Minnesota Vikings fans are still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that the team has fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after four years.
This is eight months after Adofo-Mensah got a contract extension with the team, but an 8-9 record and tension in the Vikings facility led to a major change. Vikings fans will question the timing, since it happened three weeks after the season ended, but the move has been made, and now Minnesota must move forward.
With the failures of Adofo-Mensah highlighted, that past moment stings even more. It'll be one that an NFC North rival won't stop from holding over the Vikings' heads for years.
Minnesota Vikings didn't get Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles in 2022 and settled for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
Back in 2022, the Vikings and Bears were both looking for a general manager. Minnesota had brought in Ryan Poles for an interview and considered him a legitimate candidate for the job. That was until the Bears swooped in and hired him as general manager, with the Vikings settling for Adofo-Mensah.
Through the first three years, it appeared as though Adofo-Mensah had a massive advantage over Poles. Minnesota had been to the postseason twice in three years, and the Bears never even had a winning record.
The tide turned this offseason with Chicago hiring Ben Johnson as head coach, and the Bears went to work, adding three new offensive line starters in free agency and trades, as well as four rookies who became key players on the roster. Chicago ended up going 11-6, winning the NFC North, and beating the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card round in 2025.
As for the Vikings' 2025 season, they decided to let Sam Darnold go to the Seattle Seahawks in free agency and spent roughly $300 million on free agents to build around quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The results were McCarthy being hurt and playing inconsistently, and the Vikings finishing 9-8 and missing the postseason. Darnold is currently preparing to play in the Super Bowl.
It has become clear that Adofo-Mensah was on the hot seat after expensive whiffs from free agents in the offseason and his lackluster history with the draft. Too many negatives surrounded his resume, so the team had to move on.
The disappointing part is that Poles and Adofo-Mensah both received contract extensions last offseason, and it appears Poles earned his more than Adofo-Mensah. This certainly leaves the Vikings' future in interesting waters, but it's worse now that the Bears have the upper hand.