team start to show life and win some games, the competitive window might be closed, and we may be headed for a full rebuild.”
“However, with the current cap situation, the prevailing logic should be that O’Connell, for sure, and probably Adofo-Mensah will get at least one more season to figure it out. If they don’t, I could foresee a fire sale in the 2027 off-season and a complete overhaul of the staff and roster.”
The Vikings have the NFL’s seventh-best record on Adofo-Mensah’s watch.
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