Is Rick Spielman On His Way Back Into the NFL?
Rick Spielman was the main man in Minnesota for a long time, but he insists that his time in the NFL is basically done.
In November, Mark Craig of The Star Tribune offered a firm word: “At 60, Spielman says he has no interest in returning to an NFL front office. He says he didn’t know how much he wanted to start living this chapter of his life until owners Zygi and Mark Wilf forced it by firing him and head coach Mike Zimmer after the 2021 season.”
Spielman certainly deserves a fulfilling retirement. He put in a ton of years in the league and if he’s done in an NFL front office, then so be it. One does wonder, though, if he would listen to the right offer.
Spielman did plenty of good things while in charge. Look no further than Justin Jefferson. Stefon Diggs had become unhappy with Minnesota and wanted out. Spielman turned Diggs into the draft choice that landed a younger, cheaper, and better receiver. Making the whole situation even more remarkable is that Spielman laughed in real time as the Eagles opted against selecting Mr. Jefferson one pick ahead of Minnesota. Pure gold.
Plenty of teams have been working through significant turmoil — the Raiders, Panthers, and Charges have all fired their head coach — so one wonders if Spielman will see his name tossed around in the offseason’s GM openings once there’s more significant front office shake ups in a few weeks.
Rick Spielman and The League’s Leadership Turmoil
Steady leadership. That’s what Spielman can provide.
He would step in front of the microphone and be very political with his answers. He has perfected the art of saying a ton without saying anything at all. He would pull off plenty of deals — Spielman isn’t Kwesi, but there’s a reason why the man was referred to as Slick Rick — and would leverage all of his resources toward building a contender. Something to be said for that, folks.
Perhaps his greatest failure in Minnesota rested in his inability to fully nail the QB and OL spots. A lot of great players were brought in across the roster and many were signed to team-friendly deals. A pair of the game’s most important positions — with quarterback being the undisputed top position — remained stubbornly elusive for Spielman.
Kirk Cousins has elevated his game since Kevin O’Connell arrived, convincing many that the oft-criticized Cousins may indeed be the Vikings’ franchise QB after all. Ironic, isn’t it, that the free agent Spielman opted to sign at QB looked better than ever before tearing his Achilles? There was plenty of doubt about how high the team could ascend when Spielman and Cousins were coworkers, but that skepticism has given way to a fairly widespread optimism about #8.
And then there’s the offensive line. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill were both Spielman picks. O’Connell and OL coach Chris Kuper have been pushing the pair — and the offensive line more broadly — higher than the previous regime did, but the irony is still present. Spielman planted some seeds for QB and OL prosperity; the current Vikings regime has tilled the soil and has been enjoying the fruit.
And then one thinks of the no-doubt-about-it success stories. Picking up Danielle Hunter in the 3rd round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Snagging Eric Kendricks the round beforehand and then Stefon Diggs in the 5th. Onboarding Jefferson and Darrisaw. Unearthing Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus. UDFAs such as Adam Thielen, Eric Wilson, C.J. Ham, and Anthony Harris were great finds. Free agent signings like Linval Joseph, Terence Newman, Joe Berger, and Case Keenum all worked out well. These were all excellent moments from the former GM. Does he miss pulling off these moves?
The LA Chargers officially fired their GM alongside their head coach. How does the chance to build a team around Justin Herbert and Joey Bosa sound?
Other teams like the Raiders and Panthers could shake things up further. Teams working through turmoil like the Falcons, Commanders, Patriots, and Jets could also be looking to shake up their leadership.
These openings will give way to extensive searches. A smorgasbord of talented people will toss their names into the mix, but few will have the resume that Rick Spielman does. Some teams will look at the history as a negative, preferring to go with someone who is younger. Others, though, will welcome the kind of insight and wisdom that can only result from experience.
Rick Spielman recently suggested that he wasn’t particularly interested in returning. At various points, though, retired players, coaches, and executives have changed their minds when the right chance comes around. So, don’t necessarily hold your breath, but don’t entirely eliminate the possibility, either.
The Vikings Issue a Warning
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.