Ultimately, they pulled back on the planned sale after a couple investor groups offered a cash infusion , in exchange for a minority stake in the team, that allowed the Pohlads to pay off the mountain of debt they’ve compiled in recent years.

But who are these new minority partners? The public has not been made privy to that information yet. But we do know that there is a local angle to one of the groups. The other is from the east coast. One familiar billionaire family who would fit both categories — the Wilfs, who own the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings owners eyeing up the Minnesota Twins?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like the Mark and/or Zygi Wilf are in on either of the Twins’ new ownership groups. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be buying into the local nine down the road. According to Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press , he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the Wilfs “consider becoming limited partners.”

Does that mean, by the time this is over, there will be a third investor group announced… or, could the Wilfs’ interest be focused toward 2027, when Walters believes the Twins could go back up for sale? Is it possible they are part of the two that haven’t been announced, even? The longtime local insider doesn’t say…

Also, some smart people wouldn’t be surprised if Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, who have built a real estate empire in Eagan and operate out of New Jersey, consider becoming limited partners in the Twins.

Pioneer Press

If we were playing the opposite game, the Wilf family would be the perfect opposite for the Pohlads. While the Wilf’s spending is capped in the NFL. It would not be in the MLB… at least not yet. What does that mean? As minority investors, probably nothing.

The biggest problem for Joe Pohlad and his family, during their selling window, was the imminent 2026-27 lockout that is looming over the league. Major League Baseball’s financial model is struggling, in part due to its lack of a salary cap or revenue sharing structure with players. Next winter, it’s expected to force a lockout.

If owners get what they want, we could see the first soft salary cap or worthy luxury tax system in MLB history. For decades, owners have failed to make the MLBPA flinch on introducing any sort of salary cap to Major League Baseball. Thus, critics remain skeptical that they’ll succeed this time around.

More local billionaires who may be involved in Twins sale

The Wilf’s aren’t the only local rich family eyeing up the Minnesota Twins. Another is Marty Davis, president of Cambria, a Minnesota company. He’s a huge Twins fan. While he’s assured Charley that he’s not buying the team… Walters suggests there’s no way he’d miss out on the opportunity to purchase a smaller chunk.

Cambria president Marty Davis, who is a substantial name, image and likeness (NIL) Gophers athletics financial booster, is telling people he’s not interested in buying the Twins. But Davis, a Twins Champions Club member whose family’s worth has been estimated at nearly $2 billion by Forbes, loves baseball, and it would be surprising if he doesn’t get involved in an ownership transaction.

Pioneer Press

Related: Report: Minnesota Twins Owners Still Plan to Sell

Marty Davis, along with Mark and Zygi Wilf, have all proven themselves as in the business world. The Wilf’s have poured money into the Vikings and paired that financial investment with fine-tuned operation, to churn out success both on the field and on the balance sheets

While Davis isn’t the same prominent figurehead, his desire as a fan combined with his financial wherewithal, could prove to be fruitful as well. At any rate, it doesn’t matter who, because anyone would be better than the Pohlads.

Of course, that all ended a few years ago, when Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor finally decided to put the NBA organization he has owned since 1994 up for sale. Of course, we now know that process ended in a fight over majority ownership with Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez that the 84-year-old ultimately lost.

Then, after they fell out of the 2024 MLB playoff race, the Pohlad family put the Minnesota Twins up for sale too. Of course, they are yet to announce a new owner, but the latest reports say a sale is imminent. Given how the trade deadline went last week, MN Twins fans need it to happen ASAP.

NFL agent: Minnesota Vikings owners are best in NFL

Thankfully, there is at least one ownership group in town that we don’t have to worry about how they spend their money or how much they care about the franchise. In the 20 years since Zygi and Mark Wilf took over the Minnesota Vikings in May of 2005, the organization has flourished into one of the most efficiently run in all of football.

On Tuesday, Darren “Doogie” Wolfson read a text message sent to him from an NFL agent on SKOR North’s “Purple Daily” podcast that confirmed just how good the Vikings have it, when it comes to who signs the paychecks. And according to anonymous agent guy, the Wilfs are as good as it gets in the National Football League.

“I was even just texting with an agent who’s making the rounds, right? Visiting all sorts of clients across many different training camps. He was telling me a in fact, I’ll read this. I think the audience will like this. Let me read this verbatim. Literally was just texting with him 30 minutes ago. “Wilf is the best owner in the league, in my opinion. Happy employees. They take care of their people.” So that was one observation from this agent.”

