League Chatter Already Points to the Vikings’ Next GM

Canfora expounded on the Vikings’ general manager search last week, talking with two anonymous executives about the process. One told La Canfora: “Why wouldn’t they just promote Rob?. He understands the job and he’s respected there.”

“He has a working relationship with head coach Kevin O’Connell. He has relationships with the agents. Make some hires to build up the personnel department under him, but don’t overthink it.”

Another executive opined: “They’re going to promote Rob, right? I understand wanting to talk to other people, and that’s a great job, and I think anybody would want to work with Kevin O’Connell. Great coach, and we hear he’s pretty easy to work with. Rob can handle so much of the administrative stuff, and you can bring in football people to help with the scouting and evaluations.”

And that reporting jibes with the overall Brzezinski momentum: fans perceive him as the frontrunner, too, mainly because of his vast experience with the Vikings dating back 27 years.

A Search behind Closed Doors

A unique aspect of the Vikings’ search for a new general manager? Well, it’s not like that last time when the franchise announced candidates as they completed interviews. During the winter of 2022, fans could almost track in real-time who was chatting with the Vikings’ owners, keeping a bingo board of the contestants.

This go-round is not like that. Minnesota tweeted a statement last week that the search was underway and that candidates would not be made public out of respect for the process.

Rob Brzezinski sits down with Vikings.com’s Gabe Henderson for a long-form interview segment, with Feb. 17, 2022 placed at the center of the discussion as he explains Minnesota’s front-office philosophy, leadership structure, and the decision-making process behind hiring Kevin O’Connell while outlining the franchise’s long-term operational vision. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.

It’s a new wrinkle — one that could point to Brzezinski as the frontrunner. Why else would the Vikings’ search for a general manager suddenly be anonymous? Perhaps they prefer to keep Brzezinski in the saddle, and the search is a rubber stamp.

Brzezinski’s Experience

The decision to retain O’Connell after firing Adofo-Mensah fundamentally altered the Vikings’ general manager search. By keeping O’Connell, the organization effectively granted the head coach more power — an unusual setup in the NFL, where most leadership teams are expected to succeed or fail together. Typically, a general manager’s departure signals a ticking clock for the head coach, if not an immediate exit.

Minnesota, however, chose a different path, positioning O’Connell as the team’s de facto CEO and central emblem. Given this framework, appointing Brzezinski as general manager made sense.

Brzezinski has already navigated a full free agency cycle and draft alongside O’Connell. He possesses an intimate knowledge of the organization, its budget, and all contractual intricacies, having spent years as the Vikings’ acclaimed cap wizard. This crucial financial aspect of the GM role is already expertly covered.

Indeed, Vikings fans have long lauded Brzezinski’s cap management skills. Effectively managing the salary cap is among the most challenging facets of running an NFL front office, and Brzezinski is widely regarded as one of the best in the business. This naturally leads to the question: hasn’t he earned a legitimate shot at the top job?

Minnesota Vikings owners Leonard Wilf and Mark Wilf stand on the sideline ahead of international play, with Oct 2, 2022 marking the London setting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the franchise leaders react pregame while observing team preparations before facing the New Orleans Saints in a global NFL showcase. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.

If the Vikings intend for O’Connell to direct football operations, Brzezinski can seamlessly manage the organization’s finances without disruption. O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores can remain deeply involved in player scouting, roster construction, and draft decisions, while Brzezinski ensures the front office runs efficiently. They showed the blueprint for this model during the draft.

The arrangement also provides the Vikings with flexibility. Should the season underperform, finishing, for example, 6-11 or 7-10, the team can easily reset: O’Connell could be dismissed, Brzezinski could revert to his cap guru role, and a new general manager and head coach could be hired in tandem. Conversely, if the Vikings succeed, Brzezinski’s appointment will be seen as a smart, steady choice.

When’s the Verdict?

Minnesota has already hummed along just fine with Brzezinski in charge. Still, the process of giving him the official title or tabbing a new person shouldn’t take long. The Vikings won’t want this to linger too long into the summer. It’s just better business if a top boss is identified — a “buck stops here” guy in case trades and roster signings are needed in June, July, and August.

Folks should know Minnesota’s decision within the next two weeks. La Canfora’s people think it’s Brzezinski or bust.