RICK SPIELMAN
Game 687 | December 14, 2006 | Rick Spielman
Following the rapid and unexpected departure of Fran Foley, Spielman joined the Vikings as vice president of player personnel in May 2006. He held the same position with the Miami Dolphins in 2000 and was promoted to Dolphins general manager in 2004. He played collegiately at Southern Illinois and received his Master's Degree at Ohio State, where his younger brother, Chris, was an All-American linebacker.
Game 715 | May 8, 2008| Rick Spielman
It was a very active off-season for Spielman, the Vikings vice president of player personnel. The Vikings were without a first-round draft choice as a result of a major trade with Kansas City that brought defensive end Jared Allen to the Vikings. Allen led the NFL in sacks with 15.5 in 2007.
Game 791 | May 1, 2012 | Rick Spielman
Speaking just two days after the completion of the NFL draft, Vikings' General Manager Spielman said the team was pleased with its two first-round selections, offensive left tackle Matt Kalil from USC and Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. He also said that running back Adrian Peterson was ahead of schedule on his rehab from extensive knee surgery. He said the team, under the leadership of second year quarterback Christian Ponder, should be substantially improved from its 3-13 record in 2011.
Game 806 | May 7, 2013 | Rick Spielman
Just a week after the 2013 NFL draft, Vikings General Manager Spielman talked about draft-day maneuvers that led to the Vikings having three first-round picks that they used on defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd, defensive back Xavier Rhodes and wide receiver and return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson.
Game 825 | May 13, 2014 | Rick Spielman
Just five days after the start of the 2014 NFL Draft, Vikings General Manager Spielman discussed the team's draft-day strategy. With the ninth pick in the first round the Vikings selected Anthony Barr, who quickly became a starting linebacker. Later in the day Spielman made a deal with Seattle to secure the final and 32nd pick in the first round. He used that pick for Teddy Bridgewater who became a starter early in the season and led all NFL quarterbacks in most statistical categories.
Game 843 | May 7, 2015 | Rick Spielman
The Ohio native and father of the state's top-ranked high school football player, Spielman joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2006 and was promoted to General Manager in 2012. He talked to Dunkers about the drafting of Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes and UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks in the first two rounds of the draft the week before he appeared at Dunkers. He also focused on the significance of the return of running back Adrian Peterson and the maturing of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Later in the fall, his son, Eden Prairie's J.D. Spielman, verbally committed to play football at Nebraska.
Game 862 | May 4, 2016 | Rick Spielman
Less than a week after the 2016 NFL draft, Vikings General Manager Spielman talked about using the team's first-round selection on wide receiver Laquon Treadwell who finished his rookie season with just one catch for 15 yards. Spielman later was forced to give up a 2017 first-round pick for Sam Bradford who was needed to replace the injured Teddy Bridgewater.
(LtoR) Dave Mona, Eric Sugarman (physician), Rick Spielman, Chris Wright
Game 879 | May 2, 2017 | Rick Spielman
With the NFL draft just days earlier, Spielman talked about the challenges coming off an 8-8 season when more was expected from the Minnesota Vikings. Spielman mused because his first round choices this year were limited to the likes of Dunker members Dave Mona and Jerry Broeckert and former Viking Bob Lurtsema, he went right to the second round. Without the first-round draft choice he used to acquire quarterback Sam Bradford, Spielman said the team had high expectations that running back Dalvin Cook could quickly replace the recently departed Adrian Peterson. Cook, after a great start, suffered a torn ACL in the fourth game of the season and missed the remainder of the year. Spielman, talking about free agent signings, said he was pleased to have signed quarterback Case Keenum, not knowing that Keenum would perform brilliantly after taking over for the injured Bradford early in the season.
(LtoR) Dave Mona, Rick Spielman, Lester Bagley (physician), Pete Kostroski
Game 895 | May 1, 2018 | Rick Spielman
The Vikings had just taken defensive back Mike Hughes with the 30th selection in the first round. Spielman, in his seventh year as General Manager, said that head coach Mike Zimmer wanted to take an offensive lineman, but that the scouts really liked Hughes. Spielman said he was nervous when quarterbacks Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater all signed elsewhere before Kirk Cousins signed with the Vikings. "When did you decide to go with Minnesota," he asked Cousins. "I pretty much made up my mind when I was here for the Super Bowl," he said. "I wish you would have told me?" Spielman said.
(LtoR) Nancy Lindahl, Eric Sugarman (physician), Rick Spielman, Dave Mona
Game 912 | May 2, 2019 | Rick Spielman
In his 14th season with the Vikings, the team's general manager shared an overview of the previous week's NFL draft. He said 95 different Viking employees played a role in draft preparations and that the team's player database included some 8,180 names. He said the team knew it needed to improve its offensive line and was thrilled that center Garrett Bradbury was available with the 18th selection in the first round. Bradbury became an immediate starter.
(LtoR) Dave Mona, Rick Spielman, Steve LaCroix (physician), Lester Bagley
Game 935 | September 8, 2020 | Rick Spielman, Paul Allen
Rick Spielman joined the Vikings as vice president of player personnel in 2006 and became the team's general manager in 2012. In a conversation with Viking's play-by-play broadcaster Paul Allen, Spielman talked about the team's chances in the upcoming season. The team finished with a 7-9 record in a year in which no fans were allowed into U.S. Bank Stadium.
(LtoR) Row 1: Dave Mona; Row 2: Bob Hagan; Row 3: Lester Bagley (physician); Ross Levin, Mark Wilf; Row 4: Paul Allen (moderator), Rick Spielman
Game 950 | May 19, 2021 | Rick Spielman, Paul Allen
Spielman joined the Vikings 16 years ago and was in his 10th year as General Manager. He said that in advance of the draft the Vikings profiled 1,100 players and focused on 175. At the end of the 2021 season both Spielman and Head Coach Mike Zimmer were fired.
(LtoR) Top row: Lea B. Olsen, Rick Spielman, Paul Allen (moderator); Bottom row: Andrew Miller (physician), Dave Mona
Wikipedia: Rick Spielman
