General manager John Lynch and the San Francisco 49ers certainly didn't mind the Minnesota Vikings' decision to part ways with their now-former GM, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, after he was originally hired there back in 2022.
Speaking from the NFL Scouting Combine, Lynch announced Adofo-Mensah had rejoined the staff; a second stint in the Bay Area after originally getting his start in the league with San Francisco in 2013, prior to Lynch, and staying with the 49ers through 2019 before accepting bigger jobs elsewhere.
49ers are welcoming back ex Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as a personnel executive, Lynch said.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) February 24, 2026
Indeed, the Niners should be happy to have an executive back in the building, one who helped carve out Lynch's first Super Bowl contender in 2019.
However, there's a bit of a caveat to the hire, and it's one that could go in several different ways.
Specifically regarding quarterback Mac Jones' future.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might have something to say about trading Mac Jones to Vikings
Adofo-Mensah's departure from Minnesota reportedly wasn't on very good terms, which could have a trickle-down effect on just how much the Vikings and 49ers engage in trade talks from this point onward.
Regarding Jones, specifically, Minnesota has been viewed as a potential hot suitor, especially in light of its own signal-caller, J.J. McCarthy, not exactly solidifying his role as a long-term starter.
That said, if the relationship between Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings grew to truly toxic levels, it might be much more difficult for San Francisco to convince the Norsemen of trading away key assets for Jones' services.
"Somebody would have to come with something fairly strong for us to consider," Lynch also said of trading Jones, which is understandable.
But Adofo-Mensah's arrival in the Bay Area might deter Minnesota just enough. Or, simultaneously as our friends over at The Viking Age suggested, the ousted former GM might have zero interest in trying to benefit a franchise that just fired him a few weeks ago.
True, both teams would consider what's in their best respective interests going forward, and former grudges rarely get in the way.
But they can get in the way every so often.