Thankful for the Wilfs

The Wilfs bought the Minnesota Vikings for $600 million. In the most recent Forbes valuation, the National Football League franchise is worth $5.05 billion, which ranks 21st in the NFL.

But even though their valuation ranks in the bottom half of the league, the Wilfs go above and beyond to make sure their players, coaches and executives have everything they need to do their jobs, and then much, much more.

Related: New MN Vikings Out with Long-Term Injuries

The most recent NFLPA player survey, which gave the MN Vikings ownership group an A+ rating (one of three teams with a perfect grade) confirms this anonymous agent’s opinion. And now that beloved head coach Kevin O’Connell is under contract for the long haul, don’t expect the Wilfs to change their approach anytime soon.

Pretty much anybody who matters in the NFL world, no matter their role, is in attendance at the scouting combine this week, for one reason or another. But the biggest news of Wednesday morning, so far, did not come from a player meeting, podium interview or leaked insider report.

Instead, the NFL is talking about the annual NFLPA player survey and team report cards, the results of which were released this morning. This year, over 1,600 players filled out and returned their survey — which included questions that touch on 11 different categories of how NFL organizations treat players.

Minnesota Vikings finish 2nd overall in NFLPA Player Survey

The categories of judgement include everything from “Treatment of Families”, quality of coaches/staff, nutrition + food options and team facilities. In 2024, the Minnesota Vikings ranked 2nd out of 32 NFL teams and in 2025, they held that same ranking. The only team that ranks higher overall is the Miami Dolphins.

The Minnesota Vikings rank top 5 in every category included in the 2025 NFLPA Player Survey, other than three — “Food/Dining Area”, “Nutritionist/Dietitian” and “Weight Room”, which all ranked in the top half of the league. If the Wilf Family wants to move into 1st place in 2026, they will have to address the weight room facilities and everything involving their food program and facilities at TCO Performance Center.

Treatment of Families: Minnesota Vikings (A+) – NFL Rank: No. 1

But there’s no doubt Vikings players have it better than just about any group of players in the NFL, year over year. As MN Vikings fans, we see some of what the organization does to make both current and former player feel comfortable in team facilities, and that includes their family members.

But clearly, the Wilfs do it better than anyone else because this is the second-straight season they have ranked No. 1 in the NFL in the “Treatment of Families” category. Players pointed to the daycare and family room provided by the Vikings during home games, as a major positive to playing here. But the rave reviews don’t end there.

The Vikings provide daycare during home games and a family room during home games.

• Players rate the post-game family area 9.02 out of 10, ranking them 3 out of 32 teams.
• The players feel that their team frequently organizes family events, which ranks 10 out of 32 teams.

2025 NFLPA Player Survey

Locker Room: Minnesota Vikings (A-) – NFL Rank: No. 1

Minnesota Vikings players love the locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium. According to the NFLPA player survey, almost every player who gave an opinion thought the lockers were spacious enough for very large football players.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Hire Controversial OL Coach

Every single returned survey said the locker room, as a whole, is adequate size and allows enough room for player to move around freely. Minnesota was only one of five teams that got a perfect score in locker room size.

• 98% of players feel they have enough room in their individual lockers, a ranking of 2 out of 32.
• 100% of players feel the locker room size is adequate, making the Vikings one of five teams in the NFL with a perfect score.

2025 NFLPA Player Survey

Training Staff: Minnesota Vikings (A) – NFL Rank: No. 2

Outside of the “Nutritionist/Dietician” category, one thing that is clear with this survey is that the Minnesota Vikings have all the right people in place, throughout their organization. That stretches to the training staff too, where the Vikings rank No. 2 overall.

Survey results showed that players never have to worry about getting one-on-one treatment from trainers and that they believe the training staff, as a whole, contributes to the team’s overall success.

• 94% of Vikings players report that they receive enough one-on-one training treatment, ranking them 4 out of 32 teams.
• The players feel that their training staff significantly contributes to their overall success, ranking them 2 of 32.

The Vikings revamped their training staff this offseason and saw their grade improve from a B to an A.

2025 NFLPA Player Survey

Kevin O’Connell, Wilf Family receive high praise too

While the Minnesota Vikings did not finish in the top two in either the NFLPA player survey head coach or ownership rankings, both finished third in their respective categories.

