In January 2022, the Minnesota Vikings set a plan in motion.
Having parted ways with longtime general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer, the team's ownership charted a new course. The first step was to hire GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, a former Wall Street trader with an analytics background and big visions on how to run an NFL front office.
The next step, a few weeks later, was pairing him with head coach Kevin O'Connell, a former quarterback who had just won a Super Bowl as the Rams' offensive coordinator under Sean McVay. The hope was for that duo to bring the Vikings into a new era, with a focus on culture and collaboration that had been missing in the final years of the previous regime.
Over three years in, the results have been highly encouraging. The Vikings haven't won a playoff game, but they've gone 34-17 in the regular season, reaching the 13-victory mark with two different QBs. Both of those QBs — Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold — have since departed, clearing the runway for J.J. McCarthy, who they selected tenth overall in 2024 to be their quarterback of the future.
Despite an infamously poor first draft class in 2022, Adofo-Mensah has assembled one of the best-looking rosters in the league. O'Connell won the NFL's coach of the year award last season and leads an outstanding staff. Three years in a row, the Vikings have ranked among the top two teams in the NFLPA's player satisfaction report cards.
The Vikings have adeptly navigated what Adofo-Mensah once described as a "competitive rebuild." They've fixed their salary cap situation and loaded up the roster around a young potential franchise QB, and they did it while winning a bunch of football games with stopgap QBs in the process. The next step is to actually contend for the first Super Bowl victory in franchise history. The Wilfs, who have owned the team for 20 years, believe Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell are the people who will lead them there.
And so, four months after O'Connell signed a multi-year contract extension, Adofo-Mensah has now done the same. The duo that came together in 2022 will continue to lead the Vikings into a future that has the potential to be quite exciting.
What does the Adofo-Mensah extension mean for the Vikings moving forward? It means ownership trusts his vision for how to keep building this roster around McCarthy. It means Adofo-Mensah has the job security to continue operating with both the short- and long-term future in mind. Tough decisions may have to be made, with the sole focus being on getting this team to a place where it's a legitimate contender for a championship.
“Kwesi’s leadership, vision and collaboration with our coaching staff has positioned the Minnesota Vikings for sustained success," Mark Wilf said in the Vikings' press release. "His dedication and forward-thinking approach have been instrumental in shaping our roster and future, and we are confident that under the guidance of him and Kevin O’Connell, we will continue to compete at the highest level as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans."
“Kwesi’s commitment to building a championship-caliber team and his ability to collaborate effectively and make bold, calculated decisions has positioned the Vikings for long-term success," Zygi Wilf said.
Adofo-Mensah has taken responsibility for the failure of Minnesota's 2022 draft class, an experience he says he's learned quite a bit from. In the three years since then, he's used first-round picks on Jordan Addison, McCarthy, Dallas Turner, and Donovan Jackson. Addison has quickly established himself as one of the better No. 2 wide receivers in football. The jury is out on the other three, but they all look like potential foundational pieces for the future — particularly the quarterback who has overcome a knee injury and hit the ground running as the Vikings' starter this offseason.
That one draft class should not overshadow all of the excellent work Adofo-Mensah has done. Alongside O'Connell, he's been instrumental in changing the culture of the organization. His pro scouting has been unbelievable, highlighted by free-agent acquisitions like Darnold, Aaron Jones, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, Blake Cashman, and Byron Murphy Jr., as well as a hugely-promising haul this spring.
Adofo-Mensah's contract decisions (and structures) have been about rewarding deserving players while maximizing team flexibility. The bets he's made on players' future performance have largely paid off (the 2023 Josh Metellus extension is a great example). And the Vikings have won on the margins with low-cost additions (Theo Jackson, Jalen Redmond) and college free agency (Ivan Pace Jr.) as well.
Heading into the 2025 season, everything is about maximizing McCarthy and the roster around him. This extension for Adofo-Mensah is a direct acknowledgement from team ownership that he's proven to be the right person to keep steering the franchise into the future.