There are a lot of things to be frustrated about with the current state of the Minnesota Vikings. They fumbled a 2025 season that began with massive expectations a year ago in their first 12 games, and the last five games left the organization in a confusing state. They’re trying to build a championship roster while also playing for the present.
Since the lost season, fans have been quick to assess blame. But while former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was the initial fall guy, another section of the fanbase has begun to shift the blame to ownership.
Those screams got louder when the Pioneer Press’s Charley Walters speculated that the Wilf family could be ready to sell the team after having a budget-conscious free agency this spring. That rumor was quickly debunked by most beat writers who cover the team, but that may not have been received kindly by a fanbase that wants more.
To be honest, the Wilfs are good owners and spend everything they can to make the Vikings succeed. When it comes to their leadership style, they’re more in need of a retooling than a full-scale rebuild.
The evidence in favor of the Wilfs is everywhere. The Vikings were routinely ranked toward the top of the NFL Players Association report cards the past three seasons and second overall in the past year’s report card. The Wilfs earned sterling grades in everything from the quality of the team facilities to the treatment of families. They even built a small village around the TCO Performance Center to ensure fans and players have the best possible experience.
Those who were around during the Red McCombs era in the late ‘90s to early 2000s will tell you this is a stark contrast. The old team headquarters at Winter Park was falling apart. McCombs pinched every penny he could to make the team more sellable to a potential buyer. Rumors that the franchise would be moving to Los Angeles or San Antonio were an annual occurrence, and getting free agents to come to Minnesota was a tough sell.
Fast forward about 20 years, and the Wilfs still spend when necessary, most notably a contract to keep defensive coordinator Brian Flores around, reported at an average salary of $6 million. It’s also important to note that the Vikings spent the second-most cash in free agency ($269.5 million) a year ago, according to Spotrac, which doesn’t happen if ownership isn’t on board.
As a result, you never feel like ownership doesn’t care about the product on the field. But you do wonder where their priorities lie when it comes to winning a championship.
The Wilfs have the mandate that the Vikings remain “super competitive.” It’s part of the reason why they invest so much into their operations. But it can also be a detriment. It gives the impression that the Vikings would rather win 9 or 10 games and sneak into the playoffs than build a long-term winner.
The 2023 season is a glaring example. When Kirk Cousins went down with a torn Achilles, the Vikings had the chance to ride the wave toward the end of the season and select their franchise quarterback in the draft. While Kevin O’Connell coveted Drake Maye, the Vikings had won too many games to have that opportunity and had to settle for J.J. McCarthy when the New England Patriots declined to trade out of that pick.
The fallout from last season is another example. McCarthy shoulders some of the blame for how 2025 went. But the pressure coming from Sam Darnold’s success with the Seattle Seahawks caused some to wonder if ownership was driving the need for the five-game winning streak to close the season.
Minnesota’s decisions since that streak suggest it was an attempt to save jobs. But it’s also concerning that the offseason hasn’t aligned with the team making long-term decisions in free agency and the draft.
Spending a massive contract on Wan’Dale Robinson wasn’t going to get the Vikings over the hump. Still, it may have been a quick sugar high for fans who think the team is one big move away from winning a Super Bowl.
That’s where the problem lies. Dating back to 1998, Minnesota’s best seasons have come out of nowhere. Randy Moss, Daunte Culpepper, and Brett Favre were lightning in a bottle. Mike Zimmer’s defense and Case Keenum sparked them in 2017. The 2022 season had numerous fourth-quarter comebacks. The 2024 team feasted on a soft schedule.
There’s also the need for collaboration. It’s impossible for any fan to truly identify who they should be mad at when something goes wrong. As the Vikings look for their next GM, the question remains whether that person will really be in charge or just be football’s version of an Instacart driver that gets O’Connell what he needs.
Very little of this is the Wilfs’ fault, but it could be part of the reason why the Vikings have just three playoff wins since the purchase. It’s why some fans have visions of 9-8 seasons stuck in their heads when they hear the family wants to keep the team for multiple generations.
Changes need to be made. Maybe it’s a more authoritative general manager. Perhaps it’s allowing the head coach to execute a long-term plan. Maybe it’s just a matter of the Vikings finally breaking through on the field and showing the Wilfs grinning from ear to ear.
