The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension with head coach Kevin O’Connell on Tuesday. The deal comes as no surprise, considering the Vikings have made the playoffs in two of O’Connell’s three seasons as head coach.
The team did not disclose terms of the deal.
“Kevin is exactly who we believed him to be when we named him as our head coach — an innovative play caller, an excellent communicator and a strong leader who motivates and connects with his players,” said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf.
Only the Chiefs, Eagles, Bills, Lions and Ravens have won more games than the Vikings since O’Connell 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; O’Connell is tied with sixth other coaches at 34-17.
Additionally, O’Connell, 39, joined George Seifert as just the second head coach since at least 1950 to have multiple 13-win seasons in a three-year span with different starting quarterbacks. Kirk Cousins played well for him in 2022, and Sam Darnold threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns in ‘24.
Throughout this past season, specifically, praise flooded in from all corners of the league. Peyton Manning gushed about O’Connell on Kevin Clark’s podcast. Notable agent Drew Rosenhaus highlighted O’Connell in a conversation with Pat McAfee. Greg Olsen said on the Vikings-Falcons broadcast: “If you’re starting a franchise and you need a great coach, play-caller, QB whisperer — he might be the guy.”
Why extend O’Connell now?
Some questioned whether or not this deal would come together. A few weeks ago, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer mentioned O’Connell as a potential surprise trade candidate. O’Connell responded to the comments saying he was not interested in addressing rumors or speculation. Glazer defended his account, adding that he carefully chose his words: teams were interested in trading for O’Connell, as opposed to Minnesota being interested in trading O’Connell.
The subject of a potential trade emerged because of O’Connell’s contract. He signed a four-year deal with the Vikings upon accepting the job. NFL teams typically refrain from allowing their coaches to enter the final season of their initial agreement without signing an extension. Other teams, like the Miami Dolphins last offseason with Mike McDaniel, extend their coaches well before their contract expires.
Minnesota, conversely, decided to watch the 2024 season play out before making a decision. In August, co-owner Mark Wilf told reporters the team would revisit those discussions after the season. Winning as impressively as the Vikings did throughout the season created leverage for O’Connell. In fact, late in the season, ownership and O’Connell’s agent, Trace Armstrong of Athletes First, were scheduled to meet. The chat was delayed for reasons not related to the subject matter, but it was expected to resume once the season ended.
With busy offseason ahead, what comes next?
Following this extension, Vikings ownership has already approached general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah about a new contract, according to a team source. The Vikings have struggled mightily in the draft, but Adofo-Mensah has smoothed over the team’s salary cap and shown a willingness to operate deftly in free agency.
Soon enough, both men will likely begin work on what is expected to be a busy offseason. The Vikings have a quarterback decision to make — what to do with Sam Darnold, and who they should pair with rookie J.J. McCarthy if Darnold were to land elsewhere — and how to fill a bevy of needs (interior offensive line, interior defensive line, cornerback, running back and more). Winning a playoff game is the next benchmark, but the only accomplishment that will satisfy this fanbase is what they have always coveted: A Super Bowl victory.
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(Photo: Daniel Bartel / Imagn Images)
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