Nolan Teasley: 'Special Opportunity' Awaits as New Vikings General Manager

Jun 03, 2026 at 02:45 PM

Writer & Editor

EAGAN, Minn. — In a way, Nolan Teasley has been preparing for this opportunity since childhood.

The new Vikings General Manager recalls fondly growing up in the small community of Ellensburg, Washington, where he and his older brother Levi regularly played football in the backyard or the family would gather to watch games.

A teenage Teasley shined on the gridiron, where even as a junior in high school he was once referred to by a local newspaper as an "analyst" who broke down the on-field results of upcoming opponents.

"I cannot remember a time I didn't love the game of football," Teasley told Vikings Entertainment Network's Tatum Everett Wednesday during a 1-on-1 interview.

After playing collegiately for a stint and graduating from Central Washington University in 2007, Teasley worked in marketing but never truly felt fulfilled — rather, he yearned to be back around the camaraderie created by football and directly apply his passion for the sport. He and his wife Morgan meticulously worked together to craft individual letters to the leadership of each NFL team, sending out 32 personalized notes over a three-year span.

Teasley had the chance in 2013 to join the Seahawks as an intern and eagerly embraced the ground-level position.

He took the ball and ran with it.

From working as a pro personnel scout, to then serving as Seattle's Assistant Director of Pro Scouting and the past five seasons as the Director of Pro Personnel, Teasley took on more and more responsibility under Seahawks General Manager John Schneider.

Ultimately, the path led him to Minnesota.

Teasley worked his way up the ranks in Seattle and garnered ample respect en route to his next stop.

He wasn't just looking for any opportunity, however. He waited for the right opportunity, underscoring "it was always going to take a special opportunity to leave a special place in Seattle."

He told Everett becoming the Vikings GM stood out to him and his family "every step of the way" as just that.

In an introductory press conference with Twin Cities media members as well as Vikings staff, Teasley — who has spent the entirety of his life residing in Washington state — stepped to the podium and took a deep breath, looking around the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center auditorium and across a sea of welcoming faces.

Reflection was evident in his expression.

"A lot of appreciation. A lot of gratitude," Teasley later described to Everett. "Just wanted to take a moment to kind of gather my thoughts and, honestly, it was a little bit surreal.

"I had aspirations of this role, so for it to come to fruition, it was something special," he said.

Teasley identified "intrigue" after an initial virtual interview for the position, followed an in-person visit to Minnesota that left him certain.

"That's when I realized — I think I called my wife that I night and was like, 'I want this job,' " he explained, smiling.

Teasley noted Owner/President Mark Wilf and Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf, as well as the entire Wilf family, as "strong leadership" whose reputation is well-revered around the NFL. He conveyed appreciation for the Wilfs' commitment to their employees and for the chance to work with Head Coach Kevin O'Connell, "who is an elevator."

"He's a leader of men," Teasley said of O'Connell. "He believes in supporting people and building culture. This is a premier coaching staff under Kevin that has been built in the National Football League."

Teasley added that Vikings Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski, whom himself had been a finalist for the GM opening, is an invaluable asset to leadership.

"He's the ultimate team player," Teasley said. "And Rob, I want you to know I cannot wait to work with you and learn from you as we move forward into the future."

The 42-year-old brings with him two Super Bowl wins: one as an intern with the Seahawks when they won Super Bowl XLVIII,; plus the Super Bowl LX victory in February that bookended his time with Seattle. He's learned valuable lessons from each experience, as well as from Seattle's loss in Super Bowl XLIX that immediately followed the previous season's Lombardi Trophy.

Teasley noted "going through transitions and builds and different iterations and variations of the Seattle Seahawks" between the pair of championships.

"I learned a lot of things along the way," he said. "I know we're going to face adversity here at times, but we'll ultimately work through it and find a way to succeed."

Building relationships and finding connection points with others is vital to his approach, said Teasley, who is grateful for the specific points of his career journey that lend themselves to understanding.

"I've been there. I've experienced it," he said. "Obviously you do things differently in different places, but I've had the opportunity to be an intern. I've done airport runs, I've scouted opponents, I've done school visits — so I can relate to people. I have empathy for the situation they're in, and it helps me drive the way I want to shape our processes so that people can work hard, work efficiently and ultimately have life balance.

"I don't need to be this out-front leader," Teasley later added. "I'm very comfortable in a support role, and that's kind of how I envision this role — ultimately supporting the head coach, supporting the operation as a whole and helping us achieve Coach O'Connell's vision."

Teasley naturally is taking the helm with philosophies of his own but plans to do a "listening tour," continuing in-depth conversations with others in the building and learn from those who have been here.

"You want to get to know people, [learn] what makes 'em tick," he said. "I want them to get to know me and ultimately just understand their strengths and put them in position to do what they do best as best as possible.

"They've had success here … and ultimately I think there's a collaboration that we can come to, an agreement of how we want to move forward together," Teasley said.

He doesn't anticipate deep difference of opinion, though, with a Vikings coaching and personnel staff who have built a culture and roster Teasley holds in high regard. In speaking with Everett of roster construction and the traits he looks for in players, Teasley topped his list with "people ultimately passionate about the game of football, and that drives their process."

"So they're doing what they need to do to be the best version of themselves once they get to the field," he said. "Then it's our job as an operation to support that and help them realize their potential."

In addition to valuing people and relationships, Teasley leans on a process-driven mentality that keeps him on track.

"I am pretty organized and structured, and I think that's the best way to go about it," he said. "I'm always curious, I always want to learn, and I think by having a process in place, that helps you achieve that."

Stepping into his new role is not a responsibility Teasley takes lightly. So while taking on the title of NFL GM fulfilled one aspect of his dreams, so many more lie ahead of him.

"[Today was] a special moment, and now the work begins," he said. "I'm ready to pivot, and the ultimately goal, really, is to bring a championship to the Minnesota Vikings."