Rob Brzezinski enters his 29th season in the NFL and 23rd with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021. Brzezinski serves as Executive Vice President-Football Operations and provides the Vikings broad-based management expertise and the value of being one of the most experienced NFL executives in the modern (post 1992) Collective Bargaining Agreement era.
Brzezinski has been with teams that have finished .500 or better in 20 of his 28 NFL seasons and has been part of 13 playoff seasons.
The Vikings benefit from Brzezinski's extensive knowledge and strategic salary cap management and a philosophy that has aided in the retention of core players, the addition of key free agents and the overall talent and depth of the team. As the Vikings lead contract negotiator Brzezinski has negotiated contracts totaling more than $1 billion including high-profile contracts for players such as Randy Moss, Steve Hutchinson, Jared Allen, Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and Kirk Cousins. Brzezinski joined the Vikings in 1999 as Director of Football Administration and was promoted to Vice President of Football Administration in 2001. He was elevated to his current position as Executive Vice President-Football Operations in 2014.
Prior to joining the Vikings, Brzezinski spent 6 seasons (1993-98) with Miami where he rose to Staff Counsel/Salary Cap.
Brzezinski works closely with General Manager Rick Spielman and Head Coach Mike Zimmer on all football-related matters and strategic planning. Brzezinski's key responsibilities include salary cap management, negotiation of player contracts, football operations/administration and CBA compliance. Brzezinski also played a role in assisting to design the football space in U.S. Bank Stadium and Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center.
Brzezinski has extensive NFL management experience, has worked as the top football executive, and has experience in managing the business operations of an NFL franchise and, while in Minnesota, transformed a substantial salary cap deficit into a long-term competitive advantage. Brzezinski has had the privilege of working for some of the most successful and decorated head coaches in NFL history, including Don Shula, Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Green.
In 2004 Brzezinski was invited to participate in the NFL-Stanford Program for Managers at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, an NFL program to promote development of leaders within the League.
In Miami, Brzezinski assisted in managing business affairs, salary cap administration, player contract negotiations, operations and legal affairs. In his tenure, the Dolphins compiled a 55-41 regular-season record and made the playoffs four times.
Brzezinski earned degrees from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, a Juris Doctorate in 1995 and a Bachelor of Science in education in 1992. In addition, Brzezinski is a member of the Florida Bar. Brzezinski and his wife, Leah, who has earned a doctoral degree in education, have 5 children: Ki, Grace, Jae, Anna and Rose. The Brzezinski family, who reside in Edina, founded Arete Academy in 2014, a school in Minnesota dedicated to educating students who are twice exceptional and are active in the community raising awareness for adoption-related causes.