The Wilfs got their No. 3 overall ranking with a 9.83 out of 10 ranking for the owners’ “perceived willingness to invest in facilities” and 3rd highest ranking in “commitment to building a competitive team”.

Related: Top Heisman Candidate Meeting with Vikings at NFL Combine

Kevin O’Connell got his No. 3 overall ranking with 94% of players responding that the head coach is efficient with their time, which ranked 16th among head coaches. He ranked 3rd in “being highly receptive to locker room feedback”.

The Vikings have only won their division three times since 2009 (’22, ’17, ’15). But Sunday Night Football in week 18 this year goes way beyond the NFC North. Tonight’s game will also decide who gets the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which comes with a bye next weekend, in the first round of the playoffs, along with home field advantage all the way up to the Super Bowl.

The 2024 Cinderella Minnesota Vikings

For two indoor teams with loud crowds like the Vikings and Lions, that could be the difference in making a real run, and fizzling out in the first couple rounds. The best part about tonight’s game is that the national media is being forced to pay attention to the NFL’s flyover country.

No Niners, Cowboys, Chiefs or Patriots. No New York or LA teams, either. Instead, it’s all eyes on Minnesota vs Detroit. And sure, national media still wants to slip the Cinderella slipper on the Lions, thanks to their decades of ineptitude.

But really, it’s the Minnesota Vikings who nobody expected to be in this position. In the preseason, this is a team that was projected to win just 6.5 games. Instead, they’ve already won 14 and looking to tie the franchise record of 15.

So, how did the Vikings — a team that was projected by oddsmakers to win only six or seven games — end up 14-2, with a chance to do something no Vikings team has done since 1998, which is win the National Football Conference?

Yes, quarterback Sam Darnold is the easy answer. His resurgence, from 1st round bust to MVP candidate — 68.1% Cmp | 4,153 Yds, 35 TD | 12 INT — is the main on-field reason why the 2024 Minnesota Vikings are where they are.

Kevin O’Connell is HIM… and still without a contract extension.

But behind the 27-year-old reformed QB is an even more obvious choice for 2024 purple and gold MVP. For anyone who pays attention, it’s obvious. Head coach Kevin O’Connell, who is now a 10 to 1 favorite to win NFL Coach of the Year, is the key behind Minnesota’s surprising success in 2024.

Kevin O’Connell deserves Coach Of The Year. pic.twitter.com/6ayBLm30Nu

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) January 4, 2025

In the nearly three complete seasons since KO was hired, not only has the 39-year-old head coach proven himself as one of the most player approved coaches in the NFL, but the Vikings are 34-16 under his tutelage and going for their second division title in three seasons.

So… one big question has begun floating around NFL circles, now that all attention is focusing in on the Minnesota Vikings. Why doesn’t Kevin O’Connell have a contract extension yet? Still riding his initial agreement with the Vikings, O’Connell has just one season remaining before he would become a free agent coach.

Related: Vikings Eat Into Lions Home Field Advantage by Purchasing $2 Million Worth of Tickets at Ford Field…

There is no great answer as to why Kevin doesn’t have an extension in hand, already. The Wilfs could have re-upped KOC in the offseason, but never broached the topic with his representation. In fact, they haven’t even talked to the head coach about an extension at all during this miraculous 14-2 season, according to NFL insider Jay Glazer (FOX Sports).

Other NFL teams want to trade for Kevin O’Connell…?

And when Glazer started poking around his sources for names being discussed by head coach hungry teams, behind the scenes, he continued to get a surprising name back. You guessed it, they’re all salivating over the idea of bringing in Minnesota Vikings head coach, Kevin O’Connell.

Sunday scoopage: surprise candidate on multiple team’s coaching candidates
lists: Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. He has one year remaining on his deal after the season and a few teams have an interest in possibly trying to TRADE for him. @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/TipEYM6FF6

— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 5, 2025

“There is one [head coaching] candidate out there that’s going to surprise you all, that no one knows is on the list, and he is. That candidate… is Kevin O’Connell. There are multiple teams that actually are considering trying to trade for Kevin O’Connell. And the reason why? Next year is the last year of his deal, he’s had no contract talks at all.

Look, if you’re a team out there, why not take a shot, see if you can do it. Maybe the Vikings don’t let it happen. But also, Kevin O’Connell also has the cards, [if he’s] saying ‘hey listen, I’m not going to re-sign there so you might as well get something for me’. Now I don’t know [if that’s the case]. Kevin knows about this right now, but there are multiple teams out there who have him on that board.”

