Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Hired as Vikings GM

Turns out, my late-Tuesday night panic was unjustified. On Wednesday morning, the Minnesota Vikings officially announced the hire of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their new general manager. This move marks a huge shift in the way this organization evaluates talent, and operates on the field and in the front office.

Vikings hired Browns’ VP of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their general manager, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 26, 2022

Vikings finalizing 4-year, 12 million deal to make Kwesi Adofo-Mensah their new GM, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

Deal done by @ClintDowdle
and Michael Klein with CAA Sports. Vikings have a new GM.

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 26, 2022

Remember, the 40-year-old Adofo-Mensah wasn’t even in football prior to 2013. He started out as a Wall Street portfolio manager who had once walked onto the Princeton basketball team (2003). But after getting his Master’s degree in economics from Stanford in 2013, he got a job with the San Francisco 49ers and he’s been a rising star in NFL front office circles ever since.

KAM stayed with the Niners’ organization until he was hired as the Cleveland Browns’ VP of Football Operations before the 2020 season. Kwesi was the only person remaining on the Minnesota Vikings’ list of GM candidates after the Bears hurriedly hired their other finalist, Ryan Poles (Kansas City Chiefs’ Assistant Director of Player Personnel) Minnesota was able to interview him in-person.

Up next, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will dive head first into the hiring of the next Vikings head coach, a process that’s already well underway.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan