Vikings stunningly fire GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after fateful quarterback decision

Moving on from Sam Darnold may haunt Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for a long time.

The Vikings fired their general manager on Friday in a stunning move, a day after he gave a press conference on the state of the team.

Adofo-Mensah controversially let Darnold leave in free agency for a three-year, $100 million deal with the Seahawks last offseason after he led the Vikings to a 14-3 record.

Minnesota Vikings former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, right, speaks with quarterback J.J. McCarthy before an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. AP

Darnold promptly won another 14 games with Seattle and now has the Seahawks back in the Super Bowl.

Minnesota handed the franchise over to second-year QB JJ McCarthy, who struggled with injuries and inconsistency for large stretches of the 2025 season. The Vikings finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.

Adofo-Mensah had held the position since 2022.