The Minnesota Vikings had one of their best seasons in franchise history, finishing with a 14-3 record. However, the team faltered in the first round of the playoffs 27-9 to the Los Angeles Rams. This turned the Vikings‘ attention to the offseason, and one of their first orders of business was to extend head coach Kevin O’Connell.
Minnesota Vikings Extend Head Coach Kevin O’Connell
Kevin O’Connell has been the Vikings’ head coach for three seasons now, leading the franchise to the playoffs in two of them. In 2022, O’Connell’s first season, the Vikings won the NFC North with a 13-4 record. However, the team lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs to the New York Giants. 2023 was a rough year for the Minnesota Vikings. Quarterback Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles mid-season, a big factor in the team missing the playoffs. This year, the Vikings saw a regular season resurgence.
The Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Sam Darnold, and drafted quarterback J.J. McCarthy after the conclusion of the 2023 season. With Kirk Cousins tearing his Achilles, the Vikings decided it was time to move on, and let Cousins sign with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. Another reason for this is the faith the front office has in Kevin O’Connell’s ability to coach and develop quarterbacks.
O’Connell’s track record with Quarterbacks
Kevin O’Connell has worked and developed some elite quarterbacks. O’Connell won a Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford, led Kirk Cousins to the best years of his career, and revived the career of Sam Darnold. This was a major factor in the Vikings decision to let Kirk Cousins leave. The organization believed that O’Connell could get the most out of any quarterback that was brought in. He once again proved this to be true.
The revival of Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold was a starter on both the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. He did not see any success with either team, eventually becoming the backup with the San Francisco 49ers. Darnold then signed with the Minnesota Vikings prior to the 2024 season. Due to rookie J.J. McCarthy tearing his MCL in a preseason game, Darnold was named the starter. With Kevin O’Connell, Darnold saw the best season of his career by a long shot. He threw for 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and just 12 interceptions. However, the one knock on Darnold is that he did not perform well in the last two weeks of the season, on the biggest stages.
What lies ahead for the Vikings and O’Connell
The Minnesota Vikings surprised a lot of people by going 14-3 this year. The team has holes that they need to fill, but Minnesota proved that they can contend and beat good teams in the NFL. With Sam Darnold playing poorly in the playoffs, a lot of people expect the Vikings to turn the quarterback position over to J.J. McCarthy. Once again, if the team takes this route, it would be with full confidence in O’Connell and his ability to develop quarterbacks.
Outside of O’Connell, this is still a great team. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores may very well be back next season. The Vikings will need some secondary help as Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy Jr., and Shaquill Griffin are all free agents. However, if they can resign at least two of these players and add some help on the defensive line, this could once again be an elite defense.
Offensively, outside of the quarterback position, there is a lot to like. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson is one of the best in the game, T.J. Hockenson is a top 10 tight end when healthy, and Jordan Addison emerged as a great wide receiver two this season. The main question marks are on the offensive line. Sam Darnold was constantly pressured in the Vikings playoff loss to the Rams. Although Darnold frequently held the ball too long, the offensive line did not do him any favors.
If the Vikings continue to build on this season and improve, coach Kevin O’Connell should see success no matter who is at quarterback. He has shown the ability to improve quarterbacks time and time again, which was a major factor in the franchise’s decision to sign him to a contract extension.
Main Photo: [Mark J. Rebilas] – USA Today Sports
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