3 Kwesi Adofo-Mensah mistakes that led to Vikings meltdown
By John Buhler
You know what NFL team stinks? The Minnesota Vikings! While they are not festering in a dumpster bad like the Denver Broncos, the Chicago Bears or god forbid, the Carolina Panthers, this team is going nowhere fast. Yes, Minnesota may be 2-4 on the season, but the Vikings' two wins are one-score victories over the lifeless Bears and Panthers. Just imagine if they play somebody else good...
Not to say I predicted this, but the Vikings were arguably the most likely pullback candidate of any team that made the playoffs a year ago. Minnesota won double-digit games and a down NFC North. The Detroit Lions started to figure it out in the second half, while the Green Bay Packers unraveled as the Bears continued to circle the drain. What gives? Why did it happen? Just look at their front office.
Much was made about the Vikings' pivoting off the long-time head coach/general manager combo of Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman after 2021. That duo may have overstayed its welcome in the Twin Cities, but that era of Vikings football was respectable and consistently good. Now they are run by a so-so head coach in Kevin O'Connell and a very mediocre general manager in Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
While it remains to be seen if O'Connell is an issue, we are pointing the finger at the mess that Adofo-Mensah made. Either he wanted to blow this thing up more than a kid at a science far since day one like he is the next Sam Hinkie or he is just awful at his job. Regardless, let's just apply Hanlon's razor to the equation: Never mistake malice for incompetence. Let's just hope this gets them Caleb Williams...
Here are three GOB Bluth huge mistakes Adofo-Mensah has made since taking over the Vikings.
Minnesota Vikings: 3 huge mistakes GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made
3. Hiring Kevin O'Connell over Jim Harbaugh may have been a bad idea
I don't know if this is the worst decision Adofo-Mensah made, but it could be the one that ends up costing him his job. O'Connell was the latest branch to sprout off the Sean McVay coaching tree. He was the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator on the Super Bowl 56 championship roster, but we all know that was mostly in title; McVay calls the plays. O'Connell is fine, but he is not Jim Harbaugh...
Harbaugh briefly crossed paths when they worked for the San Francisco 49ers. Adofo-Mensah actually brought in the active Michigan head coach for a job interview during the second National Signing Day of the 2022 cycle. It was a bad look for Harbaugh, especially because he thought he was going to be handed over the job. This may have been a bad fit too, but Harbaugh refuses to lose now.
While he is dealing with a second scandal this season, Harbaugh could be one foot out the door in Ann Arbor. If the right opportunity presents itself, he could become an NFL head coach for a second time. One thing that Harbaugh does extraordinarily well is transform downtrodden programs into winners seemingly overnight. If he does leave the college game, an NFL job will be available to him.
By passing on Harbaugh in 2022, the Vikings may have to compete against him as soon as next year.