The Wilf family is entering their 19th season as owners of the Vikings.
The franchise has had nine winning seasons, seven losing ones and two .500 finishes in that time. They also have won five NFC North titles, including last season under first-year coach Kevin O’Connell.
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Success in the playoffs has been another matter. The Vikings’ loss to the New York Giants in the opening round last season dropped Minnesota’s playoff record to 3-7 since the Wilfs took over in 2005. That includes losses to the Saints and Eagles in the 2009 and 2017 NFC title games, respectively.
So how does co-owner Mark Wilf feel about this team?
“Certainly, very exciting,” he said of the upcoming season. “Traditionally, we’ve always have high expectations, but I can tell you we remain really confident in our leadership here. Coach O’Connell and Kwesi (Adofo-Mensah, the team’s general manager) have really set a great culture here and we’re fully supportive of it and excited to see how now in the second season it’s really taken hold here. The players have taken it on and I think there’s a great energy about us.”
The Vikings co-owner talked about Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson’s contract situations, expanded on his expectations for the team and also discussed plans to honor the late Bud Grant on Thursday.
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The Vikings have star wide receiver Justin Jefferson under contract for two more seasons but he became eligible for a lucrative extension this offseason and dialogue between Jefferson’s representative and the Vikings has begun.
Wilf called Jefferson “a special person,” adding, “we’re excited for the future with Justin Jefferson. I think any team would say that and certainly we’re very happy to be the ones that have him on our roster.”
While the Wilfs might not ordinarily get involved in contract talks, Jefferson’s will be unique because it is likely to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Wilf acknowledged “it’s fair to say” ownership will be involved in the contract talks.
“Certainly Kwesi and Rob Brzezinski (the Vikings’ salary cap boss) and coach, everyone’s working together on the contract,” Wilf said, “but we’re certainly aware of it with the magnitude of this one. And in general we’re certainly aware, certainly involved and Justin Jefferson, we want him to stay as a Minnesota Viking.”
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Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is being allowed to play in the final season of his contract for the first time since joining the Vikings in 2018.
Wilf, asked if he wants Cousins around past 2023, said: “We’ll leave that to Kwesi and coach to work through those discussions. There are always conversations and that but our real focus is 100 percent on 2023 and getting where we need to be and to where I know we can be.”
As for the present, Wilf, not surprisingly, expressed confidence in the veteran.
“We feel great about the quarterback situation,” he said. “Kirk’s an outstanding leader, he’s led this team incredibly these past few years and we’re looking for great things from him in 2023. I know there’s discussions all the time on all of these topics, especiall