Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Rejoins 49ers Front Office After Vikings Firing, John Lynch Says

Former Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is back with the San Francisco 49ers as a personnel executive, team general manager John Lynch said during a press conference with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, per Matt Barrows of NBC Sports Bay Area.

His official title will officially determined after the draft in late April, as relayed by ESPN's Nick Wagoner.

The 44-year-old Adofo-Mensah worked as San Francisco's manager of football research and development from 2013-2016 before being promoted to a director title for the 2017-2019 seasons. He then became the Cleveland Browns' vice president of football operations in 2020 and 2021 before leaving to be the Vikings' GM.

Adofo-Mensah worked four seasons in Minnesota, which went 43-25 with two playoff appearances during that span. The Vikings lost in the NFC Wild Card playoff round in 2022 and 2024.

Last year's team started 4-8 and was out of the playoff picture down the stretch, although a five-game win streak to end the season put Minnesota over .500 at 9-8.

Four week after the regular season ended, the Vikings parted ways with Adofo-Mensah.

The timing was curious to say the least. ESPN's Adam Schefter tried to provide an explanation for the parting of ways.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini and Alec Lewis also gave some insight.

"In 2022, Minnesota hired Adofo-Mensah as an outside-the-box, process-oriented thinker. The Vikings extended him last offseason, but Friday's move underscores the team's belief that it needs a new voice at the top of its football operations department alongside head coach Kevin O'Connell. Adofo-Mensah's firing follows an offseason that saw differences of opinion on free agency and trade acquisitions, team sources said.

"Misses in the NFL Draft played a large role in this decision. Only one of the 10 picks in Adofo-Mensah's first draft became a full-time starter, and only two remain with the team. The Vikings have hit on three other starters in receiver Jordan Addison, kicker Will Reichard and left guard Donovan Jackson over the past three years. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, edge rusher Dallas Turner, defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez and defensive back Jay Ward have all shown flashes, too. However, the franchise's ownership deemed the standard to be higher."

Adofo-Mensah didn't have to wait long at all to find a new job, however, and now he's back with the 49ers, who just went 12-5 and made the NFC Divisional round despite being significantly shorthanded on both sides of the ball throughout the year due to injury. San Francisco has the talent to remain competitive and strive for a Super Bowl, and now Adofo-Mensah is back in the mix to try to help the 49ers get there.