Vikings Fire GM After Darnold Departure Sparks Quarterback Chaos

The Minnesota Vikings have found themselves at a crossroads, and the seismic shakeup in their front office is reverberating throughout the NFL. On Friday, January 30, 2026, the team made the bold decision to part ways with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after four tumultuous seasons. The move, announced by owners Mark and Zygi Wilf, came as a shock to many around the league, especially considering Adofo-Mensah had just signed a multi-year extension in May 2025. Yet, for those following the Vikings’ recent struggles, the writing may have been on the wall.

Adofo-Mensah’s tenure was marked by ambitious plans and controversial decisions. Brought in back in 2022, he was tasked with steering the franchise through what he called a “competitive rebuild”—an attempt to retool the roster without sacrificing playoff contention. It was a risky balancing act, and as history now shows, it didn’t quite pay off the way anyone in Minnesota had hoped.

One of the earliest signs of friction came even before Adofo-Mensah’s first season kicked off. He’d hoped to hire Jim Harbaugh as head coach, but the Vikings’ leadership overruled him, ultimately choosing Kevin O’Connell for the job. That set a precedent for a tenure where Adofo-Mensah’s vision often clashed with ownership’s desire to remain competitive at all costs. Instead of moving on from veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and his hefty contract in 2022, Adofo-Mensah was compelled to keep him on board. The Vikings won 13 games that year, but their postseason run was cut short in the first round.

Things took another turn in 2023 when Cousins suffered a devastating Achilles injury. The logical play might have been to accept a losing season and secure a high draft pick in what was considered a quarterback-rich draft class. Instead, Adofo-Mensah, under pressure to compete, traded for Josh Dobbs. The move led to a 7-10 finish—just good enough to miss out on top quarterback prospects Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels in the 2024 NFL Draft.

With those options off the table, Adofo-Mensah pivoted to J.J. McCarthy, selecting him with the 10th overall pick in 2024. The plan was clear: build around a young, affordable quarterback. But in a twist that now haunts the franchise, the Vikings let Sam Darnold walk in free agency, despite his standout 2024 season in which he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, leading the team to a 14-3 record. Darnold’s departure opened the door for McCarthy, but the rookie tore his meniscus in the preseason and didn’t play a snap in 2024.

That decision to move on from Darnold is now seen by many as the pivotal moment of Adofo-Mensah’s downfall. Darnold landed with the Seattle Seahawks and, in a dramatic turn, led them to 14 wins, a division title, and a Super Bowl appearance in his first season. He followed that up with another 4,000-yard campaign and 25 touchdowns in 2025, cementing his status as one of the league’s most reliable quarterbacks. Meanwhile, the Vikings’ gamble on McCarthy backfired spectacularly in 2025.

McCarthy’s rookie season was, by all accounts, a struggle. He started 10 games, missing seven due to injury, and posted a league-worst 58% completion rate, 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, and a passer rating of 72.6. The Vikings finished the season 9-8 and missed the playoffs, a far cry from the heights reached under Darnold. As one source put it, “McCarthy put together one of the worst seasons by a first-year starter in NFL history in 2025, and all Darnold did was lead the Seattle Seahawks to an appearance in the Super Bowl in his first season with the franchise.”

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for McCarthy, though. Over the final four games of the 2025 season, he showed signs of life, leading the Vikings to a 4-0 record with a much-improved 100.4 passer rating. But whether that late surge is enough to secure his future in Minnesota remains to be seen. The Vikings are currently $48.9 million over the salary cap and hold the 18th pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft—a draft widely considered thin on quarterback talent.

With Adofo-Mensah gone, executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski will serve as interim general manager through the draft, after which a thorough search for a new GM will begin. Mark Wilf emphasized the urgency of building a winning team, stating, “It’s not about any one decision or move. We looked at the situation cumulatively. We just didn’t feel confident going through the entirety of the offseason, an additional draft, with this structure. We have an urgency to create a winning football team and establish sustainable success for our fans.”

The Vikings’ quarterback situation is now one of the most intriguing in the league. With McCarthy’s future uncertain and the team’s cap situation constraining their options, 2026 is shaping up to be a make-or-break year for the young signal-caller. If he can build on his late-season momentum, he might just convince the incoming GM that he’s worth another shot. But if he falters, Minnesota could be looking at yet another reset under center.

Speculation is already swirling about possible replacements or even a trade involving McCarthy. Some league insiders suggest the Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Jets could be interested in acquiring the 23-year-old if the Vikings decide to move on. Meanwhile, names like San Francisco’s Jones and a potential reunion with Kirk Cousins have surfaced as affordable options for Minnesota, given their salary cap woes.

For now, though, the Vikings are left to reflect on a four-year stretch marked by missed opportunities, internal disagreements, and a quarterback carousel that has left fans frustrated and ownership searching for answers. The “competitive rebuild” experiment under Adofo-Mensah may have been well-intentioned, but its legacy is one of what-ifs and near-misses. As the dust settles on this latest front-office shakeup, all eyes turn to the draft, the looming GM search, and the fate of J.J. McCarthy—whose future in purple is anything but guaranteed.

With Rob Brzezinski at the helm for now and a pivotal offseason ahead, Minnesota’s next moves will be closely watched across the league. One thing is certain: the Vikings’ quest for stability and sustained success is far from over, and the echoes of recent decisions will shape the franchise for years to come.