On Jan. 10, when the Wilf family made its largest set of changes in its 17 years owning the Vikings, it was linebacker Eric Kendricks who signaled how big of a shift was coming next.
Kendricks' remarks about the Vikings' culture — when the linebacker said, "I don't think a fear-based organization is the way to go" — grabbed headlines and became something of a public bellwether for how the Vikings would replace general manager Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer.
Behind the scenes, the linebacker was part of the leadership group that met with the Wilfs to share what players wanted from the organization. His relationship with the owners had grown through his work on the team's social justice committee and his nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2020. In the early days of the Vikings' search for a new GM and head coach, Kendricks had accumulated enough capital to speak his mind.
