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This season the Minnesota Vikings enter with heightened expectations. They don’t have to surpass the 14-win total from last year to be a better team. Sam Darnold is gone and it’s not the J.J. McCarthy show.
The NFC North division should be among the best in football. That will allow Minnesota to be tested on a near-weekly basis, and they’ll have an opportunity to parlay that into playoff success.
Minnesota has a roster built to win now, and they have the coaching staff to help get them there. Unfortunately those around the league don’t see the same vision.
Minnesota Vikings coaches showered with praise
It’s no secret that Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores are well-respected among Vikings fans. The tandem has provided more trust in regards to execution and results than virtually any other leader to head up the franchise. The Athletic recently polled league coaches and executives on different topics heading into the season. Not surprisingly they feel the same about Minnesota’s leadership.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was named the fourth-best offensive play caller in football. He trails only Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, and newly installed Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson.
O’Connell staved off Coen in the battle among McVay proteges, which is understandable due to O’Connell’s more extensive track record.
Coen, who is taking over in Jacksonville, received four votes whereas O’Connell checked in with eight. It is a bit curious that Johnson landed 14, despite being saddled with head coaching duties for the first time as a play caller. Obviously Minnesota fans will have a front row seat to how that works out. The Vikings open Week 1 on Monday Night Football against Chicago.
It wasn’t just O’Connell earning praise though. Brian Flores has always been known as a defensive menace, and his 16 votes trailed only Philadelphia Eagles coordinator Vic Fangio as the best defensive play caller in the game.
Flores continued to draw rave reviews for his unique ability to disguise looks, deploy defenders in a variety of ways and simply put offenses through the ringer.
“He’s a pain in the ass to go against,” another head coach said.
This may be Flores’ best opportunity to showcase his stuff yet. Not only does he have a ridiculously talented front seven to work with, but he’ll be showing his abilities with the secondary. The cornerback room is thin, and Jeff Okudah is being asked a lot of. If it works, then Flores is an absolute genius.
Where are the Minnesota Vikings players?
It’s all fine and well that those around the league love the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff. If their impact is going to be felt in the win column though, it will be because of players getting the job done. When looking at the polls about individual talents, virtually all Vikings are nowhere to be found.
Not shockingly the MVP race is comprised of only quarterbacks, and new signal caller J.J. McCarthy doesn’t garner consideration. When asked what quarterback a team would take to start from scratch though, he’s not present either. Somehow Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence, Bo Nix, and Cam Ward all got votes though.
JJ McCarthy just threw one of the most insane TD’s EVER in Vikings camp 😳
People are starting to compare him to Joe Burrow and a young Josh Allen 🔥
The NFL is in DANGER ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/seiIdINsgy
— Cam (@42Cyc) July 23, 2025
When not looking at quarterbacks, four players earned consideration as the best offensive player in the league. Ja’Marr Chase got the vast majority of belief (17 votes) while Saquon Barkley came in second (10 votes). It’s difficult to think that Justin Jefferson (2 votes) really deserved to be that looked over.
On defense, the Vikings had no one worth of consideration for the best player on that side of the ball. Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard pair with Dallas Turner to create an amazing pass rush. Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen are now in tow to push up the middle. Not one of them earned a lick of consideration though.
Related: Everyone’s Favorite New Viking Makes NFL Futures List
It certainly seems like this Minnesota Vikings team is being a bit overlooked. They are unlikely to win more games than last year, and there is a level of uncertainty with a young new quarterback. Doubting them, especially with the leadership in place though, seems foolish at best.
Mentioned in this article: Brian Flores Justin Jefferson Kevin O’Connell
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