Jay Glazer – FOX NFL Sunday

There you have it. The Minnesota Vikings are trading Kevin O’Connell…. Wait! Don’t leave yet. That was just a joke. Take a deep breath, because the Vikings are not trading their head coach.

Related: Who Ya Got… Brian Flores or Ben Johnson?

Why the Vikings aren’t trading Kevin O’Connell?

Not only has KOC turned Sam Darnold’s career around, but just three seasons into his head coaching career, and O’Connell has already proven himself as one of the best leaders of men in all of football. Nobody knows that better than the Wilf family, who works closely with their head coach each week.

What we know for sure is that the Wilfs love Kevin O’Connell. In fact, they love him so much that they went public over the weekend, in an interview with Ben Goessling (Star Tribune), with their plans to extend both KOC and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah this offseason.

Once the season is done, [Vikings] ownership plans to begin talks with the general manager and head coach about contract extensions. In a recent interview… co-owner Mark Wilf was asked how high the owners’ interest level is in reaching new deals with Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell this offseason.

“We’re looking forward to a great future with these guys. We look forward to having those conversations with each of them after the season. We have tremendous confidence, and we look forward to their continued leadership of the franchise.”

Ben Goessling – Star Tribune (Quote: Mark Wilf)

When O’Connell was hired by the Minnesota Vikings and their new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, it was a letdown hire. That was no offense to Kevin, but you have to remember the circumstances. KOC was hired shortly after a week or two of full-blown Jim Harbaugh madness.

KOC was not our first choice, but he was the best choice

Remember, the Harbaugh to Minnesota rumors started hot and heavy, climaxing with a day-long visit to TCO Performance Center. But to everyone’s shock and dismay, the younger Harbaugh brother left Minneapolis in early February, 2022 without a contract and the Vikings officially hired Kevin O’Connell about two weeks later.

Since his hire, not only have the Minnesota Vikings won on the field, but the reviews of the organization, from those who have been in it, are 2nd to none. Why do the Vikings rank No. 1 or No. 2 in each of the last two NFLPA Player surveys (2023 & 2024) for best organization to play for? Veteran right tackle, Brian O’Neill — who was here during multiple Zimmer years — will tell you exactly why. It’s Kevin O’Connell.

“You know the NFLPA report card?” right tackle Brian O’Neill said in August, referring to the player survey that identified the Vikings as one of the most highly regarded teams in the league in terms of working conditions and environment. “(O’Connell) is the report card. He sets the tone for the entire building.”

The Athletic (October 17, 2024)

The guys talking about #Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell is so wholesome 🥹pic.twitter.com/1cI9sURDYn

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) January 4, 2025

Of course, as Jay Glazer pointed out in his appearance Sunday, Kevin O’Connell holds all the cards. If he doesn’t want to coach the Minnesota Vikings, the Wilfs would absolutely trade him, if other teams had interest, which they clearly do.

Related: Detroit Lions Getting Reinforcements Back vs Minnesota Vikings

But there is ZERO evidence that is the case. By all accounts, KO loves coaching the Minnesota Vikings, thanks to the great relationship he has with his general manager, and others in the front office; not to mention the freedom/support always being offered by the Wilf ownership group. So don’t worry, Vikings fans. Your head coach isn’t going anywhere.

Not playing at home is definitely a big disadvantage, especially in a game with this level of importance. But the Minnesota Vikings’ owners are doing everything they can to make sure Vikings fans show up in Detroit to support.

Minnesota Vikings owners buy nearly 2000 tickets in Detroit

The Wilf family, who are owners of the Minnesota Vikings, just did something pretty unexpected and honestly, really awesome. They personally stepped in and dropped $2 million to buy 1,900 tickets, which they’re reselling to Vikings fans at a much lower price.

“In the days leading up to Sunday night’s showdown against the Detroit Lions, the Vikings took the unusual measure of buying around 1,900 tickets for the road game on the secondary market, at about $1,000 apiece, for a total approaching $2 million. The team then turned around and sent an email to season ticket holders, offering the opportunity to buy the tickets at a much lower price point, and in some cases for as little as $200 per ticket.“

Albert Breer – SportsIllustrated

According to Breer, the Vikings are offering the tickets to season ticket holders for as low as, in some cases, $200 each. He also noted that the Detroit Lions raised concerns and contacted the NFL about it, but the league determined that the Vikings weren’t breaking any rules.

