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Vikings interview Browns’ Cook, Pats’ Wolf for GM job

January 20, 2022 GMT

FILE - Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon watches during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, on Oct. 31, 2021, in Detroit. Gannon is more focused on Tom Brady and the Buccaneers than interviewing for head coaching openings. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson, File)

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings completed their first round of general manager interviews Thursday by meeting with Cleveland vice president of player personnel Glenn Cook and New England scouting consultant Eliot Wolf.

Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon also interviewed for head coach.

Wolf and Cook became the seventh and eighth external candidates to interview with the Vikings for the general manager vacancy created when Rick Spielman was fired after 16 seasons with the team. Spielman had the general manager title with full authority over the roster for 10 seasons.

The Vikings are concurrently searching for a head coach after firing Mike Zimmer at the conclusion of his eighth season. The team requested interviews with eight people and has now met with four of those candidates.

Wolf, the son of former Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf, just finished his second season with the Patriots. He spent 14 seasons in various personnel roles with the Packers, but he was passed over for the general manager job there in 2018 when Brian Gutekunst was promoted. Wolf then spent two seasons as Cleveland’s assistant general manager.

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Cook and Wolf worked together with the Browns, where Cook has spent the last six seasons. Cook, who played linebacker in college at Miami, also worked in scouting for Green Bay and Indianapolis.

Gannon finished his first season with the Eagles after three seasons as a defensive backs coach for the Colts. He spent four seasons with the Vikings under Zimmer from 2014-17 as an assistant defensive backs and quality control coach.

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