The Minnesota Vikings reportedly liked what they saw in their first interview with Kansas City Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles. NFL reporter Aaron Wilson posted on Wednesday, per a league source, that Poles had an “impressive” interview with the Vikings for the general manager job.
The 36-year-old executive would no doubt bring a breath of fresh air for a situation in Minnesota that was starting to get a bit stale.
Rick Spielman was the acting GM for the Vikings for a decade, while Mike Zimmer served as head coach for eight years. On one hand, it’s great to see ownership value stability over kneejerk reactions that would keep the team in a constant state of disarray.
But at the end of the day, the Vikings also have to win football games for people to keep their jobs. They haven’t made the playoffs in the previous two seasons, and they’ve only had three appearances and two playoff wins in Zimmer’s entire time with the team.
Considering the incredible talent on the roster, there are expectations for the team to perform and compete at a high level. Poles is the kind of guy with enough scouting and front office experience to breathe a little life into the organization.
Apparently, the Vikings weren’t the only team left feeling impressed because the New York Giants have already invited him back for a second interview. If Poles really is the right guy for Minnesota, the Vikings might not have as long as they hoped to make a decision.