Vikings owner Mark Wilf wants to bring NFL Draft to Minnesota

Vikings owner Mark Wilf wants NFL Draft in Minnesota [RAW]

Vikings owner Mark Wilf spoke with reporters on Wednesday from training camp at TCO Performance Center on a number of topics. He said he wants to bring the NFL Draft to Minnesota.

EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf spoke with reporters at TCO Performance Center on Wednesday as the team continues training camp.

Among the highlights of his 13-minute news conference was talking about the NFL Draft. He wants the Vikings and Minnesota to be a host for one of the biggest events in sports in the not-too-distant future.

NFL Draft in Minnesota?

Local perspective:

Now held in late April, the 2025 NFL Draft was hosted by the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. If the Vikings were to host it, the next slot open is in 2028. The 2026 NFL Draft will be in Pittsburgh, and it’s headed to Washington, D.C. in 2027.

The process of selecting a draft site is determined by cities submitting bids. It’s then reviewed and voted on by all 32 NFL owners, Wilf included. Minneapolis has shown it’s capable, between hosting the Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four among many big events.

"We certainly have been working with the Minnesota events group and the NFL to put our community out there to make sure we can get a draft," Wilf said. "We’ve shown we can do big events. It’ll be an outstanding venue when we get it, we’re working very hard to get it here."

Keeping Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O’Connell

Why you should care:

It didn’t take long for the Wilf ownership family to decide it wanted to keep Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in Minnesota long-term. Shortly after the Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs, the Vikings and O’Connell agreed to a multi-year extension. Despite being 0-2 in the playoffs, O’Connell is 34-19 in three seasons. This was set to be the final year of his current contract.

Same goes for Adofo-Mensah, who agreed to a long-term extension with the Vikings at the end of May.

"Our entire football leadership has proven to us they’re the right group to bring us forward," Wilf said.

Honoring Jim Marshall

What's next:

Wilf said Wednesday the Vikings have plans to honor Jim Marshall, a member of the "Purple People Eaters," who died last month at the age of 87 after a lengthy hospitalization. He spent 19 seasons with the Vikings.

Wilf said the team will honor Marshall with a helmet decal this season. They also have plans to recognize him in September during Legends Weekend, when the Vikings host the Cincinnati Bengals Sept. 21 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

"In our minds, he was the greatest captain in NFL history. There’s no question he also belongs in the Hall of Fame," Wilf said.