Daniel Jones Just Paid the Vikings a Surprising Compliment
The Minnesota Vikings employed quarterback Daniel Jones less than one year ago for a few months, and that relationship apparently did Jones wonders — according to him.
Indianapolis Colts QB Daniel Jones didn’t hold back this week when asked about his pit stop with the Minnesota Vikings during the 2025 campaign.
Jones went out of his way to compliment the Vikings this week, the latest evidence of Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell’s supreme tutelage.
Don’t Forget about the Vikings’ Treatment, Says Daniel Jones
It’s all smiles from Daniel Jones for the Vikings.
Daniel Jones Credits Vikings for Some of His Journey
O’Connell has stacked a reputation for quarterback development and reclamation — he’s known as a whisperer — and some cynical onlookers even believe that characterization is overblown.
But not Jones. He knows what O’Connell and the Vikings did for his career resurgence.
He told the Fitz and Whit show this week, “I always thought I worked really hard, I tried to work really hard. It was important to me to prepare, watch film, study. I think I did that, but then going to Minnesota I saw how Sam Darnold prepared. How Kevin O’Connell prepared those guys, Josh McCown, Grant Udinski, that crew, and how detailed they were day in and day out.”
“Every little bit of the plan, and how they’re going to study. What they’re looking for, walking through it, quizzing each other in the quarterback room. That made a big impression on me. I was like, this is maybe the next level of some of that stuff. I think Kevin, just how aggressive he was in the playcalling. That made an impression on me, too.”
It doesn’t get much more telling and complimentary than that.
The Latest Installment of Kevin O’Connell University
O’Connell’s reputation is earned. He propelled Kirk Cousins to some of the best ball of his career in 2022 and 2023. When Cousins went down with a torn Achilles, Joshua Dobbs took the world by storm for a couple of weeks, and after that, Nick Mullens even delivered two 400+ yard passing games.
Then, Sam Darnold enrolled in KOCU, revitalizing his career while helping Minnesota achieve a 14-3 record on the back of one of the NFL’s best defenses. This year, Carson Wentz has partaken in a 2-1 win-loss record over the last few weeks.
O’Connell University is a real place. So it makes all the sense in the world that Jones would reflect on it with fond memories.
Jones as an MVP Candidate
How about Jones’ pace? He’s on track for 4,386 passing yards, 27 total touchdowns, and 14 interceptions + fumbles. Jones has the league’s ninth-best MVP odds entering Week 6, notably outpacing quarterback peers like Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels.
The Colts have a 4-1 record, and so long as the bottom doesn’t fall out for Jones personally, he’ll remain in the MVP race, even if Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills might be a shoo-in to win the trophy.
His season is going that well.
Don’t Forget Sam Darnold
On Darnold, he’s in the MVP race, too, and might be the most famous O’Connell University attendee. Darnold has authored some late-game gaffes with the Seattle Seahawks, but on the whole, he’s aided Seattle’s quest for a winning record, sitting at 3-2 right now, the same mark as the Vikings.
Darnold signed a $100.5 million contract over three years during the offseason after he posted over 4,200 passing yards in Minnesota, along with 35 passing touchdowns.
ESPN on Jones
ESPN’s Dan Graziano noted on Jones this week, “Most people I talk to believe Jones can continue to succeed in Shane Steichen’s system if he stays healthy. He had turnover problems early in his career, but less so in later seasons with the Giants.”
“And with RB Jonathan Taylor running the way he’s running, a strong offensive line in front of him and Jones’ own ability to create plays with his legs, there seems to be a belief that the infrastructure around Jones is solid enough to sustain — again, assuming he stays healthy. It does feel a little bit like the 2022 Giants season when they went to the playoffs with Saquon Barkley running wild and Jones gutting out tough, low-scoring wins. Except the Colts aren’t a low-scoring team!”
Jeremy Fowler on the same topic: “What’s becoming clear with these reclamation QBs is that belief and confidence are powerful. Steichen is a skilled playcaller with a deft quarterback touch who happens to believe wholeheartedly in Jones as a player and person. That carries a lot of weight and has helped Jones rebound.”
“In New York, Jones was plagued by overthinking. He’s playing more freely now. The Colts have helped him improve his footwork. And let’s be honest, he’s playing behind one of the best offensive line-tailback combinations in the league. That’s a huge aid to any quarterback. I know the Vikings were bummed to lose Jones — who has ideal size and a ton of tools — in the offseason after his short stint there.”
Minnesota is tentatively in line to receive a 4th-Round compensatory pick for Jones’ free agency exit in March.
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