Kevin O’Connell led the Vikings to an improbable 14-3 record this season. Now he is reaping the rewards of his sacrifice and excellent coaching.
What Does This Mean For The Future Of The Vikings?
Kevin O’Connell agreed to a multi-year contract earlier this week. The details of how long O’Connell will be with the Vikings have not been specified. The important question is: who will he be the coach of JJ McCarthy or Sam Darnold? Either way, Kevin O’Connell has shown he can be successful as a head coach.
His first year with Minnesota was in 2022 and they went 13-4. The following year, they took a step back going 7-10. Then followed it up this year winning 14 games. That all adds up to a 34-17 record as coach of the Vikings for O’Connell. The Vikings made the right move extending O’Connell. He proved himself to be a successful head coach, and several teams inquired about signing him.
After the Bears got Ben Johnson, the Vikings figured it would just be best to keep O’Connell, especially since the Bears will likely be competitive next season and the Vikings would need to keep pace. There will certainly be some great head coaches in the division next season. As Ben Johnson joins the Bears, Kevin O’Connell certainly will have his hands full going against the NFC North this upcoming season.
How Far Can This Team Go With O’Connell As Head Coach?
The Vikings had an amazing season which was evident by their 14 wins. The bulk of that success seemed to come from Sam Darnold’s hands. He was an MVP-level quarterback early on in the year before faltering late in the season. Some of the success can also be attributed to Kevin O’Connell’s perseverance after McCarthy got hurt. There were a lot of questions about how O’Connell would handle this situation.
Would he be able to mold Sam Darnold into a confident QB? Will the Vikings be able to recover from the devastating news of losing JJ McCarthy? O’Connell did a fantastic job of refocusing his team and getting them ready to play each game. Darnold’s confidence grew with each passing game and he looked like a different quarterback.
Certainly losing their rookie QB to a season-ending injury in the preseason wasn’t what O’Connell or the Vikings envisioned, but he went with it. They all banded together behind him and forged ahead into the playoffs. He has been in the conversation for Coach Of The Year and it would be well deserved. The Vikings were not expected to contend at all this year, especially after JJ McCarthy got hurt and Sam Darnold had to start.
Based on Darnold’s track record as a quarterback, things didn’t look very promising. O’Connell just buckled down and used the hand he was dealt to propel the Vikings to double-digit wins and a playoff appearance. There certainly is a chance they can go deeper in the playoffs next year if McCarthy lives up to the hype.
Kevin O’Connell Is The Perfect Man For The Job
There certainly is something special about Kevin O’Connell. He was able to lead a team with a struggling QB, in his career so far, to the playoffs. With extending Kevin O’Connell, things will be ripe for JJ McCarthy to succeed in Minnesota. The rookie QB from Michigan comes back after his injury last year with the hope of a successful season. Minnesota has shown they are serious about being a perennial playoff contender, and the extension of head coach Kevin O’Connell proves that.
It will be interesting how O’Connell moves forward with JJ McCarthy likely starting next season. The organization supports the rookie QB by extending his head coach and putting a solid system in place for him.
Read More NFL News From Stadium Rant Here: NFL News
