Tag: Mark Wilf

Zulgad’s four-and-out: Vikings owner on Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins’ contracts and the pursuit of a Super Bowl

Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf spoke to the media Tuesday and @jzulgad breaks down everything he said from contracts to a Super Bowl

The Wilf family is entering their 19th season as owners of the Vikings.

The franchise has had nine winning seasons, seven losing ones and two .500 finishes in that time. They also have won five NFC North titles, including last season under first-year coach Kevin O’Connell.

Success in the playoffs has been another matter. The Vikings’ loss to the New York Giants in the opening round last season dropped Minnesota’s playoff record to 3-7 since the Wilfs took over in 2005. That includes losses to the Saints and Eagles in the 2009 and 2017 NFC title games, respectively.

So how does co-owner Mark Wilf feel about this team?

“Certainly, very exciting,” he said of the upcoming season. “Traditionally, we’ve always have high expectations, but I can tell you we remain really confident in our leadership here. Coach O’Connell and Kwesi (Adofo-Mensah, the team’s general manager) have really set a great culture here and we’re fully supportive of it and excited to see how now in the second season it’s really taken hold here. The players have taken it on and I think there’s a great energy about us.”

The Vikings co-owner talked about Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson’s contract situations, expanded on his expectations for the team and also discussed plans to honor the late Bud Grant on Thursday.

Vikings owners send Rick Spielman new game balls

After losing all of his game balls in Hurricane Ian, Rick Spielman received new ones from Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf.

The Minnesota Vikings finished first in the inaugural team report cards issued by the NFL Players Association and instances like this are a major reason why.

According to former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, owners Zygi and Mark Wilf sent him replacement game balls after he lost them all in Hurrican Ian.

Spielman mentions in the above clip that this (football) business is brutal and he’s right. Things can go south really quickly and the turnover in front offices happen quickly. What doesn’t get discussed enough is the kind gestures that ownership makes to their current and former employees.

This is a simple gesture from the Wilf’s to Spielman, but one that won’t go unnoticed across the league. The Vikings are one of the best franchises to work for and this is one of the many reasons why.

Vikings leaders comment on Dalvin Cook after release

The Vikings organization all had great things to say about Cook upon his release.

The Minnesota Vikings officially released running back Dalvin Cook on Friday afternoon. The move was a long time coming due to what Cook was expected to make this season on the salary cap.

Even though he was on the decline with his performance and his cap number was so high, Cook will be missed both on and off the field. Head coach Kevin O’Connell, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and owners Zygi and Mark Wilf all spoke about Cook, his impact and how he will be missed.

Vikings Owner Mark Wilf Non-Committal on Kirk Cousins Future

Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf joined Good Morning Football on Monday and was non-committal on Kirk Cousins’ future with the team

Throughout this offseason, there have been many rumors swirling about Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins’ future with the team. Vikings Owner Mark Wilf joined ‘Good Morning Football’ on Monday morning and added to that speculation with a non-committal answer about his franchise’s starting quarterback.

“Kirk is an outstanding quarterback and he’s done a great job for us…we’re looking for great things in 2023 and Kirk’s gonna be our leader on offense”

This comment by Wilf is not a bad thing by any means. He lays out that Cousins has played well for the franchise and that he will play well for this team in 2023. It’s what Wilf is leaving out that makes this comment so noteworthy. Wilf was asked directly about the future of Cousins in Minnesota, to which he gave no commitment beyond 2023.

The Vikings have been in the process of turning over their roster this offseason. Starting with linebacker Eric Kendricks and then moving on to wide receiver Adam Thielen. While Cousins’ isn’t likely to be cut. These comments by Wilf aren’t a ringing endorsement of his status with the team beyond the upcoming season.

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Eric Kendricks spoke to Vikings owners about culture change after Mike Zimmer’s firing

Veteran concerns like those harbored by Eric Kendricks played a role in ownership’s GM and head coaching hires.

