EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday, according to a league source. The move follows a disappointing 9-8 season that started with loftier expectations.
BREAKING: The Vikings are firing GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, a source tells The Athletic. pic.twitter.com/u6q4RxEWOr
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 30, 2026
Adofo-Mensah, 44, was hired in 2022 as an outside-the-box, process-oriented thinker. The Vikings extended him last offseason, but this move underscores the team’s belief that it needs a new voice at the top of its football operations department alongside head coach Kevin O’Connell. This follows an offseason that saw differences of opinion on free agency and trade acquisitions, sources said.
Misses in the NFL Draft played a large role in this decision. Only one of the 10 picks in Adofo-Mensah’s first draft became a full-time starter, and only two remain with the team. The Vikings have hit on three other starters in receiver Jordan Addison, kicker Will Reichard and left guard Donovan Jackson in the past three years. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, edge rusher Dallas Turner, defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez and defensive back Jay Ward have all shown flashes, too. But the franchise’s ownership deemed the standard to be higher.
Meanwhile, Adofo-Mensah was unable to replicate the team’s 2024 free-agent success this season. Minnesota used a bevy of cap space on aging veterans: defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, center Ryan Kelly and others. The team also failed to secure Daniel Jones as McCarthy’s backup, leading to the acquisition of Sam Howell, who struggled during training camp and was later traded. The team also opted against signing future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, who showed interest in playing for the Vikings on a below-market-value salary, sources said.
Countless factors contributed to the Vikings’ struggles. The team’s originally designed offensive line played only 83 snaps together due to injuries. Key defenders Andrew Van Ginkel and Blake Cashman missed games early in the season. Minnesota finished the season with five straight wins, but the only victory against a playoff team down the stretch was the Week 18 win over the Packers, who didn’t play their starters.
The Vikings made plenty of changes during Adofo-Mensah’s four-year tenure, moving from proven quarterbacks in Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold to the younger McCarthy. They also executed plenty of trades. The Vikings moved down in Adofo-Mensah’s first draft for additional picks. They acquired tight end T.J. Hockenson, left tackle Cam Robinson and quarterback Josh Dobbs during the season. Minnesota finished 43-25 under his watch but did not win a playoff game. The team is entering an offseason full of uncertainty, especially at the quarterback position.
This story will be updated.
