On the eve of Super Bowl week, there are some regrets for the Vikings’ general manager.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah detailed some long sleepless nights when thinking about why he let Sam Darnold walk in free agency last offseason.
“You spend a lot of those nights, obviously, you’re up in these decisions, and they’re uncertain,” Adofo-Mensah told reporters Thursday.
“You’re trying to make sure you don’t lock yourself into what you did and thinking that it’s always right. 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 at the end of the day we could have executed in certain places.”
The admission by Adofo-Mensah was an intriguing one as the Vikings opted to go with 2024 first-round pick JJ McCarthy at quarterback last season and let Darnold walk in free agency after leading Minnesota to a 14-3 season.
Darnold then signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks after they traded Geno Smith — and he is now playing in the Super Bowl.
“So, there are nights you wake up and stare at the ceiling and ask yourself … I always go back to the process and what we thought at the time. It’s easier to kind of go and be revisionist and result-based,’ Adofo-Mensah said.
Minnesota went 9-8 this past season with McCarthy, who struggled for most of the season, a major step back after Darnold had them in contention for the NFC’s No. 1 seed last year and secured a playoff berth.
Darnold posted 346 yards and three touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 31-27 NFC Championship win over the Rams last weekend.
He is the first quarterback from the star-studded class of 2018 to make the Super Bowl, beating the likes of Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Baker Mayfield despite an uninspiring start to his career.
Darnold was selected No. 3 overall by the Jets in that class yet is known more for seeing “ghosts” and is considered a Gang Green bust.
“He just shut a lot of people up,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald postgame after the Seahawks beat the Rams. “Really happy for him.”
The Vikings head into the offseason reeling for answers as McCarthy did not work in his second year in the league after he dealt with knee surgery as a rookie.
Minnesota reportedly also considered signing Aaron Rodgers this past year, but stuck with McCarthy while Rodgers led the Steelers to a playoff berth.
McCarthy threw for 1,632 yards plus 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 10 games.