It was definitely something that was being talked about towards the end of the 2024 regular season.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, otherwise known as KOC was coming to the end of his contract with the team, and rumors began to spark that the team would either not resign him to an extension, or coach-needy teams would attempt to trade for him, a move the NFL hadn’t seen since 2002 when Jon Gruden was traded from the Oakland Raiders to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Well Vikings fans can put those worries to rest now, yesterday, the team and KOC came to an agreement on a multi-year contract extension linking him to the team for the foreseeable future. The terms of the contract have not been released as of yet, but was the smartest move the Vikings could make as they enter the early part of their offseason.
KOC has been successful during his tenure as Vikings head coach, collecting a 34-17 career record, while also getting the Vikings into the playoffs 2 of his first 3 years as the leader of the franchise. KOC also has brought on the moniker of being a ‘Quarterback Whisperer’ ascending quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, and Sam Darnold into MVP talks, and leading top offenses in the league.
One knock Vikings fans and outside opinions may give to KOC is the teams performances in those playoffs, in the two playoff appearances the Vikings were bounced in the first round, first in 2021 when the Vikings lost to a Giants team that still had Saquon Barkley, and most recently when the Vikings offense (with plays called by O’Connell) were decimated by the Los Angeles Rams and their defense giving up 9 sacks and only scoring 9 points.
With this move, it assures that the Vikings have a culture setting, team building, family orientated Head Coach at the helm, that can hopefully bring home the Super Bowl Trophy that has eluded the Vikings trophy case since 1960.
More questions are to be asked as the Vikings move along in the offseason, like who will be their starting quarterback, and who they can bring in to get the Vikings over the Super Bowl hump. It will be a sigh of relief for Vikings fans knowing now going into his 4th year, that Kevin O’Connell will have the answers.
Photo Credit: ESPN, The NFL, and the Minnesota Vikings
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