After reports of a hiring spread over the weekend, the Minnesota Vikings officially announced on Monday that the team has decided to fill its general manager vacancy with former Seattle Seahawks assistant general manager Nolan Teasley.
Along with the announcement, the Vikings released a pair of statements from Owner/President Mark Wilf and Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf.
Mark Wilf:
"Nolan brings tremendous football acumen and a proven track record of success from the past 13 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
Under the tutelage of General Manager John Schneider, he was a part of nine playoff teams, three Super Bowl appearances and two championships.
He has a strong understanding of talent evaluation at the collegiate and professional levels, significant experience with building a consistently competitive roster through the draft, free agency and trades, and he brings a disciplined, process-driven approach to the job.
Putting Nolan together with [Vikings Head Coach] Kevin O'Connell and [Executive Vice President of Football Operations] Rob Brzezinski gives us three strong leaders with complementary skillsets."
Zygi Wilf:
"What really impressed us in our discussions with Nolan and with people around the league was his wide range of experience in football operations.
Nolan understands schematics and player traits at a high level, and that knowledge earns him credibility with each coaching staff he’s been around.
As an assistant general manager, he was involved in every aspect of the operation, so he knows what is required to build a championship team and a productive environment.
We are confident this dynamic structure of Nolan, Kevin and Rob is the best outcome for the Minnesota Vikings.”
Minnesota Vikings make the hiring of Nolan Teasley as their new GM official
Included in the official announcement, Minnesota also shared some initial comments from Teasley about the opportunity to be the team's newest general manager.
"I am truly honored to join the Minnesota Vikings organization and grateful to the Wilf family for the opportunity to lead football operations for such a respected franchise.
The Vikings have everything needed to compete at the highest level – a strong culture, great ownership, world-class facilities and an exceptional fan base.
I look forward to working alongside Kevin O’Connell, Rob Brzezinski, our coaching staff, personnel department and the entire organization as we build a team Vikings fans can be proud of and one that competes for championships year after year.”
Vikings fans will get to hear more from Teasley and what he has in mind for the future of the franchise when the team holds his introductory press conference on Wednesday, June 3rd at 10 a.m. CST.
Expect Minnesota's newest general manager to be asked about his approach to evaluating players, who he wants to add to the front office, and how he plans to work with head coach Kevin O'Connell and EVP Rob Brzezinski to build the team's roster.
Thankfully for Teasley, he's got an opportunity to actually take his time adjusting to his new role with the Vikings.
Since Minnesota decided to conduct its hiring process for a new general manager in May, the NFL Draft and the biggest wave of free agency have already taken place, and no major roster decisions will probably have to be made until after training camp kicks off at the end of July.
Despite this being Teasley's first time ever as an NFL general manager, his expectations will be high immediately.
The Vikings just moved on from a general manager who helped the team win more than 63 percent of their games in the last four years, so just winning during the regular season won't be enough. Minnesota wants success in the playoffs, and they want it consistently.
Teasley has certainly been a part of multiple Seahawks teams that were able to reach the absolute pinnacle of the sport. Can his championship experience help the Vikings eventually earn their first-ever Vince Lombardi trophy?
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