The Minnesota Vikings extended Kevin O’Connell because he is a good coach who would have been a hot commodity. Every season we see a significant amount of turnover across the league. Head coaches are fired at breakneck speeds and teams are constantly looking for the next best option..
Kevin O’Connell Can Follow Andy Reid’s Lead
Unfortunately, a greater need exists than available commodities for most organizations, similar to the quarterback conundrum. Only a limited number of coaches generate significant run in the NFL, and it becomes a revolving door to keep churning out new ones. Kevin O’Connell seems like he could be the next great one.
Andy Reid has his Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl yet again. They are favored to win their third in a row. That’s truly astounding, and yes, he has Patrick Mahomes, but there’s a greater reality at play. It’s Reid who knows which buttons to press and what situations to put his talent in.
O’Connell isn’t likely to develop J.J. McCarthy into the second coming of Patrick Mahomes, but he doesn’t have to either. This past season, Vikings fans got to see what Sam Darnold looked like under the eye of O’Connell. It resulted in a 14-win season and an assumed Coach of the Year award.
Even if McCarthy doesn’t step in and immediately churn out a 14-win replica in year one, it should be expected that O’Connell will guide his team and the youngster to a positive result. The reality is that leadership matters at the position, and coaching is much more than what takes place on the whiteboard.
The Vikings would never let O’Connell get away from the organization because he has the makings of a generational leader.
It’s disappointing that the franchise has yet to experience a championship, but if there’s someone who can take them there, it’s definitely the man in charge now.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.