NFL insiders’ intel on Black Monday send a firm message about future of the Minnesota Vikings

There has been speculation about the future of head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, but reports tell a different story.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell (left) and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah react during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Allegiant Stadium.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a trying season for the Minnesota Vikings. They started 4-8 with multiple games lost that could have easily been won. It was a tough season that had many, including myself, questioning the future of both head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

The discussion of their futures comes after the duo has a 42-25 record going into the final game of their fourth season. There will be those who want major changes, and there will be changes in some form. However, major ones are not likely to happen.

NFL insiders don’t mention the Minnesota Vikings in potential HC and GM openings

Ahead of Black Monday, ESPN insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano did a long collaborative article talking about potential openings at both head coach and general manager. We already know that the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants are open, as Brian Callahan and Brian Daboll have already been fired.

The theme of the article was who could be replaced, and about those who could take those jobs. One thing that wasn’t mentioned in there was the Vikings. Not a single mention of the Vikings at all.

That would be surprising to most fans, as the performance this season has been abysmal on multiple levels. With legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, it’s been one of the more disappointing seasons in recent memory. One thing owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf don’t do is act recklessly. It’s likely the reason why O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah weren’t mentioned as being in jeopardy.

Brian Flores was not mentioned for head coaching jobs

The other interesting element of the article from Fowler and Graziano is that there was no mention of defensive coordinator Brian Flores. He’s the best defensive coordinator in the league outside of Vic Fangio, and not even mentioning him is really interesting.

We know that there will be numerous teams that won’t interview Flores due to his lawsuit against the league. Even with that lawsuit, Flores has received multiple interviews over the last few years. It’s surprising that he wasn’t included at all in the discussion about head coach openings.

What will it look like for the Vikings next season? Well, it will be different, but very likely with all three of their top coaches and executives in tow. Where Vikings fans should expect changes to happen quickly is with the assistant coaches.

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