Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's firing is curiously timed after Joe Burrow buzz

Cue the Brian Windhorst pointing meme. Although the firing of Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah presumably has little to do with the Cincinnati Bengals at first brush, is there more than meets the eye here?

Apologies for invoking two allusions to sports media personalities right out the gate here, but in the famous words of quarterback-turned-broadcaster Tony Romo, "AAAAAA----EEEEEEEEE-UUUUUHHHH I DON'T KNOW, JIM!!"

This timing of this move by Minnesota is suspicious to say the least. Who's in line to take over? How do plans for free agency and the draft shift? Will an interim GM have to run the show for those huge events?

Just seems like unnecessary, undue stress for an organization often praised for its excellence from top to bottom. Unless...there's more to the story. Could it relate to Joe Burrow...?

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah fired just after Joe Burrow trade rumors erupt

Multiple reports this week linked Joe Burrow to a blockbuster Vikings trade. Worry not, reader, you're free to question the veracity of those reports. Don't harm the messenger. I'm just telling y'all what's out there.

Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that "a lot of noise over the last several weeks" indicated that Adofo-Mensah's job was in jeopardy. That he was in "hot water."

Could it have anything to do with Burrow? Probably not. Let's break down the Occam's razor possibility first before diving into conspiracy theory territory.

Might it be because Adofo-Mensah stuck to his guns by starting J.J. McCarthy at quarterback in 2025? Quite possible. Meanwhile, Sam Darnold signed with the Seahawks in free agency and is about to start for Seattle in Super Bowl 60. Or Super Bowl LX if you're nasty. Wanted to stick with the alliterative theme there.

My contention is that McCarthy hasn't had enough time to prove himself. The move to let Darnold walk looks bad in the moment for sure, but McCarthy just turned 23 and has all of 10 NFL starts under his belt. He played quite well toward the end of the season, too.

When Darnold was under center in Week 1 of the 2024 campaign for the Vikings, that was his 57th NFL start if my math is right.

But anyway, nowadays you have to be ready to hit the ground running as a young quarterback. Joe Burrow did just that in 2020, overcame a shredded knee as a rookie, and made it to a Super Bowl in Year 2, plus an AFC Championship Game the following year.

I wouldn't blame the Vikings if they're trying to move heaven and earth for Burrow. Maybe Kwesi wasn't willing to do that. Is it possible that executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski is keen to do whatever it takes to pull off the trade of a lifetime?

Minnesota confirmed in an official statement on Friday's big news that Brzezinski is taking Kwesi's place through the NFL Draft.

Brzezinski got his NFL start with the Dolphins in the 90s. Multiple years of overlap alongside legendary head coach Jimmy Johnson. You know, the man for whom a trade value chart was created and who pulled off the god-tier Herschel Walker trade.

Or this is just reading into things too much, and it's simply Kwesi taking blowback for the McCarthy decision. And for his poor draft record that may count McCarthy as a big miss in due time.

I know top personnel executives with more atrocious, far longer-standing draft records than that who've kept their job since the Clinton administration.

Need I say his name?

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