Vikings Have a “Secret Superstar”
The Minnesota Vikings employ a superstar named Justin Jefferson. Although there is one other name in every offseason folks want to put ahead of Jefferson in the receiver rankings, he is always among the duo in the conversation, and one could make the argument that others always want to beat him, which is why he is the best.
Vikings Have a “Secret Superstar”
He’s the obvious superstar, but who is a secret one? Well, there are some candidates. For one, pass rusher Jonathan Greenard was outstanding in his debut season with the Vikings but missed out on All-Pro honors. His Pro Bowl trip will help him get over it.
But there’s a player who couldn’t even get that accolade. Offensive tackle Brian O’Neill has been phenomenal for the Vikings ever since Rick Spielman pulled the trigger in the 2018 draft to bring the Pitt Panther to the Twin Cities.
PFF’s Bradley Locker has nominated him as Minnesota’s secret superstar.
He wrote, “Blocking for an offense featuring Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and even Sam Darnold might not be as flashy, but it’s still worth recognizing. O’Neill was strong yet again this past year with a 79.3 PFF overall grade. The Pittsburgh product allowed only 26 pressures and four sacks on 699 pass-blocking opportunities, letting up more than two pressures in only three of 18 games (with one being the team’s wild-card loss) compared to six clean sheets. O’Neill ranks ninth among all tackles in wins above replacement over the past two years but is still one of the game’s more underappreciated offensive linemen.”
O’Neill joined the club in 2018 and was expected to be some sort of project, considering his slim stature as an offensive tackle. He started his college career as a tight end but transitioned to right tackle. But he quickly showed that he is a reliable player on the right side, being Minnesota’s top offensive lineman for a long time.
Not only has his play been excellent ever since, but he has also been durable.
In his rookie season, O’Neill couldn’t crack the lineup in time to start in Week 1, but he ended up starting in 11 of the 15 games he appeared in because of teammates’ injuries. Since then, O’Neill has missed one game in 2019 (the Vikings rested most of the starters as they had already clinched a playoff spot), one in 2022, and three last season.
But those two absences in the last two seasons, with a total of four missed games, are why he deserves even more credit. O’Neill chased down a pick-six during the team’s horrendous outing at Lambeau Field in Week 17 of the 2022 season. The result? A partially torn Achilles. In the 2023 offseason, Skol Nation wondered whether he would be ready for the season opener just over eight months after his injury.
He was ready, and he was his old self. Later in the season, he missed a trio of games, but it truly should’ve been four. He suited up in Week 17 versus Green Bay. A win would’ve kept the playoff hopes alive, but the loss practically ended those theories.
O’Neill finished the game with three QB pressures allowed and an average PFF grade. That is not praiseworthy in a vacuum, but it is an outstanding accomplishment with some context. He played that game with a bone fracture in his foot.
In the 2024 campaign, O’Neill suffered a knee injury that initially didn’t look good in the Week 15 contest against the Bears, but he quickly returned and played the following week as well. A concussion sustained against the Rams in the lone postseason matchup knocked him out of that game.
O’Neill went to one Pro Bowl following his 2021 season, but it arguably should’ve been many more. Unfortunately, the voting system is a little flawed, as only three offensive tackles are invited.
In the 2021 offseason, he signed a massive contract extension worth $92.5 million for five seasons. Few players can match his reliability and consistency. He has become a team captain and leader on the offensive line, and it’s good to see that some people recognize his performance.
O’Neill will turn 30 a few days after the season opener in 2025, and he is under contract for two more seasons. There’s no reason to believe he can’t continue to play at a high level.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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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