The Minnesota Vikings had a mixed bag of a season in 2024. After first-round selection JJ McCarthy was lost for the season with a meniscus injury in the preseason, quarterback Sam Darnold stepped into the starting job and for most of the year looked like the guy the New York Jets thought they’d get when they drafted him first overall several years ago.
Unfortunately, Darnold completely collapsed in the final two weeks of the Vikings season, resulting in consecutive losses. The first loss cost Minnesota the first overall seed in the NFC and the second one came in the playoff, costing Minnesota its season.
As if the early exit weren’t enough, there are now reports that head coach Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings ownership have a strained relationship.
“There’s tension in the relationship between Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and Minnesota’s ownership, per Jay Glazer and Mike Florio… KOC has been a failure in the Playoffs but he’s definitely a top 10 coach during the regular season… not sure why ownership is playing with fire here, I could see KOC eventually going elsewhere to prove a point about his true value,” reported NFL reported John Frascella.
There’s tension in the relationship between Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and Minnesota’s ownership, per Jay Glazer and Mike Florio… KOC has been a failure in the Playoffs but he’s definitely a top 10 coach during the regular season… not sure why ownership is playing with… pic.twitter.com/v5SEvGRAR9
— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) January 15, 2025
Fans reacted to the report on social media.
“If KOC hits the market there will be 6 teams requesting interviews and all 6 will ask him if he wants the job as soon as he either steps foot in their buildings or as soon as the zoom call opens,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“KOC looked like an amateur the other night. Not punting before halftime. He didnt read the room and know his team was rattled. They handed away a free 7 before half,” another fan added.
“People have no idea of the poverty other teams are dealing with at HC. 14 wins. 14!! He was outcoached by an offensive master with a scary DL. Rams are dangerous when they are healthy. Btw, it takes the Jets 3 seasons to accumulate 14 wins, so I don’t want to hear it,” one fan added.
“This is year three. He had a 14 win team with Darnold. How would you like to be the Raiders and fire Mike shanahan and have him go on to win super bowls with the broncos? Firing KOC this early could end up playing out like that. Even comes from Mike’s coaching tree,” offered someone else.
“The guy had led a team to 14 wins with Sam Darnold at QB. Imagine this guy with a legit QB and don’t say he had Cousins cause he’s not the QB he was a few years back,” another person wrote.
It’ll be interesting to see if O’Connell and the Vikings brass can med their relationship before lines are crossed.
