View source for Rick Spielman

{{Refimprove|date=December 2007}}
{{Infobox NFL coach
|Color=indigo
|fontcolor=gold
|college=[[Southern Illinois University|Southern Illinois]]
|position=General Manager
|Career Highlights=yes
|coach=yes
|coachingyears=1990-1994<br /><br />1995-1996<br /><br />1997-1999<br /><br />2000-2001<br /><br /><br />2002-2003<br /><br /><br />2004<br /><br />2006-2011<br /><br />2012–present
|coachingteams=[[Detroit Lions]]<br />(College Scout)<br />[[Detroit Lions]]<br />(College & Pro Scout)<br />[[Chicago Bears]]<br />(Director of Pro Personnel)<br />[[Miami Dolphins]]<br />(Vice President of Player Personnel)<br /><br />[[Miami Dolphins]]<br />(Senior Vice President-Football Operations/Player Personnel)<br />[[Miami Dolphins]]<br />(General Manager)<br />[[Minnesota Vikings]]<br />(Vice President of Player Personnel)<br />[[Minnesota Vikings]]<br />(General Manager)
}}
'''Rick Spielman''' is the General Manager of the [[National Football League|NFL]]'s [[Minnesota Vikings]]. He was promoted to General Manager in 2012 after spending 2006–2011 as the team's Vice President of Player Personnel.<ref name="GM">{{cite web|url=http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Vikings-Name-Rick-Spielman-General-Manager/dcd7bdd1-11b1-48c7-82c5-6c2ed09105d1|title=Vikings Name Rick Spielman General Manager|work=vikings.com|date=January 3, 2012|accessdate=January 3, 2012}}</ref> He formerly worked for [[ESPN]] on ''[[NFL Live]]''.

Spielman is a graduate of [[Massillon Washington High School]] located in [[Massillon, Ohio]] and is the older brother of [[Chris Spielman]], the former [[Detroit Lions]] linebacker.

==Playing career==
Spielman played linebacker at Southern Illinois (1983–86), earning 1st-Team All-Gateway Conference honoree as a junior. He was also part of the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA national championship team as a redshirt freshman. Upon entering the NFL, as an undrafted free agent, he was invited to training camp with the San Diego Chargers (1987) and Detroit Lions (1988), but did not make it as a professional football player.<ref name="Vikings Bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.vikings.com/team/staff/rick-spielman/2616f5fa-5818-4289-a4d1-ddb7daf8b07c|title=Rick Spielman Biography|work=vikings.com|date=January 3, 2012|accessdate=January 3, 2012}}</ref>

==Career in scouting==
Spielman began his NFL career as a scout with Detroit in 1990 and worked with the club in college scouting for five seasons before adding pro scouting duties in 1995 and 1996. He moved to Director of Pro Personnel for the Bears from 1997-99 before joining the Dolphins in 2000 as Vice President of Player Personnel. He was promoted in 2002 to Senior Vice President-Football Operations/Player Personnel and eventually General Manager in 2004. Spielman left the Dolphins during the 2005 off-season.

Spielman worked with ESPN as an NFL analyst in 2005, before joining the Minnesota Vikings.<ref name="Vikings Bio"/>

==Minnesota Vikings==
Spielman assumed the Vikings' Vice President of Player Personnel role on May 30, 2006, replacing Fran Foley.<ref name="Hired">{{cite web|url=http://min.scout.com/2/535526.html|title=Vikings Hire Rick Spielman|author=Yotter, Tim|work=scout.com|date=May 30, 2006|accessdate=January 3, 2012}}</ref>

To date, Spielman has overseen six drafts in Minnesota. His most notable draftees include [[Adrian Peterson]] and Sidney Rice in 2007, [[Tyrell Johnson (American football)|Tyrell Johnson]] and [[John Sullivan (American football)|John Sullivan]] in 2008, [[Percy Harvin]] and [[Phil Loadholt]] in 2009, [[Chris Cook (American football)|Chris Cook]] and [[Toby Gerhart]] in 2010, [[Christian Ponder]] and [[Kyle Rudolph]] in 2011, and [[Matt Kalil]], [[Harrison Smith (American football)|Harrison Smith]] and [[Blair Walsh]] in 2012.  The draft aside, Spielman is best known for the offseason moves the Vikings made in 2008, when they signed [[Bernard Berrian]] and [[Madieu Williams]] to contracts and traded a first round and two third round picks to the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] for pro-bowl defensive end, [[Jared Allen]], and finally in 2009 when the Vikings came to terms with long time [[Green Bay Packer]] [[Brett Favre]].

On January 3, 2012, Spielman was promoted to General Manager of the Vikings.

==Personal life==
Spielman is married and has six adopted children. His wife's name is Michele, and his children are Juan, Luis, Ronnie, J.D., Omie and Whitney.

==References==
{{reflist}}

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{{succession box | title=[[Miami Dolphins|Miami Dolphins General Manager]] | before=Vacant| years=2004&ndash;2005| after=[[Randy Mueller]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Minnesota Vikings|Minnesota Vikings Vice President of Player Personnel]] | before=[[Fran Foley]]| years=2006&ndash;2011| after=Vacant}}
{{succession box | title=[[Minnesota Vikings|Minnesota Vikings General Manager]] | before=Vacant| years=2012&ndash;present| after=Incumbent}}
{{s-end}}

{{DolphinsGM}}
{{VikingsGM}}
{{NFLGMs}}

{{Persondata
| NAME              = Spielman, Rick
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American football player
| DATE OF BIRTH     = 1965
| PLACE OF BIRTH    =
| DATE OF DEATH     =
| PLACE OF DEATH    =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spielman, Rick}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Southern Illinois Salukis football players]]
[[Category:Miami Dolphins executives]]
[[Category:Minnesota Vikings executives]]
[[Category:National Football League general managers]]