The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to hire Ryan Pace in an advisory role for the upcoming season, bringing a former NFC North general manager back into the division after his stint in Atlanta.
Pace spent six years as the Chicago Bears’ general manager before he was fired after the 2021 season; during that run the Bears reached the playoffs twice and Pace won executive of the year once. His time in Chicago included high-profile quarterback moves — trading up to draft Mitch Trubisky No. 2 overall in 2018 and later selecting Justin Fields in his final draft as GM.
After leaving Chicago, Pace joined the Atlanta Falcons front office in 2022 and rose to vice president of football operations & player personnel by 2025. The Falcons then overhauled their front office this past off-season, hiring former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan as president of football and promoting Ian Cunningham, a former Bears assistant general manager, to general manager.
The Vikings, who remodeled their own front office this year, appointed an interim GM for the draft before hiring Seahawks executive Nolan Teasley earlier this month. Adding Pace expands that remade personnel group with a front-office executive who knows the NFC North and has recent experience in both scouting and roster administration.
Pace’s track record brings both credentials and questions. He has been recognized for building competitive rosters, yet his Bears-era quarterback decisions — trading up for Trubisky in 2018 and later drafting Fields — left the franchise searching for a settled long-term answer at the position.
The agreement announced by Minnesota gives the club an experienced evaluator and operator; the team has not outlined what specific responsibilities Pace will hold, nor has the organization released a detailed scope for the advisory post. The move does not overwrite the Vikings’ recent hires but places Pace inside a front office already reshaped this month.
For now the immediate consequence is clear: the Vikings will have an additional veteran executive advising their personnel decisions for the upcoming season. What remains unresolved is the extent of his authority — whether Pace will consult on scouting, draft strategy, free agency, or quarterback evaluation — and whether the arrangement is intended as a short-term consultancy or a step toward a more permanent role.
The next concrete milestone will be how Minnesota defines the role publicly and integrates Pace into its decision-making before training camp and the next draft cycle. Until the Vikings specify his remit, Pace’s return to the NFC North will be measured less by his title and more by the access and duties the club entrusts to him.
