There Is Honest-to-Goodness Panic about Kevin O’Connell
** UPDATE: The panic was squashed. O’Connell is expected to be formally named head coach of the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, per Adam Schefter. **
Kevin O’Connell was presumptively tapped to lead the Minnesota Vikings a couple of weeks ago. He was nominated as the face of the post-Mike Zimmer era after Vikings ownership declined to offer the job to University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
And then last weekend, O’Connell’s Los Angeles Rams won a Super Bowl, a good omen for a Super Bowl-less Vikings team to inherit.
But nobody considered Sean McVay – the head coach of the Rams – could retire. Those rumblings dusted up right before the Super Bowl. They didn’t last long as McVay’s people put out a statement, stating McVay is committed to coaching.
However, after the Rams won the Lombardi trophy, McVay is back in a “we’ll see” status.
It’s the Tuesday after the Super Bowl, and the Vikings haven’t announced O’Connell as their guy, leading some folks to panic.
Then, Paul Allen, the radio voice of the Vikings, was reportedly told to “skip” a Thursday event, which would’ve been around the time Minnesota declared O’Connell as the head coach.
This could all be awkward timing for O’Connell, balancing the Super Bowl victory dance with a new job. Or – the panic could be legitimate, especially if Allen’s non-invitation is worthwhile.
An O’Connell back-out would be a true “left at the altar” ordeal for the Vikings – a franchise already acutely accustomed to heartbreak. And that’s on top of the heartbreak of missing out on Harbaugh – who the vast majority of fans rallied behind for five days.
It’s likely all wonky timing, but the Paul Allen quip on the radio raised eyebrows all the way to hairlines.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”955871″ player=”26279″ title=”WATCH%202022%20NFL%20Power%20Rankings” duration=”123″ description=”The 2021 NFL season is in the books and the focus immediately shifts to the offseason. There is going to be plenty of shakeups this spring, especially on the quarterback market, meaning the 2022 NFL power rankings will look very different after each big move.” uploaddate=”2022-02-15″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/955840_s_1644893335463.png” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/955840/955840.m3u8″]
If McVay retired — he is 36 years old — and O’Connell took over the ship in Los Angeles, the Vikings would be forced to hit the interview circuit again, presumably reaching out to Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris or Patrick Graham. He landed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Otherwise, we could experience HarbaughMania all over again. Stranger things have happened.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
Vikings Territory: VikingsTerritory’s 53-Man Roster Projection
You must be logged in to post a comment.