Full Breakdown
Vikings Seek New General Manager After Adofo-Mensah Dismissal
5/8/2026, 3:19:08 AM
Core Event & Background
The Minnesota Vikings dismissed GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in late January and named football-operations chief Rob Brzezinski interim GM. To replace him, the club hired a consulting firm and launched a search for a permanent GM who can work with head coach Kevin O’Connell. Since 2013 the Vikings have made the playoffs five times but have not advanced past the divisional round.
Candidate Pool
The Vikings have requested interviews with seven external candidates: John McKay (Rams assistant GM), Nolan Teasley (Seahawks assistant GM), Terrance Gray (Bills assistant GM), Dave Ziegler (Titans assistant GM), RJ Gillen (49ers assistant GM), Chad Alexander (Chargers assistant GM), and internal candidate Rob Brzezinski. McKay spent a decade with the Rams; Teasley rose from a 2013 internship to director of pro personnel; Gray was a Vikings scout for 11 seasons; Ziegler led the Raiders in 2022-23 and earned three Patriots Super Bowl rings; Gillen has 11 seasons with the 49ers, advancing from scout to director of player personnel; Alexander spent 20 years with the Ravens.
Official Statements & Responses
Tom Pelissero (NFL Network) and Adam Schefter (ESPN) confirmed that the Vikings formally requested interviews with each candidate and have not issued an official list. The organization also hired a consulting firm to “cast a wide net” in the search.
Criticism & Opposition
The previous GM hire was labeled an “analytics experiment” that fell short, prompting a shift toward scouting-heavy candidates. Dave Ziegler’s Raiders tenure is described as “failed miserably,” and critics warn that poaching staff may weaken rival NFL clubs.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources list either six or seven known candidates, creating a discrepancy (source 1 vs 2). The Titans have not confirmed whether they will allow Ziegler’s interview, leaving that request uncertain. The Vikings have not disclosed interview dates or selection criteria.
Verbatim Quote
> “They can go one of two ways, in my opinion,” Breer noted. “One path would be permanently elevate longtime football-operations chief Rob Brzezinski to GM after he spent the past three months serving as interim GM. The other would be to keep Brzezinski in a role like the one Mike Disner serves with the Lions or the one Tony Pastoors has (and Kevin Demoff used to fill) with the Rams.” — Albrert Breer, NFL Insider
What’s Next
Interviews are expected to take place over the next few weeks, with a hiring decision likely before the start of free agency. The selected general manager will inherit a roster built around a young core and will be tasked with aligning personnel strategy with O’Connell’s offensive scheme, influencing draft positioning, free-agency spending, and the Vikings’ long-term competitiveness.
