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The Minnesota Vikings of the NFL has hired Ghana’s Kwesi Odofo Mensah as its new General Manager.
Kwesi Odofo Mensah before his appointment as the new general manager of the Minnesota Vikings was the Vice President of Cleveland Browns’ football operations
The NFL according to a report by Yahoo News is gaining diversity in its executive ranks with the hire of Kwesi Odofo Mensah as the new Minnesota Vikings’ general manager.
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His appointment to the high ranks of the NFL makes him the sixth Black NFL GM, joining his former boss Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns, Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins, Martin Mayhew of the Washington Football Team, Terry Fontenot of the Atlanta Falcons, and Brad Holmes of the Detroit Lions.
Kwesi Odofo-Mensah prior to his appointment has never played college or professional football unlike many other General Managers but his knowledge and background outside of football is what makes him fit for the job.
He is expected to sign a four-year deal worth 12 million dollars and his first and foremost assignment will be finding the team’s new head coach.
His ascension to his new role came after working under Berry as the Browns’ vice president of football operations for two years. Berry, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Harvard and played college football there, became the Browns’ GM two years ago today.
But Adofo-Mensah’s rise doesn’t come close to erasing the NFL’s problems with diversity on the sidelines or in its front offices. There are no Black majority owners among the NFL’s 32 ownership groups. Last week, it was reported that America’s richest Black man, Robert F. Smith, might have interest in buying the Denver Broncos.
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