The Minnesota Vikings’ success is arguably the biggest surprise of the 2024 NFL season, as they have won 11 of their first 13 games and are challenging the Detroit Lions for the NFC North title and No. 1 overall seed down the stretch.
A huge reason for the Vikings’ success is head coach Kevin O’Connell, who has emerged as one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the league. Let’s examine O’Connell’s contract and 2024 salary and how his deal stacks up to other NFL coaches.
Kevin O’Connell’s Salary and Details
Prior to becoming a coach, O’Connell actually played in the NFL. While playing college football at San Diego State, the quarterback threw for 7,689 yards and 46 touchdowns, both top-five marks in the school’s history.
In the 2008 NFL Draft, O’Connell was drafted No. 94 overall by the New England Patriots. Throughout his NFL career, he had stints with the Detroit Lions, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and San Diego Chargers, largely spending time on practice squads.
In 2015, he transitioned to coaching and joined the Cleveland Browns as their quarterback coach. In 2016, O’Connell joined the San Francisco 49ers on special projects.
He climbed the ladder and was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as their offensive coordinator in 2020. In his time with the Rams, O’Connell won his first Super Bowl in 2022 and earned more than $2 million annually as the team’s OC.
After helping Los Angeles win the Super Bowl, O’Connell was hired by the Vikings as their head coach. As a first-time head coach, O’Connell inked a deal that is estimated to pay him roughly $5 million annually.
O’Connell’s contract with the Vikings runs through the 2025 season, and he’s reportedly expected to receive a lucrative extension that nearly doubles his salary.
MORE: Is Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell Married?
For reference, the NFL’s highest-paid coaches are Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid ($20 million), Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton ($18 million), Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin ($16 million), Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh ($16 million), and Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay ($15 million).
O’Connell’s net worth is estimated to be roughly $5 million as of 2023. While he’s so new to coaching, he did make good money throughout his playing days.
O’Connell has found success during his time with the Vikings as he led the team to a 13–4 record in the 2022 season. The Vikings won the NFC North for the first time since 2017 but were defeated by the New York Giants in the Wild Card Round by a final score of 31–24.
Minnesota currently sits at 11-2 and in second place in the NFC North behind the Lions. O’Connell has emerged as a legitimate candidate for the Coach of the Year award.
The Vikings currently have the NFL’s third-best defense and 10th-best offense in PFN’s Defense+ and Offense+ metrics, and they rank No. 4 in our latest NFL power rankings.