So, There Is Kevin O’Connell Chatter. 👀
Do you enjoy Kevin O’Connell as the Minnesota Vikings’ head coach? If so, be prepared to experience the man for the long haul.
So, There Is Kevin O’Connell Chatter.
This week, the rumor mill began to chirp about an extension for the young coach, as his current contract expires at the end of the 2025 season — along with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Both men signed four-year deals upon taking over for Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman after the 2021 campaign.
Thanks to tidbits from KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, O’Connell’s extension could arrive sooner rather than later. “I’m telling you, it’s coming,” Wolfson said on SKOR North airwaves this week.
O’Connell’s Vikings have started the season 2-0 — rather unexpectedly — defeating the New York Giants on the road by 22 points to start the 2024 campaign, along with an impressive six-point triumph over the Super Bowl runner-up San Francisco 49ers in Week 2. The time feels hot for a new deal, indeed.
Wolfson added, “It’s just a little weird to me, based on what took place in Miami with Mike McDaniel, that it hasn’t happened yet.”
In August, after comments from Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf, the outcome seemed like O’Connell extension chatter was still a bit far off, as Vikings ownership may have wanted to see the team’s trajectory after this season before taking the plunge.
“We’re focused on the season ahead,” Wilf replied when asked about extensions for Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell a month ago. He also made it abundantly clear that he was happy with the team’s direction.
Wilf said about extensions specifically: “It’s not something we’re talking about at this point.”
Minnesota parted ways with former general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer in January 2022, hiring Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell shortly after. On the tandem’s watch, the Vikings have the NFL’s seventh-best win-loss record at 22-14 (.611).
Reporters also asked O’Connell about an extension soon after the August Wilf comments, and he quickly shot down that discussion. “I’ve took some questions from this group about what I’ve learned since day one on this job, and I can tell you, the one thing is you do not have time, energy, or anything like that to worry about things that are outside of your control,” O’Connell replied. “I’ve got a full-time gig here where I’ve gotta focus on these players, these coaches, and making sure we’re having ourselves the best training camp we’ve ever had here, which will hopefully lead into a successful season.”
Fast forward about six weeks later, and his new deal could hit at any minute.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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