Detroit Lions division rival requests to interview assistant GM Ray Agnew

TL;DR

The Minnesota Vikings have requested to interview Detroit Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew for their vacant general manager position. This marks another potential move of a key Lions staff member to a division rival.

Key points

Minnesota Vikings requested to interview Ray Agnew
Agnew is assistant GM for the Detroit Lions
Vikings are searching for a new general manager
Agnew has been with the Lions since January 2021
This is Agnew's first confirmed interview request

Mentioned in this story

Detroit LionsMinnesota VikingsRay AgnewLos Angeles RamsLos Angeles ChargersSan Francisco 49ersBuffalo BillsSeattle SeahawksTennessee TitansDenver BroncosMiami Dolphins

Detroit Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew watches warmup ahead of the Washington Commanders game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. on Sunday, November 9, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images For the second offseason in a row, the Detroit Lions face another situation where a key staff member could be on the move to a division rival. According to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, the Minnesota Vikings have submitted a request to interview Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew for the vacant general manager position. In January, after four seasons in Minnesota, the Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. In a mildly surprising move, the Vikings promoted longtime executive Rob Brzezinski to interim general manager, opting to wait until after the 2026 NFL Draft to begin the search. With the draft in the rearview mirror, that process kicked off this week, and they’ve cast a very wide net. In addition to interviewing Brzezinski for the role, the Vikings’ first wave of requested interviews included:

Los Angeles Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander
San Francisco 49ers assistant GM RJ Gillen
Buffalo Bills assistant GM Terrance Gray
Los Angeles Rams assistant GM John McKay
Seattle Seahawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley
Tennessee Titans assistant GM Dave Ziegler On Tuesday, the Vikings sent out a second wave of requests, with this round featuring the Lions’ Agnew, while also including:

Q&A

Why are the Minnesota Vikings interested in Ray Agnew?

The Vikings are looking for a new general manager after firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and Agnew's experience and growth in the Lions' front office make him a candidate of interest.

What other candidates are the Vikings considering for their GM position?

Alongside Ray Agnew, the Vikings are also interviewing candidates like Chad Alexander from the Chargers and RJ Gillen from the 49ers, among others.

When did Ray Agnew join the Detroit Lions?

Ray Agnew joined the Detroit Lions in January 2021, following general manager Brad Holmes from the Los Angeles Rams.