Tag: GM

Vikings fire GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Minnesota Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday.

The move comes exactly eight months after Adofo-Mensah signed a multi-year contract extension with the Vikings.

It also comes one day after Adofo-Mensah acknowledged that he has endured sleepless nights since allowing quarterback Sam Darnold to walk in free agency last offseason. Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, who will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8.

Adofo-Mensah reportedly pushed to add Aaron Rodgers and also wanted to re-sign fellow quarterback Daniel Jones if the Vikings weren’t going to keep Darnold.

“You’re trying to make sure you don’t lock yourselves into what you did and thinking it’s always right. So there are nights you wake up and stare at the ceiling and ask yourself,” Adofo-Mensah told reporters Thursday.

“I always go back to the process, and what we thought at the time. It’s easier to kind of go and be revisionist and results based. But going to think through what we had at the time, I still understand why we did what we did. The results maybe didn’t play out the way we wanted them to, but ultimately I think at the end of the day, we could have executed better in certain places. Not saying individually in terms of a particular player, but just executing better knowing what the room was, play-style wise, experience wise, and putting together a better combination of people, collective in that group. That’s probably what I focused on the most.”

The Vikings opted to hand the keys to 2024 first-round pick JJ McCarthy at quarterback.

Minnesota finished missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record in 2025 after going 34-17 with two postseason appearances since Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell arrived ahead of the 2022 season.

“Following our annual end-of-season organizational meetings over the last several weeks and after careful consideration, we have decided it is in the best interest of the team to move forward with new leadership of our football operations,” a statement from Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf read. “These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for Kwesi’s contributions and commitment to the organization over the past four years and wish him and his family the best in the future.”

Executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski will lead the team through the 2026 NFL Draft, the Vikings announced. The team said it will conduct a thorough search for their next general manager after the draft.

Adofo-Mensah, 44, worked in the front offices of the San Francisco 49ers (2013-19) and Cleveland Browns (2020-21) before joining the Vikings.

–Field Level Media

Falcons complete 2nd GM interview with Ian Cunningham

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The Atlanta Falcons completed a second interview with Ian Cunningham for their general manager position, the team announced on Thursday.

Cunningham, 40, has spent the past four seasons (2022-25) with the Chicago Bears as assistant general manager. Before that, he spent five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, holding various roles such as director of college scouting, assistant director of player personnel and director of player personnel.

He began his NFL front office career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2008 as a player personnel assistant. After five seasons in that role, he worked in the Ravens’ scouting department from 2013-16.

The Falcons fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after an 8-9 season in 2025. Kevin Stefanski was named the new head coach on Jan. 17.

Cunningham is the first GM candidate to receive a second interview in Atlanta.

The Falcons have also interviewed Houston Texans assistant GM James Liipfert, Pittsburgh Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl, San Francisco 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, Kansas City Chiefs assistant GM Mike Bradway and Eagles senior personnel director Joe Douglas.

–Field Level Media

Reports: Dolphins to tab Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM

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The Miami Dolphins are set to hire Green Bay Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager, multiple media outlets reported on Friday.

Sullivan will replace Chris Grier, who was fired by the Dolphins in October after serving in that role since 2016.

The reports of the hiring come one day after Miami fired fourth-year head coach Mike McDaniel following a 7-10 season.

Sullivan has been with the Packers for the past two decades in a variety of scouting and personnel roles. He spent the last four seasons as the team’s VP of player personnel.

The Dolphins brought in Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman to consult during the GM hiring process. He was one of Sullivan’s biggest supporters, per The Athletic.

Interim Dolphins general manager Champ Kelly, San Francisco 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams and Los Angeles Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander also were considered candidates for the role in Miami.

In addition to the coaching situation, Sullivan also will need to address the status of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The former first-round pick carries a $56.4 million cap hit in 2026 and cutting him prior to June 1 would result in a $99.2 million dead cap hit next season.

–Field Level Media

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross (left) talks with general manager Chris Grier before a game in November 2022.

Dolphins, general manager Chris Grier mutually agree to part ways

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The Miami Dolphins and general manager Chris Grier mutually have agreed to part ways, the team announced on Friday morning.

The news come hours after Miami fell to 2-7 on the season following a 28-6 setback to the Baltimore Ravens. Multiple reports citing sources indicated the Dolphins will keep head coach Mike McDaniel in his position until the end of the season before ruling on his status.

“As I assessed the state of the team and in my discussions with Chris, it became clear to both of us that change could not wait. We must improve — in 2025, 2026 and beyond — and it needs to start right now,” said Stephen M. Ross, Dolphins chairman of the board/managing general partner.

“Champ Kelly will serve as interim general manager effective immediately, and we will begin our search process for a new general manager. I want to thank Champ for stepping up and his commitment to the Dolphins success this season. There is a lot of football left to play and we all need to fight even harder.”

Kelly, senior personnel executive of the Dolphins, was interim general manager of the Raiders in 2023.