“The rival Lions flagged it, with the team’s ticket office noticing the unusual activity, then finding out about the email. The email said, “As a valued season ticket member, we want to offer you the opportunity to purchase lower-level seats for Sunday night’s game.” The tickets were available on a first-come-first-serve basis, and the team added in the email that they were “intended to be used by Vikings fans and not positioned for resale.

The Lions contacted the league office about it and were told, per sources, that the Vikings didn’t break any rules in the process of pulling this off.”

Albert Breer – SportsIllustrated

This is what top-notch ownership looks like: owners who care about their fans and do everything possible to give the team an advantage. Breer also pointed out that these tickets are positioned right behind the Vikings’ sideline, which should hopefully make sideline communication a bit smoother.

Related: Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions: Who’s Better… Brian Flores or Ben Johnson?

This might just be the biggest regular-season game in Minnesota Vikings history; the Wilfs are doing everything they can to secure the team another home playoff game. Only time will tell if their efforts pay off.

If the Vikings pull off a win, the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go straight through U.S. Bank Stadium. As the top seed, securing home-field advantage, the Vikings would ensure more football at the Bank, something the Wilfs would undoubtedly enjoy.

But that didn’t make the split any easier. That much time together builds a sort of dependency that can make it difficult for either side to pull the relationship ripcord. The grass isn’t always greener, right?

Well, $100 million guaranteed ($180 million total) can buy a lot of sod, fertilizer and whatever else deemed necessary to spruce up a new backyard, no matter how brown and dead the grass might be.

But this isn’t the way Cousins wanted everything to go down. When Kirk said that he wanted to be in Minnesota forever, he meant it. Unfortunately for Kirk and his family, the Vikings ownership group did not feel the same way as he did. On Saturday morning, Dianna Russini (The Athletic) revealed that it was the Wilfs who made the ultimate decision on Cousins.

Minnesota Vikings owners cut the Kirk Cousins cord…

According to Russini, they wanted one of the young quarterbacks from a historic 2024 QB draft class, and they made as much clear to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell. Thus, it was a one-year bridge deal offer for Kirk Cousins, and that “didn’t sit well” with the veteran QB.

Cousins was recovering from an Achilles injury — a challenge for any quarterback, especially one in his mid-30s. The Vikings had a decision to make. O’Connell believed in Cousins and was confident he could bounce back and continue as the starter, but not everyone in the organization shared that optimism.

The team also had its eyes on the future, knowing the upcoming draft class was loaded with quarterback talent. Ownership was clear: They wanted to draft a young QB. That news didn’t sit well with Cousins, who had been hoping for a vote of confidence, not a smaller window with the Vikings.

Dianna Russini – The Athletic

As we now know, Cousins signed with the Falcons and took his talents to Atlanta. Days later, the Minnesota Vikings signed Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, for a clearance price of $10 million. Since then, the tables have turned in Minnesota’s favor.

Related: Top 10 Most Defining Moments of Kirk Cousins Career with the Minnesota Vikings

Under the coaching of Kevin O’Connell, Josh McCown and the rest of the offensive staff, Darnold has rejuvenated his career from a former 1st round bust, to legitimate NFL starter. He’s led the 10-2 Vikings on a five-game winning streak, entering Sunday’s reunion matchup vs Kirk’s Falcons, who are 6-6 and losers of three-straight.

Atlanta Falcons “swooped in” and Wilf Family waved goodbye

But even after the Wilfs made it clear to Kirk Cousins that they were ready to move on, he still felt like he’d be the quarterback in Minnesota for at least one more season. So did O’Connell.

But when Atlanta “swooped in” with a multi-year offer that blew the Vikings’ out of the water, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — with the Wilfs standing behind him — didn’t budge. Instead, they all waved goodbye together.

Still, as decision day in March drew closer, Cousins was optimistic it would work out and Minnesota would step up. He and O’Connell were staying in touch and both were hoping the team’s offer would be sufficient. At the same time, rumblings of interest from the Falcons grew louder. Rumors were swirling that, with a strong roster already in place, Atlanta was willing to give multiple years of guaranteed money to land a seasoned quarterback.

When the legal tampering period opened, the Falcons swooped in with a four-year, $180 million deal, $100 million guaranteed. It was the kind of contract that said, “You’re our guy.” As for the Vikings, they didn’t budge when it came to that kind of guaranteed money.

