3 In-House Vikings GM Candidates Awaiting a Chance to Interview
Part of what made the decision to fire Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah peculiar was the timing. The other portion of what made the decision bizarre is that nobody else was shown the door.
Some responsibilities got shuffled and short-term external help was added to navigate the cap. Rob Brzezinski, who has worked in Minnesota since 1999, is now functioning as the top executive until the 2026 NFL Draft reaches completion. Afterwards, the search will take place, so check out some of the options from within the front office to jump into the Vikings GM opening.
A Trio of In-House Candidates for the Vikings GM Job
Option #1 — Demitrius Washington
Mr. Washington was one of Adofo-Mensah’s most trusted colleagues. The two have history together, working alongside each other for a little while due some overlap over in San Francisco (where Adofo-Mensah is working yet again).
He is continuing to work as the Assistant General Manager. Like the former Vikings GM, Washington is a brain who has accomplished much from within the academic world. Most notable is his MBA that he received from Missouri, especially since his background covers analytics (bio).
He’s by no means a lock to fill the position. Nor, for that matter, would he be considered the favorite. Do keep him in mind, though, as someone who is smart and who has clearly worked hard. He has worked in the NFL since 2013 and has been getting promoted ever since. Does that upward trajectory tell us something?
Option #2 — Ryan Grigson
Once upon a time, Ryan Grigson led the Indianapolis Colts as the GM. He did so in those early Andrew Luck years, helping to push Indy toward some playoff success (albeit somewhat modest).
Most recently, he has been the Assistant General Manager in Minnesota alongside Washington. He gets credit for uncovering Jalen Redmond, the fantastic defensive tackle who somehow got added from the UFL.
Bumping him up to takeover as the Vikings GM makes sense partly because of previous experience. Furthermore, he has a built-in relationship with Kevin O’Connell and the Wilfs. Whoever takes over the job in a long-term capacity needs to mesh with the skipper who has an influential voice alongside an ownership group that’s not keen to rebuild.
Option #3 — Rob Brzezinski
Normal people see 1999 as a long(ish) time ago. In the NFL, it’s darn near eternity. Very few can last for so long in a single spot, but Brzezinski has found a way. Consider some of what was taking place in 1999 when Brzezinski first started working in Minnesota:
- Bill Clinton was President
- The Sixth Sense was shocking audiences with a twist ending
- People feared some sort of apocalypse in 2000
- Dennis Green was MIN’s HC and Jeff George the top QB
Again, a lot has happened. Brzezinski has worked with coaches such as Green, Brad Childress, Leslie Frazier, Mike Zimmer, and now O’Connell. The list of QBs? That one would require a lot of digital ink.
Brzezinski has proven to be stubbornly effective, which is a great thing for the franchise. Seeing him get bumped up can’t be ruled out until it’s ruled out, but I’ve increasingly seen him as a steward of the GM position rather than an owner of the GM position. But, to be sure, I’ve been wrong before and will be wrong again.
We’ll see whether he allows his name to stand within the Vikings GM search. We’ll then see if he wins the competition to become the new Vikings GM.
Honorable Mention: Jamaal Stephenson, who has a long history with the Vikings and extensive work in scouting. He’s currently a Senior Player Executive.