Grier, 55, has served as the Dolphins general manager since 2016. He has been with the team since 2000 when he was hired as a scout.

The Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since the 2000 season, the longest active drought of any NFL club.

“I have always been and remain committed to building a winning team that consistently competes for championships,” Ross said. ” … our performance on the field and our team-building process have not been good enough. There are no excuses.”

–Field Level Media

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah signs extension

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Minnesota Vikings announced a multiyear contract extension for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday.

The Vikings are 34-17 with two postseason appearances since Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell arrived ahead of the 2022 season.

“Kwesi’s leadership, vision and collaboration with our coaching staff has positioned the Minnesota Vikings for sustained success,” Vikings co-owner and president Mark Wilf said. “His dedication and forward-thinking approach have been instrumental in shaping our roster and future, and we are confident that under the guidance of him and Kevin O’Connell, we will continue to compete at the highest level as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans.”

Minnesota went 14-3 in 2024, its best finish since a 15-1 campaign in 1998.

“This organization means so much to me, and I’ve always believed in what we’re building here. From the ownership to the incredible staff, there’s a true commitment to creating a winning culture with the goal of competing year in and year out,” Adofo-Mensah said. “I’m thankful for the trust the Wilf family has placed in me, and I’m thrilled to continue leading our football operation alongside Coach O’Connell. Minnesota has welcomed my family with open arms, and we embrace the sacrifices that come with chasing the ultimate prize, knowing what it will mean to the best fan base and this great state.

“While we’ve made significant strides already, our focus will remain on building a team positioned as a perennial contender,” he added. “This extension signifies we are on solid ground with the long-term vision we have set, and I’m incredibly excited to work with this group of talented people as we continue to push the boundaries of what this franchise can achieve.”

Minnesota’s .667 winning percentage over the past three seasons ranks third in the NFC behind the Philadelphia Eagles (.784) and Detroit Lions (.706).

Adofo-Mensah, 43, worked in the front offices of the San Francisco 49ers (2013-19) and Cleveland Browns (2020-21) before joining the Vikings.

–Field Level Media

Nov 21, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) is introduced before the game between the Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Browns GM: ‘Increasingly unlikely’ Nick Chubb returns to team

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Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry didn’t sound too optimistic about unsigned star running back Nick Chubb making an immediate return to the club.

The writing likely was on the wall when the Browns selected Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft and Tennessee rusher Dylan Sampson in the fourth. They also recently renegotiated the contract of fellow running back Jerome Ford.

“I wouldn’t rule anything out, but I would say it’s probably increasingly unlikely,” Berry told 92.3 The Fan on Friday morning. “I’d say maybe a return is less likely, at least in the short term, with us right now.”

Berry added that “we haven’t necessarily been in strong communication after the draft.”

Chubb, 29, has played in only 10 games over the past two seasons due to knee and foot injuries. He rushed for 332 yards and three scores in eight starts in 2024.

A four-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time 1,000-yard rusher, Chubb ranks third in franchise history with 6,843 rushing yards behind Pro Football Hall of Fame members Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly.

Judkins led the national champion Buckeyes with 1,060 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns last season.

Sampson, the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year last year, set school single-season records for rushing yards (1,491) and touchdowns (22).

Ford, 25, rushed for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games (six starts) last season, adding 37 catches for 225 yards.

He has 1,390 rushing yards, 544 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in 44 games (18 starts) since the Browns picked him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

–Field Level Media

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan fields questions after introducing Liam Coen as the new head coach during a press conference Monday, Jan. 27, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Jaguars name Rams’ James Gladstone as new general manager

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Former Los Angeles Rams executive James Gladstone has been hired as the new general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the latter team announced Friday.

At age 34, he’s the youngest current general manager in the NFL.

Gladstone was with the Rams for the past nine seasons, starting as a senior assistant to then-GM Les Snead. He served in multiple roles over the years, including a promotion to be the team’s director of scouting strategy in 2019 before spending the past three seasons as the team’s director of scouting strategy.

The Jaguars picked Gladstone over candidates that included Chicago assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Green Bay VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, San Francisco director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, and Jaguars interim GM Ethan Waugh.

“James emerged as my choice, and our choice, following a painstaking but energizing interview process that left nothing to doubt,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “Every candidate delivered, and I am grateful to them all for their preparation and time spent with us this week in Jacksonville. In the end, we found James to be a class ahead and exceptional in every regard — vision, new ideas, communication, chemistry and a keen understanding of the league and our team, to name a few of many virtues he will bring immediately to the Jaguars.”

Gladstone is familiar with the Jaguars’ new head coach, Liam Coen, who worked for the Rams as assistant receivers and assistant QB coach from 2018-20 and as offensive coordinator in 2022.

Gladstone replaces previous general manager Trent Baalke, 60, who mutually parted ways with the Jaguars on Jan. 22. Baalke was with the Jaguars since 2021. Under his watch, the team posted a 25-43 record, including a 4-13 mark this past season under Doug Pederson, who was fired on Jan. 6.

