The Minnesota Vikings’ front office shake-up did not come out of nowhere, but the reasons behind it are now clearer. What looked like a simple football decision turned into a quarterback-driven fallout. Aaron Rodgers’ name, shockingly, sits right in the middle of it all.

General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired after the Vikings took a major step back during the 2025 NFL season. Just one year after finishing 14–3 and reaching the playoffs, Minnesota slipped to a 9–8 record and missed the postseason. The move came abruptly, with Adofo-Mensah relieved of his duties shortly after returning from Senior Bowl scouting responsibilities, underscoring how quickly ownership’s stance shifted.

Dianna Russini and Alex Lewis of The Athletic report that ownership conducted a focused end-of-season audit of the football operation and that several insiders were surprised by the timing of the move, underscoring that the change followed a deliberate owners’ reassessment rather than an immediate reaction to a single game.

According to them, draft struggles also weighed heavily on the final decision. The evaluation included specific first-round decisions that failed to translate into long-term contributors, reinforcing concerns about the organization’s drafting direction under his tenure.

“Only four of Adofo-Mensah’s 28 draft picks are surefire starters for the future, a paltry return,” The Athletic reported.

Aaron Rodgers never played a snap for the Vikings, but his impact on the situation was real.

Russini and Lewis also report that passing on Daniel Jones “created an opportunity” for the team “to pursue future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers on a minimal contract, an idea many executives, coaches, and even key players supported.”

Under Adofo-Mensah’s leadership, Minnesota passed on multiple opportunities to stabilize the quarterback position. The team has had issues with growing internal tension over personnel control, with coaches exerting increasing influence on scouting and roster decisions as confidence in the front office’s evaluations eroded. Aaron Rodgers had interest in joining the Vikings before they lost him to the Steelers, where he went on to win the AFC North and reach the playoffs.

In the end, the Vikings’ leadership believed the missed quarterback chances and uneven draft results added up to a step backward for the team during Adofo-Mensah’s tenure. Those football decisions were compounded by broader concerns about leadership fit and trust, with The Athletic noting skepticism tied to Adofo-Mensah’s non-traditional background and management style within league circles.

Aaron Rodgers may never have worn a Minnesota jersey, but passing on him became a symbol of bigger decisions that ultimately cost the GM his job. And the Vikings’ offseason decisions are coming under sharper focus as the fallout from the 2025 season continues.

Unexpected truth about J.J. McCarthy emerges as Vikings’ quarterback gamble backfires

What was once viewed as a long-term investment in a young quarterback now looks like a risky bet that unraveled quickly. New details reveal how the organization’s unwavering faith in J.J. McCarthy, while passing on safer veteran options, helped push the franchise toward instability and ultimately contributed to sweeping changes in the front office.

“The Vikings thought they could hedge their bet on McCarthy’s youth and progress by paying a premium for Daniel Jones, whom they’d strategically signed late in the 2024 season. Instead, Jones signed with the Indianapolis Colts,” Russini and Lewis reported.

Those decisions came at a steep cost after they failed to lock down Aaron Rodgers. Minnesota instead tied its future to J.J. McCarthy, a move that quickly backfired. McCarthy struggled throughout the 2025 season and failed to meet expectations. He finished 37th out of 48 qualified quarterbacks in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric.

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According to The Athletic, internal questions about McCarthy’s readiness existed well before the season, particularly given the limited evaluation window created by his injury history.

The numbers made the situation even harder to justify. Aaron Rodgers ranked 29th in the same metric, while Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold both finished inside the top 15. All three were realistic options for Minnesota at different points. Passing on all of them proved costly.

Darnold, who led the Vikings to a 14-3 record last season, is now preparing to start Super Bowl LX for the Seattle Seahawks. Minnesota let him walk in free agency and never replaced him with a steady veteran presence.

Now the Vikings face a difficult offseason. They are more than $40 million over the salary cap and hold the No. 18 pick in the upcoming draft. Free agency offers limited help at quarterback, and trade options are thin. San Francisco’s Mac Jones is one name to watch, but his price could rise fast. In the immediate aftermath of the firing, ownership shifted personnel oversight internally while delaying a full general manager search until after the draft, signaling a controlled transition rather than a temporary pause.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s firing was not tied to one poor season or one failed player. It reflected a pattern of decisions that left the Vikings exposed at the most important position in football. Betting on an unproven quarterback, missing out on veteran insurance like Aaron Rodgers, and passing on multiple viable alternatives created a situation that ownership could no longer defend. As Minnesota searches for new leadership, the mandate is clear: stabilize the quarterback position and restore trust, or risk repeating the same costly mistakes all over again.