Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s decision to take paternity leave raised some eyebrows around the NFL, but it never played into the Vikings’ decision to fire him as general manager on Friday.
According to The Athletic, Adofo-Mensah’s use of a two-week paternity leave after the birth of his child in 2023 left some NFL executives and coaches in “disbelief.”
Adofo-Mensah missed two weeks of training camp meetings and practices, and he was working remotely during that time.
“Word of his time away from the team traveled quickly around the league. Among some rival executives and coaches, it was met with disbelief,” The Athletic reported.
“In an NFL culture where many players, coaches, and executives proudly acknowledge missing the births of their children, taking time away to care for a newborn and support a partner remains uncommon.”
However, while the report noted the reaction from other NFL executives and coaches, it also indicated that the Vikings had not had any issues with it.
In fact, it appeared that Adofo-Mensah had made it clear to the organization that he had made a “commitment” to his family before he had been hired by the Vikings.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini further addressed it in a post on X.
“There’s been a lot of conversation around Kwesi Adofo-Mensah taking paternity leave, largely because it’s still rare in the NFL,” she wrote. “But it’s important to note that the Minnesota Vikings supported him through the entire process and did not hold it against him in any way.
“This was a storyline outside of the building, not inside it.”
The paternity leave situation came back into the spotlight days after new Bills coach Joe Brady told reporters that his wife had given birth while he was coaching in a game.
“This job demands sacrifice. I’m calling you on the way to a game while you’re going into labor,” Brady said during his introductory press conference last week in Buffalo. “I find out after a game that you go through birth by yourself. This game takes away time, energy, and presence from you, and you’ve carried the weight that comes with this job so I can pursue my calling.”
Adofo-Mensah was fired from his role with the Vikings after going 43-25 over his four seasons.
