Overview
- The team confirmed the late-January firing after four seasons, a move that surprised staff given Adofo-Mensah’s visible presence at Senior Bowl events days earlier.
- Executive Rob Brzezinski is running football operations through the 2026 NFL Draft, with a full search expected afterward and names such as Brzezinski and Broncos GM George Paton mentioned in reporting, though Paton remains under contract.
- Multiple outlets identified poor drafting as the primary factor, with The Athletic noting roughly four surefire starters from 28 picks and Yahoo citing a bottom-two total of starts by Vikings draftees since 2022.
- Quarterback decisions drew sharp scrutiny in coverage, including letting Sam Darnold leave before his Super Bowl run in Seattle, passing on veterans like Aaron Rodgers and Daniel Jones, and J.J. McCarthy’s injury-limited 2025 season with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
- A resurfaced note that Adofo-Mensah took two weeks of paternity leave in 2023 drew outside league chatter, but The Athletic’s Dianna Russini clarified the Vikings supported it and did not hold it against him.