Inside The Vikings

New York Jets hiring ex-Vikings GM Rick Spielman in advisory role

It's Spielman's first job with an NFL team since he was fired by the Vikings three years ago.
Will Ragatz|
Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings former general manager Rick Spielman on the CBS Sports set at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center.
Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings former general manager Rick Spielman on the CBS Sports set at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Rick Spielman is back in the NFL. The former Vikings general manager, who has done media work since being fired three years ago, is joining the New York Jets as a senior football advisor, he announced on his CBS Sports podcast.

Spielman was part of the search committee that helped the Jets make two critical hires this offseason in head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. Now he's joining the front office in an advisory role.

This is Spielman's first NFL job since the Vikings parted ways with him and Mike Zimmer after the 2021 season. He's been on the media side of things over the last three years, working with The 33rd Team, SiriusXM Radio, and CBS Sports, where he's hosted the "With The First Pick" podcast with Ryan Wilson.

The 62-year-old Spielman was with the Vikings from 2006 to '21, first as vice president of player personnel and then as GM beginning in 2012. He was a consistently strong drafter, finding numerous Pro Bowl talents over the years. Those included Adrian Peterson and Everson Griffen in his earlier days; players like Harrison Smith, Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter, and Stefon Diggs from 2012-15; and Dalvin Cook, Brian O'Neill, Justin Jefferson, and Christian Darrisaw towards the back end of his career.

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Spielman had some whiffs in the draft as well, most notably Laquon Treadwell in 2016. But on the whole, his record was quite strong in that area. It was a lack of success in free agency that hurt him the most. The Kirk Cousins move didn't take the Vikings over the top, and when the relationship between Spielman and Zimmer fell apart in the final years of their regime, it was an easy decision for Minnesota to move on.

Prior to his 16-year Vikings tenure, Spielman worked as a scout for the Lions and then an executive for the Bears and Dolphins. He'll bring over 30 years of NFL experience to the Jets' front office in 2025.

The Jets are coming off a 5-12 season and have a lot of roster questions to answer this offseason. Their 14-year playoff drought is the longest of any team in the big four North American men's sports leagues.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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