Sep 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell in the tunnel against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.
Most onlookers believe the 2024 Minnesota Vikings are severely overachieving under head coach Kevin O’Connell.
O’Connell’s team was supposed to win about six or seven games this season, and if it doesn’t lay an egg in Jacksonville this weekend, it might reside in the NFC North with a 7-2 record by Monday morning, November 11th.
Accordingly, the team’s fan base has wondered when the organization will lock up O’Connell for the long haul. On paper, 2025 will be his contract’s final year. And per KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, the organization actively wants to extend O’Connell, though any in-season dealings would’ve occurred by now. It’s evidently a matter for the 2025 calendar.
Wolfson said this week on SKOR North airwaves, “If it was going to happen in-season, it would’ve happened bye week… after starting off 5-0.”
He also stated, “It’s going to happen. I can’t stress enough. This organization thinks the world of Kevin O’Connell.”
It’s also worth noting that O’Connell’s boss, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, will likely be extended early in the 2025 offseason, especially if the club sprints to the postseason as the current trajectory suggests. While some Vikings enthusiasts vociferously complain about Adofo-Mensah’s 2022 draft class and damn near make it part of their personality, the young executive has done a commendable job on the whole.
Under the guidance of Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell, the Vikings have the NFL’s eighth-best win-loss record since the start of 2022.
In September, Wolfson said on SKOR North, “I’m telling you, it’s coming,” regarding O’Connell’s extension.
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. He also made it abundantly clear that he was happy with the team’s direction.
Wilf said about extensions specifically three months ago: “It’s not something we’re talking about at this point.”
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.”
A successful season, indeed, is in motion. And the extension should hit early in 2025.
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.