The Minnesota Vikings had a presser on Tuesday, and it was a doozy. As much as head coach Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah didn’t say much, they really said a lot.
It was a whole lot of not being committal to J.J. McCarthy being the starter in 2026. It was also a lot of driving the point home of a competitive QB room.
Thought it was typical “PR” speak from the faces of the organization, people can read between the lines.
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah helped add fuel to the fire when admitting the Vikings may have made some mistakes along the way.
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Admits Mistakes When Negotiating With QB Daniel Jones
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – DECEMBER 01: Daniel Jones #13 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after a game against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
A reporter asked if the Vikings were “overconfident” about Jones returning to the team in 2025. The words of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah were scribed by Sports Illustrated‘s Joe Nelson.
“I don’t want to say overconfidence, but I do think him being here was something that we kind of considered and thought would impact his decision. But ultimately, there are free agents, and to your point, learning lessons.
I think, execution-wise, you have to treat it as such. No matter what the conversation is or relationships are, free agents are free for a reason, and they’re allowed to vet all their options. Ultimately, we could’ve executed better around that.”
Daniel Jones, of course, ended up signing with the Indianapolis Colts before the 2025 season. Jones led the Colts to an 8-4 record before rupturing his Achilles in early December.
This would end up being the end of the Colts’ season as well. They dropped from 8-4 and fighting for the AFC’s #1 seed to out of the playoffs completely, finishing 8-9.
Adofo-Mensah Speaks on Keeping Daniel Jones for a Competitive Enviornment at QB
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 22: Daniel Jones #8 of the Minnesota Vikings and DK Metcalf #14 of the Seattle Seahawks speak following the game at Lumen Field on December 22, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Adofo-Mensah also opened up about how having Jones in the QB room to push J.J. McCarthy could’ve been beneficial for the Vikings as a whole.
“You’re trying to make sure that you don’t lock yourselves into what you did and thinking that it’s always right.
I always go back to the process and what we thought at the time. It’s easier to go and be revisionist and results-based, but going to really think through what we had at the time, I still understand why we did what we did. The results maybe didn’t play out the way we wanted them to, but ultimately, I think that at the end of the day, we could’ve executed better in certain places.”
Essentially, the Vikings wanted Daniel Jones back in order to push J.J. McCarthy. Jones decided to pick a destination with a clearer path to start, knowing the Vikings’ long-term investments were held up in the 22-year-old.
McCarthy’s play did not justify their decision. thus, the Vikings are again looking for QB stability heading into the 2026 off-season.
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