Dianna Russini – The Athletic

Months later, 27-year-old Sam Darnold is taking the Twin Cities by storm. He’s enjoying his best season ever (67.6% CMP, 2,952 YDS, 23 TD, 10 INT). Meanwhile, down in Atlanta, Kirk is having his worst season since 2014, before he became the full-time starter in Washington. That season, he played 6 games, throwing for 1,710 pass yards, 10 TD, 9 INT.

In 2024, the 36-year-old quarterback has thrown for an impressive 3,052 yards and his 67.4% completion is on par with his 67.0% career mark. But Kirk Cousins is also throwing games away (17 TD, 13 INT) at a pace we never saw while he was in Minnesota.

Related: Final Minnesota Vikings Injury Report for Week 14 is Full…

In fact, Kirko Chainz only needs one more interception to tie his career high (14) for a season, which he set in 2022 with the Vikings, when he threw 29 TDs and 14 INTs. All this as a large part of the Falcons’ fanbase is now calling for Kirk to be replaced by rookie QB Michael Penix, who Atlanta surprisingly drafted No. 7 overall, just two months after inking Cousins.

Remember, the NFC South is not very good, so the Falcons are still very much in the playoff conversation. Could falling to 6-7 vs his old team be the final straw for our old QB, in the ATL? Hopefully, we are about to find out.

There is a need for more commitment financially, in both good times and bad. The Pohlads have been unwilling to offer that for most of their time as Twins owners. The best move they could have made this offseason was to fire themselves, and that’s effectively what is happening.

Although that decision should be a significant positive for the fanbase and organization moving forward, it comes with the caveat, “who’s going to buy the Twins”? Whoever the new owners are, they must be willing to invest in their team. Concern themselves more with building a championship roster, not just what they bring in financially, year-over-year. So… who makes sense as the next Minnesota Twins owner(s)?

Wilf Family could expand business in Minnesota

Zygi Wilf purchased the Minnesota Vikings in 2005 from Red McCombs. Mark and Leonard Wilf are also owners of the franchise. NFL revenues are unmatched, in comparison to Major League Baseball, but the Vikings’ owners could have an interest in a franchise that may not cost them much more than double the $600 million they paid for the Vikings.

Expectations suggest the Twins valuation to be around $1.5-to-1.7 billion. The latter figure would be nearly three times what the Wilf’s paid for their NFL franchise, but inflation has obviously impacted the market over the past 20 years. There is also a level of uncertainty as to how waning attendance and lesser television revenues will impact any deal.

Related: The Minnesota Twins are Officially For Sale… Finally

The Wilf’s have shown a commitment to Minnesota far beyond their original purchase. U.S. Bank Stadium was the first building erected, and the TCO Performance Center in Eagan is now being supported with plans for additional revenue generating real estate. If there is a party already tied to the state that would be near-ideal, than billionaire Zygi Wilf is likely among the top of that list.

Could Marc Lore (plus A-Rod) switch focus to the Minnesota Twins?

Alex Rodriguez played more than 1,500 games for the New York Yankees across 12 seasons. He belongs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and produced an incredibly impressive playing career. Across 150 career games against Minnesota, his 1.020 OPS is better than every team but the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels. Effectively, he made a career of owning the Minnesota Twins.

Hated when he was in the opposing dugout, Rodriguez has become a celebrated member of the state as he attempts to buy the Minnesota Timberwolves with partners Marc Lore and Michael Bloomberg. That deal has hit multiple snags and there is serious doubt as to whether it comes to fruition.

Rather than remain part owners, the trio could pull out and pivot to a sport Rodriguez is infinitely more familiar with. It remains to be seen if Major League Baseball, the owners, and Rob Manfred would approve of a sale to Rodriguez, given his well-documented steroid history.

Related: Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore’s Minnesota Timberwolves purchase reaches crucial stage

Still though, this group would present the greatest sum of money if Bloomberg remains aboard, and they have already breathed new life in to the Timberwolves. Lore is the majority partner there despite Bloomberg’s worth. Each of the other names represent more of a figurehead presence. That could help ease potential concerns from the league.

Are the Twins Mark Cuban’s chance in baseball?

When the Minnesota Twins seek out a new owner, the Pohlad family will be looking to extract the most amount of money. Of course, the bottom line has been how they have focused the daily functions of the franchise for years. Mark Cuban represents an ideal option from a fan perspective, in that he has always shown a substantial interest in the ventures he ties himself to.

