The Vikings officially introduced former Seahawks assistant G.M. Nolan Teasley as the new General Manager in Minnesota on Wednesday.
During the press conference, it became clear that Teasley is running the show.
“He’s the General Manager of the organization,” owner Mark Wilf told reporters. “He has final say on the roster, of the 53[-man roster], but in the end, he’s going to lean heavily — and he’ll say it himself — on our head coach [Kevin O’Connell], obviously, and people like [executive V.P. of football operations] Rob Brzezinski in the building that have deep experience and skillsets that are complementary. So I think we have it all put together in a great way. And I’m confident that this is a great move for the organization, a great move for the Minnesota Vikings.”
Wilf added that Teasley and O’Connell will both report directly to ownership, with Brzezinski reporting to Teasley.
“Nolan, the General Manager, reports to ownership as well as the head coach,” Wilf said. “Rob [Brzezinski] is part of the football operations and football organization that’s under Nolan. So again, in the end, that’s the structure. That’s the way it is. If it comes to structure, we’ve got a problem.”
Wilf is right. It’s not about pulling rank. It’s about collaboration. The various parties need to get along. To build consensus. To always remember that it’s about finding the best solution for the organization.
Teasley becomes the leader of the football operation. O’Connell is the leader of the locker room. The more they work together, the better off the Vikings will be.
