Kevin O’Connell is in his third year as an NFL head coach, and he is already one of the best in the league. The Minnesota Vikings have now had a 13-game win season in two of his three campaigns with the franchise, and the work the 39-year-old coach has done this year with Sam Darnold is truly remarkable.
O’Connell is a prime candidate for the 2024 Coach of the Year award. NFL analyst Kyle Brandt mentioned during one of the segments on “Good Morning Football” that the Vikings head coach has already sealed the award.
Kyle Brandt Makes Case for Kevin O’Connell as NFL’s Best HC
O’Connell is competing with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell for the award, but Brandt believes the former has done a way better job.
“If I had a vote, which I don’t, KOC is the Coach of the Year,” Brandt said. “Coach of the Year is Kevin O’Connell. You can say Dan Campbell did a great job, too; he had [Jared Goff] coming in, and he was with Goff last year. They kind of had this whole machine, and everyone gives so much credit to his coordinators. Kevin O’Connell, for me, that’s over.”
.@KyleBrandt's vote for Coach of the Year?
Kevin O'Connell. @Vikings | #Skol pic.twitter.com/UeErEVzOS5
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) December 23, 2024
The Vikings are 13-2 and share the joint second-best record in the NFL with the Lions. They still have a chance at winning the NFC North and finishing with the best record in the NFC.
Most importantly, the team’s success has come after the franchise lost Kirk Cousins in the free agency. They drafted J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick to replace Cousins, but he suffered a season-ending injury before the start of the campaign.
O’Connell has brought the best out of Darnold, and the Vikings, who were predicted to miss the playoffs this year, have emerged as one of the best teams in the league. As Brandt said, the Lions were expected to be this good as they had continuity from last season.
The Vikings head coach deserves to win the award over Campbell, and O’Connell could further solidify his case with a win in Week 18 against the Lions.
O’Connell and Vikings Have a Tough Sam Darnold Decision To Make
The Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year, $10 million deal before the start of the 2024 season. He has repaid the franchise with things they would have only dreamt of. In 15 games, the 27-year-old quarterback has thrown for 3,776 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, completing 67.2% of his throws with a passer rating of 105.4.
Darnold is expected to sign a Baker Mayfield-esque (three-year, $100 million) deal in the free agency. However, the Vikings have reportedly not contacted him regarding an extension so far.
O’Connell and the franchise have a tough decision to make regarding Darnold. The quarterback has exceeded expectations and deserves to get paid, but the Vikings already have a first-round quarterback in McCarthy, waiting for his opportunity next year.
READ MORE: Darnold Reveals Feelings on Vikings Future as Contract Questions Come Into Focus
The wise decision might be to let Darnold depart in free agency and roll out with McCarthy. The Vikings also have Daniel Jones on the roster, and they can keep him as their backup plan for much cheaper than Darnold.
Letting Darnold go could backfire on the Vikings, but O’Connell is known for bringing the best out of quarterbacks. He did it with Cousins, then Darnold, and is expected to do the same with the quarterback he handpicked in the draft.
Having a rookie quarterback enables the Vikings to build a better roster, and even if McCarthy doesn’t play as well as Darnold, the defense under Brian Flores could continue to get better and win games for the team. Moreover, if a team has players like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson on offense, the quarterback should eventually figure a way out to play good football.