Vikings Down to Five Finalists in GM Search

Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Vikings are closing in on their next general manager.

The NFL Network is reporting that the Vikings have five in-person interviews scheduled for next week. Interim GM Rob Brzezinski is still being considered for the position, along with Reed Burckhardt of the Denver Broncos, Terrance Gray of the Buffalo Bills, John McKay of the Los Angeles Rams, and Nolan Teasley of the Seattle Seahawks. The Purple had been conducting initial interviews with candidates virtually over the last two weeks.

Three of the five finalists have ties to Minnesota. Brzezinski has been with the organization since 1999 and has served as executive vice president of football operations since 2014.

Ownership named him interim GM in January after firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah three weeks after the team’s 9-8 season ended. Burckhardt spent 13 years in the Vikings’ scouting department before joining Denver in 2022, where he was promoted to assistant GM last year.

Gray worked as a college scout for the Vikings from 2006 to 2016 before moving to Buffalo, where he is now assistant GM.

McKay and Teasley do not have prior Vikings experience but come from two of the league’s most successful front offices. McKay is in his 10th year with the Rams and worked alongside current Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell when O’Connell was Los Angeles’ offensive coordinator from 2020 to 2021. Teasley has been with Seattle since 2013 and currently serves as the No. 2 personnel executive for the reigning Super Bowl champions.

The Vikings originally requested first-round interviews with nine external candidates. Among those who did not advance: 49ers assistant GM RJ Gillen, Titans assistant GM Dave Ziegler, and Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew. Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander declined to interview.

A hire is expected sometime in June.