No longer the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Cuban may be seeking an opportunity to dip his toes into a new league. Cuban has previously attempted to purchase the Chicago Cubs and did submit a bid for the Pittsburgh Pirates as well.

He has been seen as someone Major League Baseball wants to keep out, as he would challenge the status quo when it comes to multiple different facets of ownership. However, the addition of Steve Cohen as Mets owner may have altered that thought process.

Related: Minnesota Twins Officially Done with Bally Sports North

It remains to be seen if Cuban has an interest in being a sports owner at all again. He already reached the mountaintop in basketball though, and bringing a World Series to Minnesota would be quite the feather in his cap.

With a process expected to take around six months, there should be multiple names that make it out publicly. Fans should want a combination of wealth and interest that results in a desire to compete on a yearly basis going forward.

Unlike other owners in this market, not once has “cheap” been attached to the Wilfs. Rather, Minnesota sports fans usually use them as a benchmark for what proper ownership should look like. But have they been quietly pushing to save money in recent years… in player salary, of all places?

Wilf family skimping on Minnesota Vikings payroll?

That’s what local insider Charley Walters (Pioneer Press) is suggesting. According to the longtime St. Paul columnist, there are “smart people” telling him that the Wilfs have been skimping on Vikings player payroll ever since they bought the Orlando City SC, an MLS team, back in 2021.

For the third straight year, Vikings’ team payroll has been low. Some smart people wonder whether the reason is that owners Zygi and Mark Wilf three years ago paid nearly $500 million for the Orlando City team in Major League Soccer. Spending that amount on soccer may have decreased cash flow for the football team.

Two years ago, the Vikings were near the bottom of the 32-team NFL in real payroll; last year they were still in the bottom half, and currently are ranked near the bottom. The highest-paid players on the team were Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter and they’re gone, so there’s no excuse not to sign Jefferson.

After further review, Charley is 100% correct. The Minnesota Vikings have been in the bottom half of the NFL in real cash payroll the past few seasons.

The numbers say…

According to Spotrac, they paid the 3rd-most cash to players of any NFL team back in 2018, the sixth-most in 2019 and eleventh-most in 2020. But then in 2021, they tanked all the way down to 26th, jumped back up a little bit in 2022 (still bottom half), then back down to 23rd last season.

In 2024, they’re currently projected to pay the 28th most cash to players, unless something changes (like a Justin Jefferson extension with a massive signing bonus). Remember, the Wilfs purchased the Orlando SC in 2021.

Of course, this is not Major League Baseball. The NFL has a salary cap that only allows teams to spend so much money year in and year out. But the NFL’s salary cap is not a simple one. You can move money around, convert salary dollars into signing bonuses, add void years to the end of contracts… etc etc etc.

The maneuvering goes on and on. Some teams are better at it than others. But real dollars do not always match what the salary cap books show, if that makes sense. Look to the table above. In 2018, the Vikings were the 3rd biggest spender of real cash dollars of any team in the entire NFL.

Why? Because they signed Kirk Cousins to a record-setting fully-guaranteed deal that paid out a huge signing bonus up front. That signing bonus was direct deposited into Kirk’s bank account in straight cash homie. Tens of millions of dollars.

Related: Could Too Much Torque on J.J. McCarthy’s Arm be a Concern for Vikings?

So is this why Justin Jefferson hasn’t been signed yet? We’ve all been wondering why the Minnesota Vikings would wait on paying JJ, when they could have given him an offer he couldn’t have refused last year and ended up paying way less than whatever they are going to end up paying him this offseason… or next.

Could it have been a cash flow problem on the Wilfs’ end? Maybe, maybe not. But there is no doubt that the table above shows an obvious trend since Zygi and the boys bought the Orlando SC.

Prior to that purchase, the Vikings had enjoyed a half decade of high-class spending, compared to the rest of the NFL. Since the purchase, they’ve mostly been near the bottom of the league in spending. If JJ doesn’t get paid, they’ll probably be near the bottom again in 2024 (currently projected for 28th).

Categories the players voted on included everything from the “treatment of families” to the weight/locker rooms, to nutrition staff, to coaching staff to travel conditions. Then, based on the letter grades assigned by players, the NFLPA tallies up the votes and releases a report showing which organizations players appreciate playing for the most.

Confirmed: NFL players love playing for the Minnesota Vikings

The 2024 version of the player team report cards saw the Vikings fall one spot from their No. 1 overall ranking in 2023. Who took their spot? The Miami Dolphins, who seem to have completely flipped the toxic culture described by Brian Flores into one of the greatest atmospheres of any team in the league, under Mike McDaniel.

