EAGAN, Minn. — The end of the 2025 Vikings season can be described as bittersweet.

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah each spoke to Twin Cities media members Tuesday morning, and they shared similar sentiments.

Watching playoff football games from one's home is disappointing after Minnesota met ample adversity and was eliminated from the postseason; there simultaneously is a sense of pride in having finished the season with a five-game win streak, despite it not being possible for the team to make the playoffs.

"This season was not, in any way, shape or form, what we planned or hoped for," O'Connell said, "but just the way they finished, the way they continue to fight, the way they stayed together and continue to strive for success through adversity, was impressive to watch. And so fortunate to be around the great group I get to be around.

"The same for our coaches. Total compliment to our coaching staff for helping to persevere through what was a difficult season at times and, ultimately, finishing the way we did, 5-0 down the stretch, shows a lot about those guys," O'Connell continued. "And most importantly, our players, our staff."

Adofo-Mensah called it "obviously disappointing" to be on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

"That's not the standard we set here for ourselves. It's not the standard we've set for our fans," he said. "At the same time, I have a great deal of respect for how the season finished.

"That's a great credit to K.O. and his staff, the core group of players that we've assembled in this locker room," Adofo-Mensah added. "We had a lot of things that showed flashes of the team we wanted to be, but ultimately we weren't consistent enough, and that's what we're going to try to do, find that consistency — find that ability to turn flash into reality over the course of a 17-game season to get us where we want to go."

Here are three other takeaways from O'Connell and Adofo-Mensah's respective press conferences. (Note: Vikings.com will feature a separate story focused on the team's quarterback approach in 2026.)

1. Mike Pettine retiring

O'Connell shared during his press conference that Assistant Head Coach Mike Pettine will be retiring.

Pettine spent the past four seasons in his role with Minnesota and also served as the outside linebackers coach in 2024 after stepping in to coach the position during the 2023 campaign.

Under Pettine's tutelage, Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel both received their first career Pro Bowl nods. Greenard (12 sacks) and Van Ginkel (11.5) finished tied for fifth and tied for eighth in sacks, respectively. They were the only duo league-wide to each have at least 11.5 sacks on the season.

"I wanted to make sure I highlighted the career of Mike Pettine," O'Connell said. "What a career he has had, and specifically for me, his impact on my football journey, both my time around him as a player, to him giving me the first opportunity to coach in this league, and then being a major, major part of our success over the four years we've had. Really, being the first person in this building when I first arrived back in 2022."

O'Connell was with the Jets as a QB in 2009 and 2010 during Pettine's time there as the defensive coordinator. In 2015, Pettine hired O'Connell as the Browns quarterbacks coach.

Pettine started his NFL tenure in 2002 as a Ravens coaching assistant (a role that included scouting Jared Allen in Pocatello, Idaho); he has held multiple positions with teams over the past two-plus decades, including serving as the Browns head coach in 2014 and 2015. O'Connell hired Pettine when he took the helm in Minnesota in 2022.

2. Outlook on Flores

Keeping on the topic of coaching staff, Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell each were also asked about Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores and whether he will remain with Minnesota moving forward.

O'Connell noted more than once that the organization has been "aggressive" in efforts to retain Flores while also respecting his opportunity to interview with other teams. (ESPN's Adam Schefter announced via X Tuesday that the Ravens had completed an interview with Flores for their head coach vacancy.)

"Flo' knows exactly how we feel about him, but at the same time, we want to be really supportive. I'm really excited for him," O'Connell said. "I think he's going to, for sure, talk to one team about their head coaching position. Would not be surprised at all if it ends up being multiple. I think he's more than deserving with everything he's brought to our organization over these past three years. It's been an awesome process to go back to when I first sat down with him, really talked about this vision and his impact and what it's inevitably ended up being. It's been a really positive thing for me. Our relationship is super strong.

"We're talking almost every day and just making sure he knows the intent of where we're at to have him as our defensive coordinator," O'Connell continued. "He's kept no secrets about his desire to stay here doing that role, as well. But I think it's important that he totally commits to going through this process, especially the head-coaching process, and putting his best foot forward — which I know he will."

O'Connell later added: "Based upon my conversations […] I have a lot of confidence we're going to be able to get something done with him as our defensive coordinator."

Adofo-Mensah acknowledged Flores' influence and impact on Minnesota's defense while noting how he would approach a transition at the defensive coordinator position if necessary.

"He is unique and he does have a unique play style," Adofo-Mensah said of Flores, "but if you really look down deep, what does Flo' value? Versatility, physicality — the things that matter in a deep, good defensive football [team] — setting edges, tackling, different things like that which everybody values. Flo' kind of takes those pieces and puts it together in an artwork that's different than most, but the core colors of the painting are, you know, a lot of people share those same things."

3. Darrisaw and the OL

Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings put a lot of effort last offseason into shoring up the interior offensive line. Then, only one addition (Will Fries) played through the season without injury.

Minnesota used 26 (26!!) offensive line combinations during the 2025 campaign.

"I think the lineup we thought we'd have played 83 snaps together? … That's not what I expected," Adofo-Mensah said. "I stand up here, partly, because I've been accountable my whole life, and I don't think you run from opportunities to get better; so I always want to make sure I'm doing that. But you can also point out context that might be an outlier — and what would it look like if they did have the ability to play together?

"It's something we're thinking about, and you're trying to make sure you don't let the outlier kind of thing rob you of the lesson," he added. "That's really how I would try and phrase it."

Adofo-Mensah was asked specifically about Christian Darrisaw, who returned this past season from an ACL tear but continued to experience setbacks. He noted "time is on our side" with Darrisaw now being more than a year removed from the initial injury.

"Another year of rehab, strengthening, things like that," the Vikings GM said. "But we've seen how important he has been to our play. So when we're addressing things in the draft or free agency, we have to be mindful of that."

Adofo-Mensah emphasized making sure the team has ample depth at the left tackle position.

"I don't want to say 'insurance,' but we're always trying to have a roster aspiration as a GM, that when that first guy goes out, the next guy comes in and is as good as [the starter]," he said. "Is that reality? No. But that's the mindset we've got to take, and that's a position we've probably got to be more mindful of."

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