Kevin O’Connell’s Minnesota Vikings will have their eyes set on entering the NFL postseason with 15 wins for the second time in franchise history when they take on the Detroit Lions in Week 18. The Vikings are on a nine-game winning streak, with their last defeat coming two months ago against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7.
Despite being on an incredible run, there have been multiple rumors about franchises showing interest in O’Connell. NFL insider Jay Glazer dropped a bomb about the Vikings head coach on Sunday.
NFL Insider’s Surprising Claim About Potential Kevin O’Connell Trade
Minnesota will visit Detroit for the final showdown of the 2024 NFL regular season in Week 18. They are the first teams in NFL history to both have 14+ wins and face off in the regular season. The NFC North title and No. 1 seed in the conference will be on the line at Ford Field. Amid the highly anticipated fixture, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer made a shocking reveal about the Vikings HC during the “Jay Glazer Coaching Carousel” segment.
O’Connell’s name popped up as the surprise candidate of the day, earning extreme reactions from the panel.
“There are multiple teams that actually are considering trying to trade for Kevin O’Connell. And the reason why, next year, the last year of his deal, they’ve had no contract talks yet at all,” Glazer said.
⬇️ @JayGlazer has a look at the potential coaching carousel as we head into the final Sunday, including multiple teams having interest in attempting to trade for Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell pic.twitter.com/s1LyNrWKiS
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 5, 2025
Glazer also explored the franchise’s perspective on the O’Connell situation.
“Look, if you’re a team out there, saying why not take a shot, see if we can do it. Maybe the Vikings don’t let it happen, but also Kevin O’Connell kind of holds all the cards thinking, ‘Hey, maybe I’m not going to re-sign there, so you might as well get something for me.'” he concluded.
Although there are nearly no chances of any kind of trade going through for O’Connell, Glazer believes many teams will give a shot to get the 39-year-old onboard.
O’Connell’s Future With the Vikings
The Vikings are not new to success under O’Connell. In his first season, the Tennessee native led his side to the NFC North title with a 13-4 record. He was having a decent second season, even with multiple injuries, but fell off in the latter half to finish at 7-10.
This season, they are on a roll and will give their all to clinch the NFC North again on Sunday night. It’s shocking that O’Connell hasn’t been extended yet, and a big deal could be coming this offseason. The side might match whatever amount he asks to keep him.
The Vikings owner, Mark Wilf, spoke to The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling about the extensions.
“We’re looking forward to a great future with these guys [Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah]. We look forward to having those conversations with each of them after the season. We have tremendous confidence, and we look forward to their continued leadership of the franchise,” Wilf said.
The Vikings would fancy finishing the regular season on a high. With the form they are in, the Vikings surely have a shot at taking the Super Bowl 59 home. Their goal, right now, would be to win against the Lions and get a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.