Why Kevin O'Connell's extension with the Vikings was an absolute no-brainer

Last summer, longtime NFL quarterback Colt McCoy was trying to explain what made Kevin OConnell different from other NFL coaches.

As smart as he is with Xs and Os, McCoy said, hes equally as good at legit coaching.

Like, coaching.

What did that coaching mean? How do I bring together all of these players? McCoy said.

How do I get these 25-year-olds and veteran players with families to believe in each other? People think, These are just millionaires.

But no, it can be a team.

Advertisement Shaping them into a team falls on the head coach.

He has to value chemistry, first and foremost, but he also has to be aware and savvy.

McCoys point was that OConnell, whom he had played for years ago in Washington, understood all of this.

Vikings right tackle Brian ONeill summed up OConnells impact on the Vikings sterling grades on last years NFLPA player survey by saying, He is the report card.

He sets the tone for the entire building.

And that is why Tuesdays news was such a foregone conclusion.

The Vikings extended OConnells contract for multiple seasons, securing the coach who won 30 games quicker than any other coach in team history.

GO DEEPER Vikings, HC Kevin O'Connell agree to multi-year extension The list of accomplishments does not end there.

OConnell, 39, is the first Vikings coach to have multiple 13-win seasons.

Both happened within his first three seasons.

By winning 14 games in 2024, OConnell joined George Seifert as the only coach since 1950 to produce two 13-win seasons in three years with two different starting quarterbacks.

Seifert accomplished the feat with Joe Montana and Steve Young; OConnell with Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold.

Only the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens have won more games than the Vikings since OConnell became the head coach in 2022.

In the last two decades, the only coaches to win at a higher clip during their first 51 games are Matt LaFleur, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McVay and Bruce Arians.

None of this was lost on Vikings ownership, which a team source said has also begun discussions with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah about a contract extension.

Reports suggesting teams were intrigued by the idea of trading for OConnell failed to mention Minnesotas utter lack of interest in those conversations.

Ownership waited to watch the 2024 season play out before deciding on OConnells future.

In August, co-owner Mark Wilf told reporters the team would revisit those discussions after the season.

Winning as impressively as the Vikings did made the decision easy.

Your head coach, Kevin O'Connell, on agreeing to terms on a contract extension.

pic.twitter.com/Y2mC3FzjoN Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 21, 2025 Late in the season, ownership and OConnells agent, Trace Armstrong of Athletes First, were scheduled to meet.

The chat was delayed for various reasons unrelated to the contract.

Conversations resumed when the season ended, with OConnell saying last week, Ive had great dialogue with our ownership this week and reflection as the season came to an end.

Advertisement Could the Vikings have mirrored the Miami Dolphins timeline with Mike McDaniel before the 2024 season and extended OConnell then? They could have.

At the time, OConnell and Mike McDaniel had the same record (20-14).

Did the Vikings success this season result in a higher salary and greater influence for OConnell? Almost certainly.

This is what happens when a team projected to hover around .500 makes a push for the No.

1 seed in the NFC, when a maligned young quarterback throws for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.

OConnell also was operating with minimal cap space (due to the immense dead cap hits from Cousins and Danielle Hunter) and a lack of production from recent drafts.

Throughout the season, praise for OConnell flooded in from all corners of the league.

Peyton Manning gushed about OConnell on Kevin Clarks podcast.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus highlighted OConnell in a conversation with Pat McAfee.

Greg Olsen said on the Vikings-Falcons broadcast: If youre starting a franchise and you need a great coach, play-caller, QB whisperer he might be the guy.

GO DEEPER Vikings mailbag: Sam Darnold's trade value, Dallas Turner's future, the O-line and more To comprehend the job he has done in three seasons, you must start in his office.

The lines and shapes drawn on his massive whiteboard reveal the roots of the choreography that comes to life on Sundays.

Move out of the office and youll notice how relaxed the vibe tends to be in the building, a culture reimagined after having soured under former coach Mike Zimmer.

Exit the TCO Performance Center and youll see billboards of Justin Jefferson, who chose to remain in Minnesota due in no small part to the relationship he has built with OConnell.

What would this Vikings team have accomplished if OConnell had not lured defensive coordinator Brian Flores from Pittsburgh? What would the Vikings future look like if OConnell had not spearheaded the scouting process that led to J.J.

McCarthy? Tuesdays news captures all of these leadership elements: the front-facing role he plays with the media and the behind-the-scenes choices he makes with his support staff.

Advertisement This extension does two things.

It confirms ownerships belief in OConnell as a leader and it bets on him being willing to push even further.

Maybe that means re-evaluating a commitment to the run game.

Maybe it means seeking modern developmental practices.

The goal, Wilf reiterated in a statement, is sustained success and the pursuit of a championship for Vikings fans.

OConnells part in that will be as important as anyones, which is why this extension was on top of the Vikings to-do list in what is bound to be another massive offseason.

(Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6079452/2025/01/22/kevin-oconnell-vikings-contract-extension/