Eric Kendricks turned heads when speaking about a “fear-based culture” in the aftermath of the Minnesota Vikings firing coach Mike Zimmer in January.

Now, the former First-Team All-Pro linebacker is saying he spoke with co-owners Mark and Zygi Wilf directly, when the team was in the early stages of hiring a new general manager and head coach.

“We had a great conversation at the end of the season and throughout the offseason a little bit,” Kendricks told reporters on Wednesday, “I’ve talked to the Wilfs as well. They are very involved in the community as well. Just having that bridge of communication with them and the management as well, I feel like it’s not really common. I talk to players around the league, and they don’t really have that communication with their ownership.”

The Vikings eventually settled on former Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their new general manager and former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as the new head coach.

Adofo-Mensah has spoken about collaboration and making decisions as a collective since arriving in Minnesota. And O’Connell is more of a player’s coach with an ability to relate better with all of the different personalities on the roster.

That isn’t an attempt to pile on a more old school-minded coach like Zimmer. Former Vikings star linebacker Chad Greenway recently called him an elite coach, but he also claimed his “aggressive” coaching style “wasn’t for everybody.”

Kendricks has never elaborated on his feelings towards Zimmer, but to be fair, it really doesn’t even matter at this point. The Vikings are moving on with O’Connell at the helm of the ship, while Zimmer has moved on with his life as well.

If another coaching opportunity presents itself, perhaps the two paths will cross again someday.

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Former Vikings call out fired athletic trainer Eric Sugarman

Not everyone was sad to see Sugarman go

It would seem as if not everyone was surprised by the recent firing of Minnesota Vikings longtime head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo, who was drafted by the Vikings in 2017, raised eyebrows with a tweet after hearing the news that his former team was moving on from the trainer after 16 long years.

His tweet appeared to be aimed at those attempting to paint Sugarman’s tenure with the team in a positive light. The trainer’s exit even elicited a public statement from Owner/President Mark Wilf. And yet, according to Odenigbo, there is more than meets the eye with Sugarman.

“Eric Sugarman was not a good man so what ever narrative you guys think of him it’s been fabricated,” tweeted Odenigbo.

Former Viking and current Michigan Panther for the USFL, Jeff Badet, shared Odenigbo’s post and added explanation points in a retweet.

It would seem as if Sugarman isn’t leaving his job in Minnesota on good terms with everyone. If there truly was an issue, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell deserve a lot of credit for weeding it out and moving their football team in a more positive direction.

It’s out with the old and in with the new in Minnesota.

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Zygi and Mark Wilf comment on Kevin O’Connell as Vikings head coach

First statements from owners Mark and Zygi Wilf on the O’Connell hiring.

The Minnesota Vikings finally got their man.

Kevin O’Connell was officially announced as the new head coach for the team on Wednesday, following his victory as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LVI.

Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf, along with Owner/President Mark Wilf, commented on the hire on social media in written statements.

“Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes. He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players,” said Zygi. “Beyond the Xs and Os, everyone we spoke with throughout this search spoke highly of Kevin’s ability to motivate players, coaches and staff.”

The Vikings are loaded at the skilled positions on offense, and McConnell has a connection with quarterback Kirk Cousins during their time together with the Washington Commanders.

So there is hope within the organization that O’Connell will be in a position to hit the ground running.

“We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach,” said Mark. “He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin’s direction.”

The introductory press conference for O’Connell in Minnesota is expected to take place on Thursday.

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Patrick Peterson says Mark Wilf convened with players on coach hiring decision

Did Kevin O’Connell check the suggestion box better than Jim Harbaugh?

Patrick Peterson might be a one-and-done player for the Minnesota Vikings, but that didn’t stop team owner/president Mark Wilf from inviting him to a player’s meeting before making a decision on the coaching hire.

It’s a moment Peterson took as a sign of respect, and it was an even bigger moment for anyone thinking ownership was shooting from the hip when passing on Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh before landing on Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as the next head coach.

