Report: Nobody Knows Who is Calling the Shots for Vikings

Is there such thing as too much collaboration? If so, are the Minnesota Vikings suffering from collaberation overload this offseason? Ever heard of the old adage, “there are too many cooks in the kitchen”? There’s a reason that saying exists, and it has little to do with food.

Of course there is such thing as too much collaboration. Most projects, businesses, governments, etc… run best with one person at the top of the pyramid whose job is to make final decisions on all of the most difficult questions. Yes, collaboration is important, and very much necessary. But too much of a good thing, is still too much.

And after the NFL Combine got all of the most important people in the league together in Indianapolis last week, it sounds like the Minnesota Vikings may be having issues with their chain of command at TCO Performance Center in Eagan.

Other NFL teams aren’t sure who is steering Minnesota Vikings ship

This after ProFootballTalk.com creator (and Vikings fan) Mike Florio got on the Paul Allen Show (KFAN) Wednesday and revealed that he is hearing behind the scenes that other teams around the NFL walked away from the scouting combine unsure of who exactly is running the operation in Minnesota. — 47:00 minute mark

“There is a sense from people who are dealing with the Vikings that they don’t know who’s in charge. They don’t know who’s calling the shots. Maybe that’s deliberate, maybe it’s part of the strategy, maybe it’s part of the negotiation…I don’t know.

But, there’s a real sense of confusion as to who’s got the final say on this. Who wants Darnold, who wants McCarthy, who’s making these decisions. It’s created this sense, you’ve seen from reports that it’s very fluid, one reason why it’s fluid is because nobody’s got a clear picture of who, at the end of the day, is making the call between Darnold and McCarthy.”

Mike Florio on KFAN Radio

Obviously, this report has a lot of tentacles. But you cannot start any decision maker conversation surrounding the Minnesota Vikings without mentioning the fact that head coach Kevin O’Connell received a massive contract extension immediately after the 2024 season ended.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah losing control to Kevin O’Connell…?

At the time, we were told that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s contract extension was on the way, right after. Here we are on the verge of free agency, a month later, and the Vikings are still yet to extend their general manager, something others around the league have taken notice of. Now, there are whispers coming out of the NFL Combine that other executives around the NFL aren’t sure who is steering the ship in Eagan?

Related: Schefter: Sam Darnold Back to Vikings Makes Most Sense

We were led to believe O’Connell did not receive any additional decision making power, with his new extension, but could those reports have been misleading? It’s also worth noting that Darren Wolfson (KSTP) reported last week on SKOR North that Kwesi left the NFL Combine early and that league executives were impressed by how Kevin O’Connell operated in his place.

“Apparently, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is battling some sort of illness…talking to multiple people that had direct interaction with Kevin O’Connell, I was told that he was thoroughly prepared…He had everything he needed right at his disposal, he articulated what he thinks or what he hopes the plan will be better than any other general manager did, per one person who was in a meeting with KOC…This person told me, by far, the best meeting was with Kevin O’Connell leading the meeting with the Vikings.”

“We don’t know what the language is in his contract extension. We can wonder aloud, absolutely under the reckless speculation umbrella, but how much say will he now have? He’s had say, but does he perhaps have more say now with the 53-man roster.

We hear it all the time, but Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was at the podium on Tuesday, ‘collaboration’. It’s a very popular buzzword, but it felt like Kwesi went out of his way to use that word on Tuesday. Can we read between the lines a little bit, we often have to do that. I am just wondering aloud. The fact of the matter is, KOC was front and center [at the combine] with the caveat that Kwesi was said to be battling an illness.”

Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd (SKOR North)

So, who is running the Minnesota Vikings operation this offseason? It sounds like those around the league aren’t really sure. Throw that in with the fact that Adofo-Mensah’s deal still isn’t done, along with how impressive Kevin O’Connell was at the NFL combine and the fact that Kwesi left Indianapolis “sick”… and this is definitely a situation worth monitoring.