“It’s going to be fun watching James work with our football leadership team of Liam Coen, (executive VP of football operations) Tony Boselli and (chief football strategy officer) Tony Khan, but most of all it will be rewarding. I am confident of that,” Khan said.

–Field Level Media

Feb 28, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas speaks to the press at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Reports: Jets fire general manager Joe Douglas

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New York Jets’ season of upheaval continued Tuesday with the reported firing of general manager Joe Douglas.

The Jets (3-8) fired head coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8 and are 1-5 under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.

New York headed into its bye week with a 28-27 loss at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Douglas, 48, signed a six-year contract to become the Jets GM in June 2019. Since then, New York has compiled a record of 30-64 with zero playoff appearances, continuing a drought that dates back to 2010.

This season began with Super Bowl aspirations as four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers returned from an Achilles injury. Instead, the offense ranks 26th in the NFL in scoring (18.5 ppg) and yards (294.4).

–Field Level Media

Oct 9, 2021; London, England, United Kingdom; A general overall view of Wilson official NFL Duke footballs on display at Tottenham Hogspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Former Bears, Colts GM Bill Tobin dies at 83

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Longtime NFL executive Bill Tobin, a former general manager of the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts, has died at the age of 83.

He later worked as a scout from 2003-22 for the Cincinnati Bengals, who announced Tobin’s passing on Friday.

“He was a true NFL success story,” Bengals president Mike Brown said. “He was a good person and I considered him a good friend. With Bill, I respected everything he said. I just took it as a given. He had an eye for players and what they would develop into. If he said the guy was a good player, then he was a good player; that’s all I would need to know. We will miss him.”

Tobin served as GM of the Bears from 1987-92 and held the same role with the Colts from 1994-96. He was the Detroit Lions’ director of player personnel from 2001-02.

“Rest in peace, Bill Tobin, our GM from ’94-96,” Colts owner Jim Irsay wrote on Twitter. “Bill was a tough, old-time football man, starting as a player in the old AFL. He lived a magical life associated with the game he loved, and our league will miss him. My love and prayers for Bill’s family.”

During his 27 years in NFL front offices with Chicago, Indianapolis and Detroit, Tobin’s teams drafted eight future Hall of Famers, according to the Bengals’ news release. That includes two Colts’ first-rounders, running back Marshall Faulk in 1994 and receiver Marvin Harrison in 1996.

Tobin’s son, Duke, has been the Bengals’ director of player personnel since 1999.

Tobin’s brother, Vince, was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 1996-2000.

Bill Tobin was a running back at Missouri and was drafted in the 14th round by the San Francisco 49ers in 1963. He played in 10 games (eight starts) with the Houston Oilers in 1963, rushing for 271 yards and four touchdowns and catching 13 passes for 173 yards and one score.

–Field Level Media

Jan 17, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft addresses media at a press conference announcing the hiring of Jerod Mayo as the team's new head coach at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Patriots plan to take time to hire GM

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New England Patriots appear to be in no rush to fill the vacant general manager position in the wake of the departure of former head coach Bill Belichick, CBS Sports reported on Saturday.

Per the report, the Patriots have made no effort to interview external candidates for the vacant position.

The Patriots haven’t had a general manager since Belichick was hired in January 2000. According to league rules, the GM position can be left vacant all season.

Recent reported front office hires and comments by team owner Robert Kraft suggest the Patriots are more concerned about the short-term when it comes to executive positions.

Earlier this week, Eliot Wolf was promoted from scouting director to the No. 1 executive in charge of personnel, NFL Network reported Wednesday.

Wolf, 41, whose title is unclear, will have control of the 53-man roster while working closely with new head coach Jerod Mayo, according to reports. Wolf joined the Patriots in 2020 as a consultant before later being elevated to director of scouting in 2022.

Also this week, Alonzo Highsmith left the Miami Hurricanes to join the New England Patriots as a senior personnel executive.

Highsmith, who turns 59 later this month, has been the general manager of football operations for the Hurricanes the past two seasons. His addition reunites him with Wolf, with whom he worked at Green Bay and Cleveland earlier in their careers.

In other moves, director of player personnel Matt Groh is expected to run college scouting and Pat Stewart will have a leading role, per NFL Network.

In January, while introducing Mayo, Kraft indicated that Belichick’s influence over the past two-plus decades translates to a lot of existing in-house experience for the Patriots’ front office.

“We have a lot of people internally who have had a chance to train and learn under the greatest coach of all time and a man whose football intellect is very special,” Kraft said last month, when asked who will be handing out contracts and making draft picks.

“So, in the short-term, we’re looking for collaboration… We’re counting on our internal people, whom we’re still learning and evaluating. So, we’re going to let that evolve and develop, and before the key decisions have to be made, we will appoint someone.”

However, Kraft did not specifically say what position someone would be appointed to, and Wolf has yet to be officially introduced.

–Field Level Media