“Mark just wanted to get our thoughts on [the situation]. Put it all into the basket right now. Like, what are some of things [we thought] could make us a better football team,” said Peterson on All Things Covered. “Some of the guys got some of their messages out of what they thought was going to be good for the football team. What type of coaching style that they need to help us turn a corner. What type of coach that they feel we needed to help us turn a corner. It looks like they took all of those replies in and put it into their thought process when it came to hiring their new head coach.”

There was speculation last week that Harbaugh would land the head coaching job in Minnesota when he met with the team for a face-to-face interview, but a formal offer was never extended after that meeting.

Not long after Harbaugh was announced to be returning to Michigan, news began circulating that the Vikings are expected to hire O’Connell for the job after Super Bowl LVI.

“All of the fingers were pretty much pointing to Jim landing the job in Minnesota,” Peterson said. “The first thoughts that came to my mind was what happened with the interviewing process. What did they not like?”

That fateful meeting will be a topic of discussion in the future. The Vikings will either live to regret it or celebrate it for years to come.

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Vikings owners put out a statement after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah hiring

Mark and Zygi Wilf release a statement on Vikings new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

There’s a different feeling in the air for the Minnesota Vikings now that the reins of the front office have officially been handed over to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The newly-hired general manager may or may not be the answer to the team’s prayers, but he’s at least provided hope that he could be.

However, owners Mark and Zygi Wilf are talking with the sort of confidence that he’ll be more than that.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kwesi to the Minnesota Vikings,” Mark said in a statement. “His unique background, variety of experiences, vision for success and leadership presence immediately stood out to us. Kwesi is naturally committed and driven to building the best teams through consensus building and the pursuit of information. We believe he will immediately make us better as a team and organization.”

Zygi followed up those comments by talking about the philosophy of “complimentary football” Adofo-Mensah brings to the table.

It was clearly evident in his work as vice president of football operations for the Cleveland Browns. He essentially helped Browns general manager Andrew Berry take a team on an 18-year playoff drought back to the postseason in 2020.

“Kwesi has a clear philosophy on building a complementary football team,” said Zygi. “His intelligence, progressive mindset and passion for the game, along with his ability to make thoughtful and intentional decisions, provide a tremendous foundation as he leads our football operations.”

It’s important to note the expectations are immediate—as they should be—in Minnesota. I noted this was the best situation in football for an incoming regime because the roster is built to win right away.

And now it’s in Adofo-Mensah’s hands.

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Mark Wilf gives update on GM and coach interviews

Mark Wilf confident the Vikings will hire the right leadership.

All eyes are on the Minnesota Vikings right now to see what they do with their vacant general manager and head coach positions. There has been a lot of speculation as the team has conducted its first round of interviews, but a choice feels imminent with them moving on to the next phase of the process.

One thing is certain: Owner/President Mark Wilf is glowing with confidence that the right kind of change is coming for the Vikings.

“We’re having good progress, just completed our first round of interviews with all of the candidates for both the head coach and GM positions,” Wilf told team reporter Gabe Henderson. “We’re narrowing the candidates for both down now, and we’re going to be starting the next round of interviews this week. And we’re really excited about the candidates—a lot of depth, a lot of knowledge. I feel confident we’re going to have good leadership coming out of this process.”

As of right now, Kansas City Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles and Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are believed to be the top-two candidates to replace Rick Spielman as GM for the Vikings.

However, things are a bit more wide open when it comes to the candidate to replace Mike Zimmer as the next head coach. Part of it is being done on purpose so the incoming GM can have a say in the hiring process.

Some of the bigger names out there have been Raheem Morris, Todd Bowles and Dan Quinn. Even Jim Harbaugh’s name is being tossed around as a long-shot possibility, even though he hasn’t officially interviewed or been mentioned by the team like the others.

“We want strong communicators, teachers, collaborators, people that will set a good culture, good football minds and good people,” said Wilf. “Those are the kinds of characteristics we sort of tick through as we walk through the interviews. I’ve been super impressed, and everyone that has been a part of these interviews has been impressed with the candidates this far.”

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