Vikings' Return to 'Triangle of Authority' Brings Both Upside and Risk

The Vikings appear to be going back to their infamous "Triangle of Authority" structure of leadership. This time, they're hoping the approach yields better results.

That's the name that was given to the Vikings' power structure in the late 2000s, when decision-making authority was split between VP of player personnel Rick Spielman, VP of football administration Rob Brzezinski, and head coach Brad Childress (and then Leslie Frazier). Under that trio, the Vikings won two division titles and fell just short of a Super Bowl appearance in 2009 before coming unraveled with disastrous seasons in 2010 and '11.

On Monday, the Vikings officially announced the hire of former Seahawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley as their new general manager, confirming the reports that emerged on Saturday. In the team's press release/official story, they made it clear that Teasley will be working hand-in-hand with head coach Kevin O'Connell and Brzezinski, who was a candidate for the GM job but will instead return to his previous role as EVP of football operations.

"Putting Nolan together with Kevin O'Connell and Rob Brzezinski gives us three strong leaders with complementary skillsets," said owner and president Mark Wilf.

"We are confident this dynamic structure of Nolan, Kevin and Rob is the best outcome for the Minnesota Vikings," said owner and chairman Zygi Wilf.

Each of Teasley, O'Connell, and Brzezinski was also quoted as looking forward to working with the other two.

It certainly could work. There's a lot to like about what all three leaders bring to the table in their different roles. O'Connell has established himself as a high-level head coach in the NFL, even if he's still searching for his first playoff victory. He has a combination of leadership skills and offensive football acumen that's hard to find. Teasley was a big part of the Seahawks' recent success and comes with rave reviews from those who worked with him in Seattle. Brzezinski, who has been with the Vikings for almost 30 years, is one of the best salary cap gurus in the league.

Kevin O'Connell | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

But even if the upside of this trio is immense, it cannot be ignored that going down this route comes with some degree of risk. The Vikings are banking on Teasley, O'Connell, and Brzezinski working well together and establishing consensus as they make decisions. If there's any question about who has the final say, the possibility of tension or discord will exist, especially in times of adversity. Indications are that Teasley and O'Connell will both report directly to the Wilfs, who obviously have a long-standing relationship with Brzezinski.

It's true that all NFL teams have a GM and a head coach and someone else with a significant leadership position in the front office. But in most cases, there's no doubt that the GM is the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to the roster. At least so far, there's been no clear indication that Teasley will have that power. It'll be interesting to see what gets said on that front at his introductory press conference in Minnesota on Wednesday morning.

O'Connell, even though he's only been with the Vikings for four years, seems to have more power and influence than the typical head coach. His role in personnel decisions rose throughout his time paired with former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. This spring, as the Vikings went through their offseason without a traditional GM, O'Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores were heavily involved in roster construction alongside Brzezinski, who served as the interim GM. O'Connell was also a big part of the search that led the Vikings to Teasley.

Because he comes from a traditional scouting background and has earned his stripes in the NFL, Teasley projects as a smoother fit within the Vikings' existing structure than Adofo-Mensah did. According to various reports, Adofo-Mensah's firing was least partially driven by friction between him and other key members of the organization. His analytics-based, non-football background may have contributed to those dynamics.

Again, it's not too difficult to envision the trio of Teasley, O'Connell, and Brzezinski complementing each other wonderfully and leading the Vikings to new heights in the years to come. But real questions also exist about whether or not the triangle is the ideal NFL structure. The Wilfs, who have been down this road before, believe it is. The Vikings' success for the rest of the decade hinges on them being right.

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