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Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
There have been a lot of people second-guessing the Minnesota Vikings\u2019 2025 offseason, specifically the decisions they made at quarterback<\/a>. Much of the criticism is fair, some isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n But in the end, it cost Kwesi Adofo-Mensah his job<\/a> as Vikings general manager. Since his firing, there have been a never-ending number of questions, rumors<\/a> and reports<\/a> circulating over how Kwesi was perceived by his colleagues, both in and outside the organization.<\/p>\n What we haven\u2019t heard anything about yet, however, is how the players felt the last two offseason, standing by as innocent bystanders while Kwesi \u2014 along with head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell and other higher ups \u2014 were making QB mistakes that would eventually sink their hopes of success in 2025?<\/p>\n MN Vikings players wanted to run it back with Sam Darnold<\/p>\n Thursday afternoon, on Super Bowl media row in San Francisco, Vikings running back Aaron Jones sat down at the \u201cNightcap<\/a>\u201d booth with former players turned media personalities, Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson.<\/p>\n There, he gave the outside world some insight into what many MN Vikings players were likely hoping for at the quarterback position, entering last offseason.<\/p>\n Spoiler alert: It wasn\u2019t JJ McCarthy.<\/p>\n #Vikings<\/a> RB Aaron Jones on how different the season would be if Sam Darnold was in Minnesota:<\/p>\n \u201cI felt like we had everything we needed (last year), but we are not GM\u2019s, that\u2019s outside of us. When you got a group of guys behind a QB, and he wants to stay somewhere, I think you\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/aKFHr6DsKa<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) February 5, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Sharpe: \u201cHow different do you feel believe your season would have been if [Sam Darnold] was still in your locker room?\u201d<\/p>\n Jones: \u201cLast year, we only lost to two teams, the Rams and two to the Lions. [Coming back in 2025] I felt like we had everything we needed, but we are not GM\u2019s, that\u2019s outside of us. When you got a group of guys behind a quarterback, and he wants to stay somewhere, I think you should try to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n Nightcap Show<\/a><\/p>\n Like many Vikings team leaders, Aaron Jones has done everything in his power<\/a> to shield JJ McCarthy from unneeded criticism much of the season. He\u2019s also taken every opportunity to gush about his young teammate.<\/p>\n When McCarthy walked into the huddle week one and gave the \u201cis there anywhere else you\u2019d rather be<\/a>\u201d speech, it was Aaron Jones who sang about it to media<\/a> immediately after the game.<\/p>\n Even earlier this week on media row, the 31-year-old veteran<\/a> has done other interviews where he has shown the utmost optimism for JJ\u2019s future.<\/p>\n \u201cWe feel like we have all the pieces we need. JJ (McCarthy) is going to continue to develop, and we’re just going to continue to get better. We were one game short, it\u2019s a lot of ball left out for us to play.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 #Vikings<\/a> RB Aaron Jonespic.twitter.com\/God4fxGqiG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) February 4, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n One day later, though, Jones pulled back the curtain and allowed fans\/media to see into what at least some of the leaders in Minnesota\u2019s locker room were hoping to see happen last offseason.<\/p>\n And clearly, they wanted to get the 2024 band back together to see if Sam Darnold could lead them on a deeper playoff runs his second time around. Unfortunately for all of us, that\u2019s now how reality played out.<\/p>\n Remember, we know the Wilfs talked to players, coaches and executives throughout the organization, before dismissing Kwesi last week. Is it possible they heard a much more in-depth version of what Jones told Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson on Thursday? Given how the offseason has unfolded so far, that wouldn\u2019t surprise me.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Aaron Jones Sr.<\/a> J.J. McCarthy<\/a> Sam Darnold<\/a> <\/p>\n More About:Minnesota Vikings<\/a><\/p>\n Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google. \t\t\t![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/google_preferred_source_badge.png\"){kind=icon}
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