Inside The Vikings

Vikings owner Wilf: No contract extension talks for O'Connell, Adofo-Mensah yet

Kevin and Kwesi are heading into year three of four-year deals.
Will Ragatz|
Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell (left) and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah react during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Allegiant Stadium.
Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell (left) and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah react during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Allegiant Stadium. | Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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Minnesota Vikings

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell, hired together in 2022, are in year three of four-year contracts. There won't be any talks about potential extensions for either one until after the upcoming football season, team owner and president Mark Wilf said on Tuesday.

"We’re focused on the season ahead," Wilf said. He made it clear that he likes the direction the Vikings are headed in under their current leadership, and that he has high expectations for the 2024 campaign.

Presumably, a successful year could put both Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell in line for extensions next offseason. What does that look like, given the context that the Vikings' projected win total is just 6.5 at most sportsbooks? If Minnesota even flirts with the playoffs this season — either due to a big year from Sam Darnold or some flashes from J.J. McCarthy — ownership would likely feel good about the long-term future heading into 2025. They've already approved big-money contract extensions for stars like Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, and T.J. Hockenson.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, O'Connell said he isn't thinking about his contract situation at all. He's too focused on preparing his team for the season.

"I've took some questions from this group about what I've learned since day one on this job, and I can tell you, the one thing is you do not have time, energy, or anything like that to worry about things that are outside of your control," O'Connell said. "I've got a full-time gig here where I've gotta focus on these players, these coaches, and making sure we're having ourselves the best training camp we've ever had here, which will hopefully lead into a successful season.

"I'm very much focused on the task at hand and doing my job every single day, looking for any way I can be better for this organization and this team."

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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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