The 4-8 Vikings might be headed toward their worst season since the 2015 team won only five games. It wouldn’t be surprising if ownership is scrutinizing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Although he doesn’t have a football playing or coaching background, he was hired in 2022 and has since overseen four college drafts. The results have been disappointing, with the drafts not helping the Vikings much with starting players.
A major issue in 2025 is quarterback and the failed play of three performers including preferred starter J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings chose McCarthy with their No. 10 selection in the first round of the 2024 draft and passed on Bo Nix who the Broncos chose later in that round. He was an immediate success in Denver and has been a clutch performer for the 10-2 Broncos.
It’s believed that quarterback guru and head coach Kevin O’Connell is the loudest voice in the decision-making process regarding the quarterback roster, but the Wilfs are unlikely to be too displeased with KOC. The coach almost certainly led the decision to gamble on the unproven McCarthy this offseason.
Yet the Wilfs know their coach has been nationally praised for raising the play of former Vikings quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold while producing unexpected winning seasons. The personable head coach has yet to win a playoff game, but he’s led Minnesota to 13-4 and 14-3 seasons and one NFC North Division title.
Adofo-Mensah’s four drafts have produced three 2025 starters on offense (Jordan Addison, Donovan Jackson and McCarthy) and none on defense.
College drafts directed by former executive Rick Spielman prior to 2022 have provided four offensive starters in 2025 (Christian Darrisaw, C.J. Ham, Justin Jefferson and Brian O’Neill) and two on defense (Josh Metellus and Harrison Smith). Ham, a fullback, is sometimes listed as a starter and other times replaced by wide receiver Jalen Nailor from the 2022 draft. If Nailor is counted as a starter, that gives Adofo-Mensah five regulars on offense from his drafts.
Adofo-Mensah has filled a lot of positions, and often with success, particularly on defense, by signing free agents from other teams. However, that maneuver, along with the Spielman holdovers, has contributed to the Vikings having one of the older NFL rosters the last two years.
Special teams include another Spielman era vet, Pro Bowl long snapper Andrew DePaola who was acquired as a free agent. Adofo-Mensah has his own free agent standout in rookie kickoff returner Myles Price. He drafted place kicker Will Reichard who this season became the first in NFL history to have four field goals of 59 yards or more.
This last offseason Adofo-Mensah committed a reported $300 million or so on signing veteran free agents including Jonathan Allen, Will Fries, Javon Hargrave and Ryan Kelly. The total is reportedly the second highest by an NFL team last offseason. It was part of a strategy to upgrade the talent on offense and defense supporting McCarthy, rather than spending big bucks on a free agent quarterback like Darnold.
The Spielman era right now looks like the glory days of personnel acquisition. He had a long run in the front office, initially serving as vice president of personnel starting in 2006 and then acquiring the GM title in 2012.
In a position of authority where no one is even close to perfect, Spielman was right about a lot of choices in the college draft including Dalvin Cook, Christian Darrisaw, Stefon Diggs, Everson Griffen, Percy Harvin, Danielle Hunter, Jefferson, Eric Kendricks, Adrian Peterson, Brian O’Neill, Sidney Rice and Harrison Smith.
Spielman, who will be remembered as an above-average draft evaluator, had some clunkers including first round busts Mike Hughes, Laquon Treadwell and Christian Ponder. He never found a long-term franchise savior at quarterback and had his struggles acquiring offensive line talent that worked out.
But it’s telling that almost four years after he was fired, several of his players are still starting in an industry where longevity is not that common. And BTW, the 2022 Viking starters included eight players on offense whom Spielman had drafted and six on defense.
Worth Noting
The Vikings have allowed no passing touchdowns and fewer than 200 net passing yards in three consecutive games, the longest streak by any NFL team this season. This is the franchise’s longest streak since a four-game stretch in December 2018.
Interest in the Vikings is waning, with some fans turning off their televisions and ticket outlets offering admission for less than $100. StubHub advertised multiple seat locations earlier this week for the Commanders game at U.S. Bank Stadium Sunday for $62 or less. The best offer on Christmas Day to see the Lions in Minneapolis, though, was $110.
The Gophers 2026 football recruiting class, ranked No. 24 in the 247Sports composite national rankings early this week, is now No. 29 as other schools finalize their incoming classes.
With Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman unexpectedly retiring this week, could it re-open the Gopher recruiting of juco wide receiver Derrick Salley Jr. who signed his National Letter of Intent with the Wildcats? Salley, considered the best juco wide receiver in the nation, made a verbal commitment to Minnesota before switching to the Wildcats. Under the circumstances of Klieman retiring, it’s believed the NCAA would allow Salley to go elsewhere.
Former Gopher offensive lineman Greg Eslinger, ex-Saint John’s wide receiver Blake Elliott and former North Dakota/Vikings tight end Jim Kleinsasser were elected to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame in January and will be officially inducted Tuesday evening during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino.
The 2025 Hall of Fame class is comprised of 18 players and four coaches including Urban Meyer and Nick Saban. Only two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of those who have played or coached in the college game have earned the Hall of Fame distinction. ESPN+ will televise the event.
The College Football Playoff, with matchups announced tomorrow, will consist of four rounds. The first will be hosted by the higher seeds (5 vs. 12, 8 vs. 9, 6 vs. 11, and 7 vs. 10) on Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21. The winners of those games advance to the quarterfinals to play the 1-4 seeds as part of the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The semifinals will be hosted by the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 8 and Peach Bowl on Friday, Jan 9. The national championship game will be on Monday, Jan. 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The 7-5 Gophers will also learn their bowl game destination tomorrow. Best guess is the Rate Bowl in Phoenix, possibly against 8-4 Iowa State. Minnesota’s eight game bowl winning streak is the longest in the nation.
A lot of Canadians are upset with the United States because of trade, tariffs and rhetoric. That’s not a positive development for ticket sales for the upcoming IHF World Junior Championship December 25-January 5 in the Twin Cities. Organizers are hoping that Canadians, who adore the annual 10-nation tournament that showcases the best under 20-year-old hockey players in the world, will attend rather than boycott.
Adding to the border intrigue is that Canada and the United States have an intense hockey rivalry including in the Junior Tournament. The Americans have won the last two tournaments, with Canada winning gold the two previous years.
The United States will play Germany in an opening game December 26 at Grand Casino Arena. A portion of the 29-game tournament schedule will also be held at 3M Arena at Mariucci. https://www.nhl.com/news/2026-world-junior-championship-schedule
Wild star Kirill Kaprizov captained the 2017 Russian team that won bronze in the tournament. In seven games he had nine goals and three assists.
Tim Leiweke, the marketing whiz who was a key figure in the launch of the Timberwolves franchise decades ago, was pardoned this week by President Donald Trump after his indictment in a bid-rigging conspiracy.
The St. Thomas women’s volleyball team that was the first in school history to qualify for a Division I tournament saw its season end yesterday in a five-set tourney loss to Iowa State at the University of Minnesota.
St. Thomas Academy freshman goalie Owen Hall went 131:14 this season before allowing a goal.
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Last Saturday University of St. Thomas basketball had a new start with the men’s and women’s teams playing first games ever at the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. The men defeated Army West Point 83-76 before a capacity night crowd of 5,325. The women lost 67-61 to Army in the afternoon with an attendance of 984.