Kevin O’Connell Soaking in All He Built
The Minnesota Vikings are clearly a different team, and that’s before taking into account that they have a 14-2 record. They have been a different organization for three years now, and the common denominator is head coach Kevin O’Connell. The culture he continues to build translates to performance on the field. It has reached new heights this season.
Kevin O’Connell Soaking in All He Built
It’s not a coincidence that O’Connell has helped lead a pair of teams to 13 or more wins in his first two seasons. It’s not a surprise that his players love playing for him, and it’s not a surprise that free agents prioritize landing in Minnesota. Kevin O’Connell is different.
That level of difference shows up during every single one of those postgame speeches. How he beams over a locker room, fawns over the men he leads, and empowers the group around him is certainly special. We saw a brief glimpse of him taking that in on Sunday.
If you think you’ve seen that look before, it’s because you have. That’s the look of a proud father or maybe a boss who is just enamored by everything they have helped to put together. O’Connell is only 39 years old, but he’s mature well beyond that. He understands these moments and doesn’t let them pass. He also knows how to summarize them.
A leader like O’Connell is not normal, and it’s definitely not something every team has. Not all teams win because of their coaches. Not every organization has the leadership and culture-building level the Minnesota Vikings have built.
No matter how Week 18 goes against the Detroit Lions, the reality is that they’ll be dialed in and ready for the playoffs. O’Connell will ensure that, and win or lose, he will be prepared to push his team through the ups and downs each week. He continues to preach a 1-0 mantra, and the roster has gotten behind him for the ride.
Many talented players are often worthy of contract extensions. Kevin O’Connell may be worthy of one with no end date, and we should be thankful he’s doing it in Minnesota.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.