Vikings Take Care of the 1st Major Offseason Item
The Minnesota Vikings finished their 2024 campaign with a pair of losses, but nobody even expected them to be in a position to participate in the postseason tournament. Still, Kevin O’Connell’s unit exceeded expectations and went 14-3 in the regular season.
Vikings Take Care of the 1st Major Offseason Item
Prior to last season, O’Connell was a well-respected coach in the NFL, but he has arrived in the top tier of NFL head coaches in the past year and is the favorite to win the Coach of the Year trophy.
He was such a hot name that Skol Nation had to endure trade speculation and whether the head coach even wanted to stay in the Twin Cities entering the final year of his contract.
Not so fast, say the organization and the head coach. His deal was extended, reports said, and the club confirmed.
Tom Pelissero reported, “The Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport. This was Minnesota’s priority and conversations started immediately after the season. Still only 39, O’Connell isn’t going anywhere.”
The Vikings posted on X: “OUR GUY‼️We’ve agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension with Head Coach Kevin O’Connell.”
On the official team website, Minnesota quoted the owners and the man of the hour.
“Kevin is exactly who we believed him to be when we named him as our head coach – an innovative play caller, an excellent communicator and a strong leader who motivates and connects with his players,” Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf said. “He has helped establish a culture that positions us for sustained success, and he will continue to set the standard we need as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans.”
Zygi Wilf added, “There is no question this team is on the right trajectory under Kevin’s continued leadership. His authenticity, passion and positive energy, along with his impressive understanding of the game, has helped lead to the success we’ve experienced over the past three years and will be foundational blocks on which to build moving forward.”
O’Connell was hired in the 2022 offseason, succeeding Mike Zimmer. He has been the head coach since, earning a reputation as a quarterback whisperer, which will surely come in handy with J.J. McCarthy potentially taking the reins in the upcoming season.
The head coach said, “it is an absolute honor to continue leading the Minnesota Vikings. Holding this prestigious position is something I never take for granted, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Wilf family for their unwavering belief in what we are building together. I also want to thank Leah and our incredible children; their love and support allow me to perform this job at a high level,” O’Connell said. “And none of this would be possible without the dedication of our coaches, players and support staff. I can’t wait to get back to work with all of them as we continue to build upon the high standard we’ve set and the positive environment we’ve created.”
The environment is, indeed, positive. Players and fellow coaches rave about the culture built by the top coach.
In October, Alec Lewis from The Athletic wrote in an article:
“You know the NFLPA report card?” right tackle Brian O’Neill said in August, referring to the player survey that identified the Vikings as one of the most highly regarded teams in the league in terms of working conditions and environment. “(O’Connell) is the report card. He sets the tone for the entire building.”
In recent weeks, there have been some rumors about a potential trade and tension between the organization and O’Connell. He has denied all of that.
All of those things can be set aside now as the team moves forward with its leader. A contract length has not been announced, but he surely won’t leave the franchise anytime soon.
O’Connell has a regular season record of 34-17.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt