The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone through what will probably be one of the more stressful parts of the offseason as the organization has found and hired a new head coach in Mike McCarthy. However, the rest of the coaching staff is still being filled out and the franchise is trying to figure out the best way to attack free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. Drafting well is one of the most important things for an organization as it is a key to winning to draft players who can become immediate contributors while they are on their rookie contracts. This allows the team to spend elsewhere and improve other areas of the roster.
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Steelers assistant general Manager, Andy Weidl sits at the podium as he speaks to members of the local and national media.
A big part of the draft process for Pittsburgh is Assistant General Manager Andy Weidl. He has a strong scouting background and he is well-respected around the league for his work with the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a vital piece for two Super Bowls at both of those stops, and now he is trying to do the same in Pittsburgh. The Steelers might have trouble hanging on to him though, as he seems to always be a top candidate for open general manager jobs around the league.
The Minnesota Vikings currently have an opening at general manager after firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and beat-writer Alec Lewis of The Athletic had Weidl listed as a top target for the franchise.
"The Vikings would love to replicate the Philadelphia Eagles’ recent success," Lewis wrote. "Weidl spent six seasons with Philadelphia under General Manager Howie Roseman. He is well thought of throughout the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers poached him in 2022 with the intention of creating an evaluation process similar to what the Eagles have built."
Weidl's experience with scouting has him lauded around the league, and his experience with the Eagles specifically has organization's wanting to bring him in. He most recently interviewed for the general manager vacancy with the Atlanta Falcons, but he did not land the job as Ian Cunningham was named the new general manager in Atlanta this week.
Steelers.com
Steelers' Andy Weidl speaks to members of the media.
Lewis' article listed 10 candidates for the job, and Weidl was listed towards the end. Hopefully, that represents how the organization feels and there are several other names the Vikings would rather land. Weidl is a great assistant general manager and he deserves to be promoted one day, but he needs to spend some more time in Pittsburgh first for the Steelers to truly prosper.
The good news for Steelers fans is that the Vikings are not conducting a search for a new general manager until after the 2026 NFL Draft. The organization is prioritizing scouting and free agency before worrying about interviewing executives from around the league, which is probably the best way to go about things. This means even if Weidl were to land the job, he would still have one more draft in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have had successful drafts over the last several years since Weidl's arrival, and that is a trend the organization would like to see continue. It might be impossible to retain Weidl forever, but each year of his employment is extremely important.
Steelers Could Do Some Personnel Gymnastics To Keep Andy Weidl In Pittsburgh
If Pittsburgh values Weidl as highly as it should, there is a path to keeping him. One potential solution would be for Art Rooney II to step away from his role as team president and pass that title to current general manager Omar Khan, which would in turn create room for Weidl to step in as general manager. It would break from the franchise’s long-standing tradition of the owner also serving as Team President, but it could be a worthwhile shift if the organization is serious about keeping Weidl in Pittsburgh.
Matt Freed / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Omar Khan with Team President and Owner Art Rooney II ahead of a road game in Baltimore during the 2025 season.
That idea could still create issues. The titles of each position might change, but the power dynamic would probably wind up being the same. Weidl will move on eventually, just hopefully not any time in the very near future.
What do you think about Weidl being a top option for Minnesota? Let us know in the comments below!
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