As the Minnesota Vikings head into the offseason, signing head coach Kevin O’Connell to a contract extension will be one of the top priorities. Does O’Connell want to remain with the Vikings?
Kevin O’Connell Interested In New Contract
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell on his contract situation:
“I’ve had great dialogue with our ownership… I love being the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. I love our ownership, I have a great relationship with our ownership.” pic.twitter.com/HLPFymcJ5O
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) January 16, 2025
When asked about his interest in a contract extension, O’Connell told reporters he wants to remain in Minnesota.
“I do,” O’Connell said at Thursday’s press conference (via Vikings.com) when asked if he wants to sign a contract extension this offseason. “I’ve had great dialogue with our ownership, and this week in reflection as the season came to an end and anything beyond that, I would prefer to kind of keep those discussions internal.”
O’Connell is entering the final year of his contract, which expires after the 2025 season. Hired in February 2022, O’Connell went 13-4 in his first season, leading the Vikings to the Wild Card Round, where they lost to the New York Giants.
The Vikings failed to qualify for the postseason in 2023 after posting a 7-10 record.
O’Connell bounced back in 2024 with a 14-3 record behind a quarterback resurgence from Sam Darnold.
Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf declined to offer extensions to O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. This reportedly upset O’Connell. On January 5, Fox’s Jay Glazer reported that multiple NFL teams had shown interest in trading for O’Connell amid the contract disputes with the Vikings.
At Thursday’s presser, O’Connell reaffirmed his position about wanting to stay in Minnesota and sign a contract extension.
“What I would say is I love being the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, and with that becomes the fact that I love our Ownership,” O’Connell said. “I have a great relationship with our Ownership and feel so fortunate, not only with just the way they support us and believe in us, but also the impact they have on our players, on our locker room and, ultimately, where we all want to go together. I feel very, very great about that.
Sunday scoopage: surprise candidate on multiple team’s coaching candidates
lists: Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. He has one year remaining on his deal after the season and a few teams have an interest in possibly trying to TRADE for him. @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/TipEYM6FF6— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 5, 2025
Vikings Have Decision To Make On Sam Darnold
The way Kevin O’Connell talks about Sam Darnold here really signals that he’s gone 👀
“I think that can stay with him moving forward… Sam and that journey him and I went on will always be something that’s a special place in my heart.” pic.twitter.com/noQChHpGNh
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) January 14, 2025
While O’Connell will likely remain in Minnesota, Darnold’s future remains uncertain.
Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract last offseason with the Vikings to compete with rookie J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. However, McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury before the season, and Darnold became the starter.
Things finally clicked for Darnold in his seventh season. The Vikings quarterback finished with career-best numbers of 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Darnold led the Vikings to 14 wins.
However, the former USC product saved his two worst games for the end. In a winner-take-all Week 18 game against the Lions, Darnold threw for 166 yards and missed several chances at touchdowns in a 31-9 loss.
In the Wild Card Round, Darnold was sacked nine times and threw one interception in a 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Darnold will now hit free agency, and it is unknown if Minnesota will re-sign him to a new deal.
