Dec 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) talks to Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell after the game quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings went to Detroit in Week 18 of last season in a rare playoff-like scenario in the regular season. A win would’ve clinched the division and homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, but the loss dropped them to a wild-card spot.
Another Stunning Turn Added to Recent Vikings Revelation
Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell poses with the Coach of the Year award during Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Right around that time, rumors started to surface about Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota’s brilliant skipper. Apparently, teams wanted to trade for his services, which isn’t too shocking considering he would end up winning Coach of the Year a few weeks later.
Last week, an ESPN article created some waves because it described exactly how Caleb Williams, Chicago’s 2024 first-overall pick and franchise quarterback, actually wanted to go to the Vikes instead.
And now let’s connect the dots. Williams fell in love with O’Connell at a meeting with the Vikings at the 2024 Scouting Combine, so it made sense for the Bears to check if the QB whisperer was available about ten months later.
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson calls a play against Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
BearGogglesOn.com‘s Jordan Campbell had that same theory last week. He wrote, “The Chicago Bears likely wanted to complete an NFC North coup. It had to be known by Ryan Poles’ front office that Williams thought highly of O’Connell. After all, the Bears’ quarterback did say this about the Vikings’ head coach during the season. With that in mind, it seems obvious that the Bears were one of the teams that called the Vikings about O’Connell’s availability this offseason. They might have even preferred O’Connell to Johnson.”
Ultimately, the Bears hired Detroit’s offensive genius Ben Johnson, who was considered the league’s top coaching candidate this cycle. However, we have proof that O’Connell is the real deal, but we have yet to see whether Johnson can make the transition from offensive coordinator, granted, a phenomenal one, to head coach.
Aug 3, 2024; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell reacts during practice at Vikings training camp in Eagan, MN. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Shortly after those rumors about an O’Connell trade appeared, the Vikings finalized a contract extension, and he will captain the ship for years to come.
Campbell added, “The Bears turned over every stone before they were allowed by the NFL to hire Johnson, and had O’Connell actually been available, a trade would have been a worthwhile route considering the quarterback success the Vikings’ head coach has had. However, Johnson is quite the consolation prize.”
Johnson is, indeed, a fantastic hire for an organization that hasn’t hired one of those hotshot candidates in a while. He has been a nightmare for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
O’Connell has a 34-17 record on his regular-season resume, and none of those teams were considered a contending unit, so the elite records in 2022 and 2024 were surprising.
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates running back Aaron Jones’ (33) touchdown run with head coach Kevin O’Connell during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
He has also gotten outstanding play out of Kirk Cousins and even Sam Darnold, who had been considered a low-end starter or backup-level player when he arrived in Minnesota. Josh Dobbs was excellent for a couple of weeks. Nick Mullens recording a pair of games with over 390 passing yards is also noteworthy, although his gunslinging mentality led to a bunch of turnovers.
His teams win football games, his quarterbacks play better than ever before, but perhaps the most significant detail is that he installs a culture that players want to be a part of. The best evidence of that is the NFLPA report cards, as well as every interview with a new free agent signing. He is a valuable asset for the organization, and fans should be aware of the fact that their team employs one of the brightest head coaches in the NFL.
The Vikings will face the Bears in Week 1 of the 2025 season. Williams and O’Connell have played twice; both contests were won by Williams’ favorite coach.
