A few months after signing head coach Kevin O’Connell to a multiyear contract extension, the Vikings announced on Friday morning that they have done the same with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
“I’m beyond excited to continue this journey with the Vikings,” Adofo-Mensah said in a team news release. “This organization means so much to me, and I’ve always believed in what we’re building here.”
In his statement, Adofo-Mensah went on to thank the Wilf family for trusting him to lead the franchise into the future and expressed excitement that he gets to continue to work alongside O’Connell in their pursuit of a Super Bowl.
This always felt like the expected outcome, even if it took some time to come to fruition. Asked a couple of months ago about not having a contract extension under his belt, Adofo-Mensah calmly downplayed the situation.
Maybe because he was confident that both sides would be able to agree to terms at some point.
“It’s a process,” Adofo-Mensah said at the time. “These things take time.”
Now, it appears the time is right for the Vikings.
In a release, co owner Mark Wilf lauded Adofo-Mensah for his leadership, vision and collaboration with the coaching staff, adding, “His dedication and forward-thinking approach have been instrumental in shaping our roster and future.”
In a release, co-owner Zygi Wilf credited Adofo-Mensah for his commitment to building a team that can compete for a Super Bowl, adding, “We are extremely excited to continue this journey with Kwesi in this role and confident in the direction he and Kevin are leading our organization.”
There have been highs and lows for Adofo-Mensah throughout his tenure.
Though his critics will point to the 2022 draft class as his biggest failure, and rightfully so considering most of those players are no longer on the roster, the 2024 free-agent class represents the other side of that spectrum.
That was a watershed moment for the franchise last offseason as the Vikings managed to add quarterback Sam Darnold and running back Aaron Jones on offense, along with edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel and linebacker Blake Cashman on defense.
Not to be outdone, Adofo-Mensah followed it up by spending upwards of $300 million on free agents this offseason, improving the Vikings with a number of additions, including center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries on offense, and tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on defense.
Some other highlights for Adofo-Mensah include his draft-day maneuvering to select quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick, extending the contract of star receiver Justin Jefferson, and trading for star tight end T.J. Hockenson, among a handful of other savvy moves.
The next step for the Vikings is continuing to chase a Super Bowl.
“While we’ve made significant strides already, our focus will remain on building a team positioned as a perennial contender,” Adofo-Mensah said in a release. “This extension signifies we are on solid ground with the long-term vision we have set, and I’m incredibly excited to work with this group of talented people as we continue to push the boundaries of what this franchise can achieve.”
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