he pressure is mounting for the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after Sam Darnold has taken the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl.

Just months after moving on from Darnold, who won 14 games with the Vikings a season ago, Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell are facing a vital dilemma at quarterback. After missing the 2025 postseason with a loaded roster, does the Vikings braintrust entrust J.J. McCarthy to get them to the playoffs next year? Or do they hedge with a different quarterback?

If history is any indicator, this decision will determine whether they will have their jobs a year from now. Sam Darnold Haunts Vikings Ahead of QB Decision That Could Cost Kevin O’Connell His Job. Four years, Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman missed back-to-back postseasons for the first time in their eight-year partnership. The Vikings fired both the general manager and head coach as a culture of dysfunction germinated in Minnesota.

The Adofo-Mensah-O’Connell regime hasn’t reached that point yet. However, with a ready-to-win roster and several veteran stars still without a playoff win this decade, the clock is ticking, and patience is wearing thin.

Justin Jefferson had a taste of a quarterback who allowed him to impact a game with his all-world abilities. Darnold connected with Jefferson for 103 receptions, 1,533 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns.

This year, Jefferson averaged a career-low 61.6 yards per game, a far cry from his previous 96.5-yard career average before the 2025 season. He also found the end zone just twice this season.

Jefferson was hindered by both McCarthy’s inexperience and the lack of depth in the quarterback room this past season. Jefferson will undoubtedly watch Darnold in the Super Bowl and wonder what could have been.

His satisfaction with his situation in Minnesota is the ultimate cultural barometer, and after this season, morale is at an all-time low under O’Connell. By next season’s end, the table may be set for serious organizational change.

Vikings Could Crater Team With Desperate QB Move. While Adofo-Mensah has maintained he wants to have a measured approach to roster-building, things change when jobs are on the line. That could prompt the Vikings to sell the farm to find a quarterback to save next season.

While names like Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are circulating in trade rumors, a deal to land a Tier 1 quarterback would only make sense for a team that is loaded with talented players on rookie contracts and could afford the sunk draft capital and hefty contract.

The Vikings are not that team. A byproduct of poor drafting over the years, the Vikings have found most of their difference-makers through free agency.

A tier below at quarterback could make sense if the price is right, but that comes with obvious limitations at the game’s most important position. Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa and Geno Smith would fit the bill.

Below that tier is making an upside bet on a former starter turned backup like Darnold was. Mac Jones is a name to consider who wouldn’t be a lock for the starting job but could compete with McCarthy this summer.

he pressure is mounting for the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after Sam Darnold has taken the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl.

Just months after moving on from Darnold, who won 14 games with the Vikings a season ago, Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell are facing a vital dilemma at quarterback. After missing the 2025 postseason with a loaded roster, does the Vikings braintrust entrust J.J. McCarthy to get them to the playoffs next year? Or do they hedge with a different quarterback?

If history is any indicator, this decision will determine whether they will have their jobs a year from now. Sam Darnold Haunts Vikings Ahead of QB Decision That Could Cost Kevin O’Connell His Job. Four years, Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman missed back-to-back postseasons for the first time in their eight-year partnership. The Vikings fired both the general manager and head coach as a culture of dysfunction germinated in Minnesota.

The Adofo-Mensah-O’Connell regime hasn’t reached that point yet. However, with a ready-to-win roster and several veteran stars still without a playoff win this decade, the clock is ticking, and patience is wearing thin.

Justin Jefferson had a taste of a quarterback who allowed him to impact a game with his all-world abilities. Darnold connected with Jefferson for 103 receptions, 1,533 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns.

This year, Jefferson averaged a career-low 61.6 yards per game, a far cry from his previous 96.5-yard career average before the 2025 season. He also found the end zone just twice this season.

Jefferson was hindered by both McCarthy’s inexperience and the lack of depth in the quarterback room this past season. Jefferson will undoubtedly watch Darnold in the Super Bowl and wonder what could have been.

His satisfaction with his situation in Minnesota is the ultimate cultural barometer, and after this season, morale is at an all-time low under O’Connell. By next season’s end, the table may be set for serious organizational change.

Vikings Could Crater Team With Desperate QB Move. While Adofo-Mensah has maintained he wants to have a measured approach to roster-building, things change when jobs are on the line. That could prompt the Vikings to sell the farm to find a quarterback to save next season.

While names like Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are circulating in trade rumors, a deal to land a Tier 1 quarterback would only make sense for a team that is loaded with talented players on rookie contracts and could afford the sunk draft capital and hefty contract.

The Vikings are not that team. A byproduct of poor drafting over the years, the Vikings have found most of their difference-makers through free agency.

A tier below at quarterback could make sense if the price is right, but that comes with obvious limitations at the game’s most important position. Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa and Geno Smith would fit the bill.

Below that tier is making an upside bet on a former starter turned backup like Darnold was. Mac Jones is a name to consider who wouldn’t be a lock for the starting job but could compete with McCarthy this summer.