On Friday, the Vikings parted ways with their General Manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Not an altogether shocking move given the team’s disappointing season and uncertain future outlook.
However, one of the reported factors in the firing has raised some eyebrows.
According to The Athletic’s Diana Russini, Adofo-Mensah ruffled feathers among the NFL’s personnel executives when he took two weeks of paternity leave during training camp after the birth of his first child.
The NFL is a league where it is not only typical but essentially expected for coaches and executives to miss childbirths, graduations, recitals, and any number of what would typically be can’t-miss family events. So, having a general manager take two weeks off – even though he worked remotely – as training camp begins, is going to rub some the wrong way.
Still, it’s unlikely that Adofo-Mensah’s firing is solely (or even mostly) due to his taking paternity leave.
Of far greater concern to the Vikings, in all likelihood, was his mismanagement of the quarterback position. The Vikings parted with Sam Darnold after he led them to a 14-3 record and a playoff birth last year. Now, Darnold is preparing to play in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy continued to struggle with injuries and consistency in his second year.
The Vikings also declined to pursue Aaron Rodgers, who had a very good season for the Steelers. Compounding that error, Minnesota decided not to bring in Daniel Jones, who was having a Comeback Player of the Year caliber season in Indianapolis before he got injured.
Adofo-Mensah also decided to trade for Sam Howell, who did not develop as the team hoped, leaving them in a position where they had to bring in Carson Wentz.
Had the Vikings had another double-digit win season, Adofo-Mensah probably could have taken three weeks of paternity leave, and he would likely still have a job today.
