The Minnesota Vikings are searching for a new general manager while head coach Kevin O’Connell may retain significant authority within the organization, according to a new theory from ESPN.
Key points
Minnesota Vikings are searching for a new general manager
Kevin O’Connell may retain significant authority
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired in late January
O’Connell's retention is unusual in NFL practices
Mentioned in this story
Kevin O’ConnellKwesi Adofo-Mensah
Minnesota Vikings
New Kevin O’Connell Theory Emerges
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings are conducting a full general manager search, but head coach Kevin O’Connell may retain the lion’s share of power within the organization, or so goes the latest theory from ESPN.
Minnesota’s next structure may reveal how much authority O’Connell truly holds after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s exit.
Minnesota fired O’Connell’s boss, Adofo-Mensah, in late January, curiously keeping the skipper aboard when most NFL teams fire a general manager and head coach in unison.
A Different Front Office Model Could Be Coming
Perhaps the almighty power will rest with O’Connell?
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell reacts on the sideline during a game against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell reacts on the sideline during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 10, 2023, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. O’Connell showed visible frustration during the tightly contested matchup as Minnesota fought through one of the strangest low-scoring games of the NFL season in front of a national television audience. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
ESPN on O’Connell’s Role in GM Search
Kevin Seifert updated Minnesota’s GM search this week, noting, “Everything known about their search indicates they envision a first-time general manager pairing with an existing staff. Even if they ultimately choose Brzezinski — the only known candidate without a classic scouting background — the structure would preserve much of the current scouting department.
Q&A
What is the new theory about Kevin O’Connell's role with the Vikings?
The theory suggests that Kevin O’Connell may retain substantial power within the Minnesota Vikings organization despite the ongoing search for a new general manager.
Why was Kwesi Adofo-Mensah fired as general manager of the Vikings?
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired in late January, which has raised questions about the future structure and authority within the Vikings organization.
How does O’Connell's situation compare to typical NFL practices after a GM firing?
Typically, NFL teams fire both the general manager and head coach together, but the Vikings chose to keep O’Connell after Adofo-Mensah's exit.
What implications does O’Connell's retained position have for the Vikings' future?
O’Connell's retained position may indicate a shift in the Vikings' organizational structure and could affect their decision-making and direction moving forward.
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“It also wouldn’t infringe on the power O’Connell and his staff accumulated during Adofo-Mensah’s tenure and while Brzezinski served as interim general manager.”
For the entire offseason, O’Connell has felt like he’s front and center as the decision-maker, the sun of the purple solar system.
Seifert added, “Some NFL sources believe that is a likely outcome from a practical sense, even if it is not documented in contract language. After what was clearly a coach-centric approach to the draft last month, could the next general manager recoup that influence?”
“The Wilfs don’t often speak publicly, but their words — and, importantly, their actions — have not made a secret of their plans.”
The Last 3.5 Months Should Be Evidence
Don’t believe the ESPN theory about O’Connell’s increased power? All you need to do is get with the program and observe the Vikings’ operations since early February.
O’Connell has been front and center for, well, everything, speaking as the decision-maker and single voice regarding the team’s direction. He may not have Bill Belichick-style power from the New England Days or rule the roost like Bill Parcells often did on his watch, but consider O’Connell as a junior version of that.
Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stand together during a Vikings offseason moment in 2025.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell stands beside general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah during an offseason moment in spring 2025 while sporting a mustache as part of a playful jab toward the Vikings executive. The lighthearted interaction reflected the relationship between the franchise’s top decision-makers as Minnesota continued shaping roster plans ahead of the 2025 season. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
When a general manager gets fired, and the head coach does not, it’s quite the endorsement for the head coach. Thereafter, allowing O’Connell to run point guard for the franchise’s offseason is just too much of a smoking gun to ignore.
BleacherReport‘s Julia Stumbaugh noted on the current setup: ‘Some people around the NFL feel Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell will ultimately gain more authority over his team following the dismissal of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Brzezinski said heading into the draft that he had “really good synergy” with O’Connell heading into the draft, and that there would be ‘alignment on both sides’ between the front office and coaching staff.”
“O’Connell and chief operating officer Andrew Miller are two members of the advisory committee supporting the Vikings’ third-party GM search, per Seifert. How these candidates fit in alongside Brzezinski, O’Connell and Flores in the team’s leadership structure could impact the likelihood the Vikings ultimately go outside of the organization to replace Adofo-Mensah.”
The First to Get an Extension in 2025
Another item to consider: the Vikings’ 2025 offseason timeline. Fresh off a brutal loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs — where former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold played like a damn fool — rumors swirled about when Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell would get contract extensions. They felt inevitable after a 14-3 season.
The priority? O’Connell. Of course it was. Minnesota’s owners wrapped up their golden boy soon after the playoff splatter, leaving Adofo-Mensah’s now-ill-fated extension for a rainy day, which turned out to be five months later.
As of late at Vikings headquarters, the pecking order has just felt like O’Connell and then a top-down flow to the rest.
A Very Custom Power Structure?
The Vikings may create a power structure that is unique to them and to their liking. O’Connell will obviously be the head coach. Rob Brzezinski probably won’t be kicked out. The team may hire a “new guy” to be the general manager. In reality, though, that man may be just another voice in the room.
Vikings owner Zygi Wilf looks over the field before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Kevin O’Connell
Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf surveys the field before kickoff against the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 8, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wilf watched pregame preparations unfold while the stadium filled for another important late-season NFC matchup as the Vikings continued pushing toward postseason positioning in the conference race. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
For example, it would not be shocking to see the Vikings form something like this:
Owners: The Wilfs
Team CEO | Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell
President of Operations: Rob Brzezinski
General Manager of College Scouting: The New Guy
Those are just generic examples of the possible titles, but always remember that the Vikings had no problem operating with a “triangle of authority” leadership structure from 2006 to 2012. The Wilfs don’t mind a very customized front-office structure.
