Vikings’ hiring of Nolan Teasley brings fascinating amount of experience to Minnesota
Instead of hiring someone who is familiar to the Minnesota Vikings, the Wilfs went outside by hiring Nolan Teasley.
After firing general manager Kwesi Adof0-Mensah on January 30th, the Minnesota Vikings hired their next general manager exactly four months later, in Seattle Seahawks assistant general manager Nolan Teasley. The really interesting element of the hire was that Teasley was the only option that didn’t have a direct connection to the Vikings.
He’s a fascinating candidate for the Vikings in multiple ways. They prioritized a scouting background and got their guy. As we move forward with Teasley as the Vikings’ general manager, there are some things to know.
Minnesota Vikings general manager facts
- The Minnesota Vikings surprisingly fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after the Senior Bowl concluded practices on January 30th.
- The 120 days between Adofo-Mensah’s firing and the hiring of Teasley had Rob Brzezinski in charge for 120 days.
- In that time, Brzezinski fixed the salary cap, led an efficient free agency, and took big swings in the NFL Draft.
Nolan Teasley is a grinder
Before entering the NFL, Teasley was working in the private sector, but wanted to get back into the sport. He reportedly sent emails to all 32 teams trying to get back into the sport. John Schneider gave him an interview in Seattle, where he got a job as an intern. Within a decade, Teasley was the assistant general manager, which is quite a jump from being an intern.
Teasley has a vast array of experience
It’s not always as simple as being involved in the front office. There is a vast array of jobs within each front office, especially when it comes to team building. Teasley spent the majority of his time on the pro personnel side, going from scout in 2014 to director of pro personnel, a job he held from 2018 to 2022.
He was instrumental in the Russell Wilson trade
Being that he has a lot of experience on the pro side, there were questions as to what he did. A lot of it would boil down to the free agency and trades the team made. He was apparently influential in the Russell Wilson trade and had a big hand in trading for the likes of Ernest Jones IV, Leonard Williams, and Rashid Shaheed.
The NFL Draft classes since Teasley was promoted have been excellent
Once he became more involved with the NFL Draft process ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seahawks immediately saw a lot of success. Their first-round picks have all made a serious impact on their Super Bowl-winning roster. That 2023 NFL Draft where they landed cornerback Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the top 20 was an impressive haul, not to mention landing Derrick Hall and Zach Charbonnet in round two.
Teasley is a minority hire
Right after the hire was announced, reports surfaced that the Seahawks would be getting two compensatory third-round picks. ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler confirmed that is the case, as Teasley’s father is black. It’s the second consecutive general manager hire by the Vikings where the candidate is a minority, and third major hire in the last four who was, with Brian Flores being the other. There is a reason why the Vikings haven’t been subpoenaed by Flores in his lawsuit against the NFL.
