Vikings request second interviews for GM job with Ryan Poles, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
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Jan. 21—The Vikings have chosen two finalists for their open general manager job.
A source confirmed Friday that the Vikings have requested second interviews with Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kansas City Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles. They will come to Minnesota next week for interviews after Adofo-Mensah had a virtual interview Monday and Poles had one on Tuesday.
The Vikings are seeking a replacement for Rick Spielman, who was fired by owners Zygi and Mark Wilf on Jan. 10 along with head coach Mike Zimmer.
Minnesota last week requested with other teams to interview eight candidates for general manager. The interviews were done virtually between last Sunday and Thursday.
Adofo-Mensah, 40, has a bachelor's degree in economics from Princeton and a master's in economics from Stanford. He got his start as a day trader on Wall Street before serving as manager of football research and development with the San Francisco 49ers from 2013-16 and director of football research and development with the 49ers from 2017-19. He has been with the Browns since 2020.
Poles, 36, was an offensive linemen at Boston College before he signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2008, but did not make the team. He then was a recruiting assistant at Boston College from 2008-09 before joining the Chiefs in 2009. With the Chiefs, Poles has been a player personnel assistant, a college scouting administrator, the director of college scouting and the assistant director of player personnel. He was named to his current position in 2021.
NFL Media first reported that Adofo-Mensah and Poles had been requested for second interviews. ESPN reported that Adolfo-Mensah's interview in Minnesota is expected to be on Tuesday and that Poles likely will interview on Wednesday.
The Vikings have interviewed four candidates for head coach. But Mark Wilf has said that a general manager will be named before a head coach, and the new general manager will have input on selecting a coach.
