Welcome to the All-Time Favorite Viking Team series. We’re going through and voting by position for your favorite Minnesota Vikings. We’ve completed the on the field portion and coaching, so now we’re at the front office. Today will be our General Manager and tomorrow will be our owners. Vote for your favorite GM/Triangle of Autority Corner below.
Bert Rose (1961-1963)
Team Record: 10-30-2 (26.2%)
Rose was the first GM of the team. Rose is credited with coming up with the team name and on September 17, 1960 it was official. The purple and gold colors represent the Univeristy of Washington, Rose’s alma mater. He resigned before the 1964 season after three losing seasons.
Jim Finks (1964-1973)
Team Record: 84-51-5 (61.8%) / 6-6 Playoffs (50%)
Finks is responsible for a lot of good years in Minnesota. He is credited for assembling the Purple People Eaters defense. He also hired Bud Grant as the 2nd Head Coach in team history. He both traded away and brought back Fran Tarkenton. Finks led the team to it’s first two Super Bowls and he joined the Chicago Bears as their GM in September of 1974. There was a disagreement over stock and the NFL requiring all owners to have an office. Some record books will give him credit for the Vikings and Bears 1974 seasons.
Mike Lynn (1975-1990)
Team Record: 130-110-2 (54.1%) / 7-9 Playoffs (43.8%)
Lynn rook over after Finks and held the role for 16 seasons. Hoowever, he wasn’t given final say of personnel until after Bud Grant retired. Lynn’s best work probably wasn’t personnel. He was credited for being a huge part of getting the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome built and bringing Super Bowl XXVI to Minnesota. He wisely negotiated a deal that gave him 10% of the luxury suite revenue at every event held at the stadium. He very unwisely was the GM who traded for Herschel Walker, thinking the team was one RB away from the Super Bowl.
Jeff Diamond (1991-1998)
Team Record: 79-49 (61.7%) / 2-6 Playoffs (25%)
Diamond made his way up from the PR department all the way to the GM from 1976 to 1991. He spent 8 seasons at the post and was named NFL Exeuctive of the Year after the 1998 season. Diamond left to be the President of the Tennessee Titans in 1999.
Rob Brzezinski (2002-2005)
Team Record: 32-32 (50%) / 1-1 Playoffs (50%)
Brzezinski is very much still employed with the team. He was key assistant to the Triangle of Authority structure that consisted of the Head Coach, VP of Player Personnel and Owner Zygi Wilf, from 2006-2012. After being “defacto GM” from 2002-2005. Rob Zombie, as he is known by some, is a cap guru. He was hired in 1993 by the Miami Dolphins as staff counsel and salary cap manager. He moved to the Vikings in 1999 for the Director of Football Ops. Hr remains with the team as Executive VP of Football Operations. He is considered to be one of the best salary cap experts in the league.
Rick Spielman (2006-2021)
Team Record: 132-123-2 (51.8%) / 3-6 Playoffs (33.3%)
Slick Rick was a fan of draft day deals. He was the VP of Player Personnel portion of the Triangle of Authoriy from 2006-2011 and the General Manager from 2012-2021. He was hired with Brad Childress and hired Leslie Frazier, and Mike Zimmer as his Head Coaches. Spielman seemed to be hit and miss. He had some excellent drafts followed by some big misses. QB and then OL at the end seemed to be his downfall. I loved and hated Spielman at the same time.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (2022-present)
Team Record: 34-17 (66.7%) / Playoffs 0-2
KAM inherited the Kirk Cousins contract and some aging high priced vets. He has completely transformed the roster in three years. The team is young and poised to make JJ McCarthy’s first 4 seasons a big success. The excitement around the team hasn’t been this high in a long time. Adofo-Mensah and HC Kevin O’Connell have a lot to do with that. His drafts haven’t been the best to start, but he has worked the free agent market nicely. JJ McCarthy along with this year’s draft class can start to change that narrative.
Head Coach – Bud Grant (1967-1983, 1985)
Defensive Coordinator – Brian Flores (2023-present)
Offensive Coordinator – Jerry Burns (1968-1985)
Defensive Tackles – Alan Page (1967-1978) & John Randle (1990-2000)
Defensive Ends – Carl Eller (1964-1978) & Jared Allen (2008-2013)
Safety – Harrison Smith (2012-present) & Paul Krause (1968-1979)
Cornerbacks – Antoine Winfield (2004-2012) & Bobby Bryant (1967-1980)
Outside Linebackers – Matt Blair (1974-1985) & Chad Greenway (2006-2016)
Inside Linebacker – Scott Studwell (1977-1990)
Kick Returner – Cordarelle Patterson (2013-2016)
Punter – Greg Coleman (1978-1987)
Kicker – Fred Cox (1963-1977)
Running Back – Adrian Peterson (2007-2016)
Quarterback – Fran Tarkenton (1961-1966, 1972-1978)
Wide Receivers – Randy Moss (1998-2004, 2010) & Cris Carter (1990-2001)
Tight Ends – Steve Jordan (1982-1994) & Jim Kleinsasser (1999-2011)
Offensive Tackles – Ron Yary (1968-1981) & Gary Zimmerman (1986-1992)
Offensive Guards – Randall McDaniel (1988-1999) & Steve Hutchinson (2006-2011)
Center – Mick Tingelhoff (1962-1978)
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