Minnesota, along with Miami, have separated themselves into their own tier in terms of what it means to run a world-class NFL workplace. The Vikings continue to impress across all categories in our second annual survey. Their facilities are incredible; their staff is rated highly by players; and the workplace experience for Vikings players is enhanced by the continued commitment by ownership to providing a world-class experience for players.

NFLPA – Vikings Team Player Report Cards

Minnesota ranks 1st in four different categories: the Treatment of Families (A), Nutritionist/Dietician (A), Locker Room (A) and strength coaches (A). Both Kevin O’Connell and the Wilf ownership group received an A+ grade from Vikings players.

The only coach ranked higher than Kevin O’Connell was Andy Reid. Say what you want about the growing pains for Kevin O’Connell as a play-caller and in-game manager, there is no denying that. But his players would run through a wall for KOC and that is something we have to keep in mind, while he is taking his lumps and learning on the job during the season.

Related: ESPN Expert Jordan Reid Reveals Likely Vikings Defensive Draft Targets to Paul Allen

Kevin O'Connell is the 2nd highest ranked head coach (behind Andy Reid) in the @NFLPA's 2024 league wide report card.

"98% of players feel Kevin O’Connell is efficient with their time (5th overall). The players believe Kevin O’Connell is very willing to listen to the locker room…

— vikesinsider (@vikesinsider) February 28, 2024

According to Sam Webb of Michigan Insider (247Sports), Adofo-Mensah has Harbaugh at the top of his list of candidates. We knew that already. But now, both Chad Graff (The Athletic) and Cris Carter (GMFB) are reporting that Mark and Zygi Wilf have also bought in on Jim Harbaugh as the team’s next head coach. They want to make a splash and, hopefully, get right back to winning.

The crew shares their thoughts on Jim Harbaugh’s potential return to the NFL as he interviews for the #Vikings head coaching vacancy today. pic.twitter.com/YpZKrYu595

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) February 2, 2022

But there are still those inside of the Vikings organization who aren’t buying what Harbaugh is selling. Which is a new-aged coaching style that embraces analytics and collaboration. Most importantly, Jim needs to convince a select few doubters who are expressing serious concerns about his ability to work in harmony with others. If you remember, that was a make or break personality trait for their next coach when this process started.

Doubter Emerges

That list of doubters includes, according to Webb (Michigan Insider), one minority Vikings stakeholder who has intimate knowledge of Jim Harbaugh and his time at the University of Michigan. Another Michigan football Insider and author of a book on Harbaugh’s time with the Wolverines and 49ers, John U. Bacon, followed the breadcrumbs left by Webb in a must-read Twitter thread. Bacon even named the anti-Harbaugh UM alum as Jim Stapleton, who has indeed owned a minority stake in the Minnesota Vikings since 2005.

Sources in Ann Arbor had Harbaugh prepping much of the day Monday with quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss, which makes sense given the Michigan assistant’s technical acumen and expertise in analytics. It’s a sign Harbaugh is taking nothing for granted, and that he will be ready to quell concerns about whether his approach is modern enough.

There is a minority stakeholder in the Vikings with strong Michigan ties who has been adamant in expressing the view that one of the other candidates would be a better choice.

Sam Webb (Michigan Insider)

Webb doesn’t name him, and didn’t tell me, but my sources have confirmed what I already suspected from circumstantial evidence: U-M alumnus and former EMU trustee Jim Stapleton, who’s been a Vikings minority owner since 2005. (9/13)

— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) February 2, 2022

As I reported in Three and Out, after Stapleton had been accused of sabotaging U-M coach Rich Rodriguez he wrote a 4-page letter refuting the charges, but still had his sideline pass revoked. He is now one of Harbaugh’s critics, hoping to persuade the Wilfs to reject him. (10/13)

— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) February 2, 2022

So what happens next?

Minnesota’s head decision-makers, both Webb and Bacon confirmed in the above blog and Twitter thread respectively, want Jim Harbaugh to be the Vikings’ next head coach. Those decision-makers include the new general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and owners Mark and Zygi Wilf. Because of that, he’s the far and ahead favorite.

But Jim is clearly taking this interview seriously and wants to show his doubters that he’s turned over a new leaf, or that he was never the difficult to work with head coach some think he is. Either way, we should have an answer sometime in the next 12 hours, I’d imagine.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan