The Minnesota Vikings fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday, January 30th, after four years’ worth of poor drafts and one offseason of atrocious quarterback decision-making. Fast forward to late April, and the club has begun its search for a replacement. The caveat? It’s a closed search; the team will not announce any general manager candidates.

The Wilfs want a full search, albeit secretive, yet the strongest candidate might already be running the building.

It’s an odd twist for a team that is usually pretty damn transparent.

Rob Brzezinski Has the Inside Track After the Draft

Curious about the Vikings’ GM wishlist? You’re out of luck.

The Search Begins — But Don’t Ask Who’s Involved

Mark and Zygi Wilf, the team’s longtime owners, released the following statement on Wednesday:

With the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, our search for the next general manager of the Minnesota Vikings is underway. This will be a thorough and deliberate process led by ownership, with support from a small internal advisory committee of senior leaders.

We have also engaged respected firm TurnkeyZRG to assist in conducting a wide-ranging search that includes experienced football executives, emerging candidates and individuals with diverse professional backgrounds. Our focus is to identify a decisive leader with a clear vision for team building, strong communication skills and the ability to build alignment across an organization.

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Out of respect for all involved, we do not intend to publicly announce candidates and will provide further comment when the search is complete.

This basically means that one day soon, the Vikings will declare a new general manager, and unlike the 2022 process, no contenders will be made public.

Brzezinski as the Frontrunner

While the process of scouting a new general manager will be extensive, the interim candidate, Brzezinski, just has to be the frontrunner. He formally expressed interest in the big job this week, and he has run the show for three months. There have been no major blunders, and Brzezinski’s brief time in the saddle has been highlighted by the signing of Kyler Murray and onboarding a mostly impressive draft class, at least by a few-days-after standards.

Brzezinski has worked for the Vikings for 27 years. He knows everything about the enterprise and is willing to work within the team’s existing structure, in addition to collaborating with Kevin O’Connell.

Minnesota may ultimately hire an outsider, but Brzezinski should be considered the favorite.

The Theoretical Outside Candidates

Of course, the whole premise of this article is that fans won’t know the candidates’ identities, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from speculating on Adofo-Mensah’s replacement since January 30th.

Along with Brzezinski, the following list can be considered a reasonable group of possible applicants:

• Alec Halaby (PHI)
• Andy Weidl (PIT)
• Ed Dodds (IND)
• George Paton (DEN
• John McKay (LAR)
• Matt Berry (SEA)
• Ryan Cowden (NE)
• Trent Kirchner (SEA)

And that batch will just have to do for curious minds because outside of leaks, the Wilfs don’t want the process to be overly public.

The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis noted on Dodds this week, “Dodds is one of the most deserving options if the Vikings want to go the experienced scout route. For years, his name has surfaced in these GM conversations. He interviewed with the Detroit Lions in 2021, then the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024.”

“Last year, the Tennessee Titans considered him for the role that ultimately went to Mike Borgonzi. The Texas native started with the Raiders. His career took off with the Seattle Seahawks, where he focused on college scouting. Tape and relationships guide his opinions. Other longtime NFL scouts believe he deserves an opportunity.”

GM Can’t Pick the Head Coach

There’s one awkward aspect of this search and perhaps another reason why Brzezinski leads the pack: the new general manager won’t be hiring a head coach. That part is done. It’s O’Connell.

Almost every new general manager has a first order of business: hiring a head coach — the guy who will determine if his football team is any good and bring his free-agent and draft decisions to fruition. In Minnesota, at least for another season, O’Connell is the head coach, and he’s not going anywhere.

NBC Sports‘ Mike Florio on the process: “The overriding question is whether coach Kevin O’Connell will emerge from the process with greater influence over the roster. That will make the specific terms of the G.M. job critical — and it will potentially impact Minnesota’s ability to interview and hire candidates under contract with other teams.”

So, whether it’s Brzezinski or a newcomer, O’Connell remains a fixture of the Vikings and probably the more important of them all. The new general manager cannot waltz into his new office and fire O’Connell. That’s off-limits.

Building a golf brand from scratch is nearly impossible.

It just is.

You aren’t just fighting a headwind of well-established juggernauts that have dominated the turf for decades; you’re tasked with the ethereal challenge of soul-building. Beyond the clubs, you have to answer the hardest questions in branding: What are you actually about? Who are you speaking to? Who are you?

This week, McLaren Racing — in collaboration with 8AM Golf, GOLF.com’s parent company — officially launched McLaren Golf, smartly timed with the PGA Tour (Cadillac Championship) and Formula 1 (Miami Grand Prix) converging in South Florida.

The ethos of McLaren Racing is “Forever Forward,” a mantra that leaves nothing to the imagination. It screams innovation, excellence and a refusal to settle for second place — and McLaren has a track record (literally) that proves the motto isn’t bluster. In 2025, with the help of star driver Lando Norris, McLaren Racing landed atop the F1 podium at year’s end. Not only was the triumph a massive step in taking down Red Bull but it also planted McLaren as a $5 billion sports-marketing giant.

The graveyard of luxury icons

When it comes to luxury brands swooping into golf-club engineering, we have seen this movie before — and usually it ends on the clearance rack. Porsche Design tried its hand with the “902” series; the clubs were beautifully crafted but struggled to find a home in the bags of serious sticks. In 2012, Ferrari teamed with Cobra on a $2,000 driver that looked like it belonged in a museum but lacked the “everyday” playability the market demanded. Even Fila made a run at golf in the mid-to-late 90s (licensing deal via Renaissance Golf), proving that lifestyle prestige doesn’t always translate to consumer excitement.

The golf equipment ecosystem is built on innovation — new tech, AI and PhDs in aerodynamics. How do you start a golf company and ensure it’s up to the standards that the McLaren is known for?

With the right people.

The team behind McLaren Golf

I’ll admit, I was skeptical when I first got wind of the McLaren news early in 2025. It’s not easy having a 9-million-pound gorilla like McLaren looking over your shoulder. But then I heard who was captaining the ship: Neil Howie.

My old friend and former president of Callaway Europe is exactly who you would want at the helm. Neil could play the role of MI6 chief in a “Bond” film — he’s a seasoned, eloquent executive who guided Callaway through both big-time success and choppy waters. It takes someone who has experienced the ups and downs of this industry to have the perspective and expertise for a project like this.

I was keen to understand where Neil’s head was at after months of grinding.

“Anything like this will always start with four main things,” he told me. “For one, you have to assemble a great team of people. Without that you can’t really execute something exceptional. In our case we were fortunate enough to gain interest from some very bright folks from other big OEMs in multiple departments. I think the idea of a small crew, nimble business model and the energy and push of a startup is so important. Add to that it being the McLaren brand, we literally had no limitations in terms of where we could go. I recall a meeting where someone asked, ‘Does the shaft have to be round?’ It may sound crazy to some, but to me that’s the question of a company that will stop at nothing to innovate. Secondly, the product has to be relevant, unique and, in this case, in harmony with the McLaren brand. We couldn’t just make a club. This is their first endeavor off of four wheels, and the responsibility to exceed expectations was always top of mind. I truly believe our first throw into the market, although small in footprint, is proper.

“Tour validation via Justin Rose, who’s in this as a business partner, not a paid ambassador, [along with] the likes of Ian Poulter and Michelle Wie, gave us a great base line. These are three players with very discerning pallets for golf clubs and all brutally honest in terms of feedback. Our R&D team had no choice but to listen, respond and push each other to get this right. 

“Last bit honestly is the full backing and support from McLaren. This is not some random licensing deal, it’s a partnership, a real business, and trust me when I tell you that this is not a hobby for them. They take it seriously and push us to think beyond the normal. That type of ethos is what can get an old dog like me out of a very happy retirement. I’m having the time of my life at the moment. Never had so much excitement and confidence under the gun like this, and this is just the opening number. We got much more coming. Very fun times.”

The “Honma” elephant in the room

Skeptics will try to “Honma” this story to death (i.e., refer back to Rose’s short-lived experiment with Honma clubs). Given Rose’s history, I understand the sentiment, but this isn’t that. At all.

So, yes, starting a brand like this starts with great idea and then the people. Then you execute and run (or drive) as fast as you can.

I asked head designer JP Harrington if this project carries new forms of pressure.

“I try not to think about the outcomes of success and failure,” he said. “If I feel it in my bones, I do it. I’m not here to sell ketchup popsicles to women in white gloves. I just want to make a difference.”

Sounds like a fun gig to me.

On April 29, 2026, BTS shared a reel on their official Instagram account featuring V aka Kim Taehyung and Jungkook backstage during their ongoing ARIRANG World Tour. In the video, the two members were seen smiling as they performed their long-standing signature handshake, while other members could be heard in the background laughing and questioning how they still remembered it.

The handshake was a recurring gesture between the duo since the early years of BTS’s career when both members were still very young. It appeared across various times in the past, during interviews, award shows, concert stages and behind-the-scenes content.

However, the recent reel was the first clear instance of the handshake being recreated on an official platform following the group’s 2022 hiatus due to military enlistments. A similar moment had also taken place recently during Day 1 of the Arirang World Tour concert in Tampa, where Taehyung and Jungkook performed another version of the handshake. Fancam footage of that interaction circulated widely across social media platforms.

The recent Instagram upload prompted emotional reactions from fans, particularly long-time followers of the group. Fans kept circulating the clip across platforms, creating edits that paired the recent moment with older footage of the same handshake from past appearances.

Several edits used the tack Into the Sun from BTS’s latest album ARIRANG, compiling clips of the duo performing the gesture across different periods, including the newly released reel. Moved by the interaction, many noted the continuity of the duo’s bond despite the passage of time and the four-year hiatus. Referencing the duo using their fan-given portmanteau nickname ‘Taekook’ one fan commented,

“My Taekook heart”

Fans continued to appreciate the connection between BTS’s two youngest members, noting that their bond remained unchanged over time.

Some fans focused on the moment itself, saying it was special to see the handshake again after such a long time. Others remarked that V and Jungkook might still be doing it even decades later.

BTS draw 190,000 fans as Tampa shows sell out, wrap first U.S. tour stop in four years

BTS concluded the Tampa stop of their North American tour with three concerts held on April 25, 26, and 28. The shows were the group’s first return to U.S. stages in nearly four years. All of the three nights were performed to full-capacity crowds, drawing a combined audience of approximately 190,000, with tickets sold out ahead of time.

The concerts began with Hooligan from their latest album ARIRANG. The setlist combined newer releases with some of their widely recognized tracks. Songs performed across the shows included Aliens, Run BTS, Like Animals, Body To Body, Not Today, Fire, Idol, Butter and Dynamite, among others. The lineup of songs remained largely unchanged throughout the three days.

Each concert also included a “random song” segment. During this portion, the group performed tracks that were not part of the main setlist. Across the Tampa shows, these included Permission to Dance, Magic Shop, Boy with Luv, Pied Piper, Life Goes On and Silver Spoon.

Following their Tampa performances, BTS are scheduled to continue the tour at Sun Bowl Stadium on May 2 and 3. The North American leg of the tour consists of 31 shows across 12 cities, all of which are reportedly sold out. The tour is expected to extend further, with more than 80 performances planned across regions such as Asia and Europe.