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The newly appointed GM helped construct two Super Bowl-winning rosters while he was in Seattle.
EAGAN, Minn. — For new Minnesota Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley, the goal is simple.
"We're going to build the deepest, most competitive roster possible so that we can be at our best in December and January and February, and ultimately working toward winning the Super Bowl that this fan base deserves," Teasley said Wednesday morning during his introductory press conference at TCO Performance Center.
The Vikings have a solid core of talent, beginning with perennial All-Pro and 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson, but Teasley also spoke about the coaching staff and their ability to help achieve those goals.
"We're going to develop a shared language that drives how we evaluate and how we operate in working toward building a champion on a day-to-day basis, and most importantly, I'm going to provide the support system that (head coach) Kevin O'Connell needs to bring his vision for this team to life," Teasley said.
The newly named GM said he's admired O'Connell, calling him a "premier head coach" and a "leader of men."
"He believes in supporting people and building culture," Teasley said. "This is a premier coaching staff under Kevin."
Teasley knows a thing or two about successful coaching staffs. He spent the past 13 seasons with the Seahawks, and helped construct two Super Bowl-winning rosters, most recently in February when Seattle defeated New England 29-13.
He started as a scouting intern in 2013 before spending the next three seasons as a pro personnel scout. He worked his way up to director of pro personnel before being tapped as the assistant general manager in 2023.
"He has a strong understanding of talent evaluation at both the collegiate and professional levels, is adept at building a consistently competitive roster, and brings a disciplined, process-driven approach to this job," said Vikings owner/president Mark Wilf. "He understands schematics and player traits at a high level, and that knowledge quickly earns him credibility with each coaching staff."
Teasley is joining the Vikings at a unique time. Most teams have their general managers in place early in the calendar so they can be in place for free agency and the NFL Draft. However, Minnesota didn't cut ties with former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah until late January, and went through the early stages of free agency with executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski at the helm. Wild says Berzinski will remain with the Vikings as part of their football operations.
"Kudos to Rob and the effort he led this past few months, getting our draft process and collaboration working well in the building," Wilf said. "Right now we have Nolan, and I think that's an incredible piece to our puzzle."
