The Minnesota Vikings and head coach Kevin O’Connell agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.
O’Connell, who was hired by Vikings in 2022, was entering the last year of his deal, and after winning 14 games this season, Minnesota decided to lock him down and rightfully so.
“It is an absolute honor to continue leading the Minnesota Vikings,” said O’Connell in press release. “Holding this prestigious position is something I never take for granted, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Wilf family for their unwavering belief in what we are building together. I also want to thank Leah and our incredible children; their love and support allow me to perform this job at a high level. And none of this would be possible without the dedication of our coaches, players and support staff. I can’t wait to get back to work with all of them as we continue to build upon the high standard we’ve set and the positive environment we’ve created.
During the 2024 season, O’Connell led the Vikings to a 14-3 record, the second-most wins in a single season in franchise history, trailing only the 15-win 1998 season. His team posted a nine-game winning streak from Week 9 to Week 17, tying the third-longest win streak in team history.
Under O’Connell’s tutelage, seventh-year QB Sam Darnold became the first QB in NFL history to record 14 wins in his first season with a team since at least 1950 when QB starts began being tracked. He had the best season of his career in 2024, earning his first career Pro Bowl honors.
In 2024, O’Connell(34-17) became the fastest head coach in franchise history to win 30 games, reaching the mark in just 46 games, topping Dennis Green, who hit 30 wins in 48 games.
O’Connell is the first head coach in Vikings history to have multiple 13-win seasons (13 in ‘22, 14 in ‘24), doing so in just three years at the helm. He is only the third head coach in NFL history to achieve multiple 13-win seasons in his first three years as a head coach. Additionally, O’Connell is the second head coach since at least 1950 to have multiple 13-win seasons in a three-year span with different starting quarterbacks, achieving the feat with Kirk Cousins in 2022 and Sam Darnold in 2024
As a first-year head coach in 2022, he guided the Vikings to their first NFC North title since 2017, and a 13-4 record, the most wins by any first-year head coach in franchise history and only the sixth first-year head coach in NFL history to win at least 13 games.
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