When the Minnesota Vikings hired Kevin O’Connell to be the 10th head coach in Minnesota Vikings history (11th if you count one-game interim HC Mike Priefer in 2016), the idea was he would help identify a quarterback and lead them to their first Super Bowl win. Going into year three, we will learn a lot more about O’Connell and his coaching prowess.
Where does O’Connell rank in the pantheon of head coaches? CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin ranked all 32 head coaches and ranked O’Connell 12th in the NFL, one spot behind Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
Few coaches have proven to be cooler characters in their first two years on the job; after infusing optimistic belief in a surprising 13-4 debut that saw Minnesota escape one tight game after another, O’Connell was equally as trustworthy in 2023, when a rash of quarterback injuries didn’t derail the franchise’s morale. His pass-oriented offense is perfect for their young, talented lineup.
When having a conversation about O’Connell, his demeanor and morale is the first thing to discuss. The Vikings always believed they were going to win each game and played like it. Sure, they got smoked a couple of times, what team doesn’t? They continued to fight in each game, including when the chips were down.
O’Connell’s best performance came in the first game after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon. Rookie Jaren Hall got his first start but a concussion took him out on just the second drive. In comes Josh Dobbs, who had been with the team for just five days. O’Connell coached him up through the headset and explained each play so he could run it. That turned into a 31-28 come-from-behind win that was a wake-up call to the NFL world.
O’Connell wasn’t able to continue that success, as the lack of consistency at quarterback ended up taking its toll and the Vikings finished 7-10. They used their high draft slot to move up slightly and select quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick.
If O’Connell is going to rise in the head coach rankings, the success of McCarthy is paramount.
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