Vikings Secure Long-Term Vision with Head Coach Extension
Across the NFL, positions are being filled in all areas, including team rosters, management, and coaching staff. Today, the Minnesota Vikings have decided to move forward with their current head coach, Kevin O’Connell. He was set to enter the final year of his contract, but after several discussions, the two parties agreed to a multi-year extension. Extending his contract was one of Minnesota’s top priorities, and they achieved their goal after productive negotiations.
O’Connell was hired before the start of the 2022 season after serving as the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator for the previous two seasons. He has proven to be one of the best head coaches for the Vikings since taking over. With a career record of 34-17, he has already made several playoff appearances. However, the team has exited the playoffs in the Wild Card Round each time. O'Connell has said that he loves being a part of the Vikings and wanted to continue coaching there if possible. It was just a matter of what terms they would work out for his extension.
At the moment, discussions are still ongoing within the club regarding the terms of his contract. There are also talks about extending the Vikings' current general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The team wants to keep this duo together after everything they’ve accomplished. They’ve had two great seasons with this combination, and moving forward, they aim to maintain that success.
He really made things happen this season, especially with starting quarterback Sam Darnold who is going to enter into free agency at the end of the season. O’Connell got a lot out of him and hopefully, for the next quarterback, he will be able to do the same thing. Darnold completed 66.2 percent of his passes, 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The only reason they had him start was because J.J. McCarthy was out due to injury the entire season. O’Connell was the man who got the best of Darnold. That said, this past season, the Vikings went 14-3, earning the second-most wins in the franchise's history. This success is largely thanks to the team's management. Now that the head coach position is settled and the Vikings are set for next season, they can focus on the quarterback position to ensure next season is just as successful as this one.
