There is a procession marching through the NFL that Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is all too familiar with. The procession’s destination seems so pre-ordained that there is no room for debate or discord. ESPN and all the sports shows have joined the procession, as have sports print journalists and other keen observers of the NFL. And where is this unstoppable force headed? Straight to the NFL offices in New York City to crown Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell the NFL Coach of the Year.
Now, I have nothing against Dan Campbell per se, other than he coaches a division rival of my Vikings in the all-of-a-sudden competitive NFC North Division. I will admit that, like most people, I thought he was kind of a kook for having his team consistently going for it on fourth down in their end of the field. And the multitude of fake punts he has called was reminiscent of a game of “Russian Roulette.” However, anyone who can take his team from a 3-13 record three years ago to their 2024 12-1 record has earned all the respect and platitudes they receive.
What About This Kevin O’Connell Guy
So, how can there be a case for O’Connell to be the recipient of this award? It starts with a look back at how these respective teams played and advanced in the 2023 season. Last season, the Lions went 12-5 in the regular season and made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game, where they were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in overtime.
The Vikings? They were like a rudderless ship bounding on the waves, ready to capsize. They lost their starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, for the season as he suffered a ruptured achilles tendon in Week 8 against the Packers. Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 that would force him out of the lineup for seven games. The running game ground to a halt due to the loss of Dalvin Cook and a leaky offensive line.
And Brian Flores’ defense, which had helped tie down the fort for most of the season, collapsed down the stretch as their weaknesses in the secondary were exploited. The Vikings were one of the most disappointing teams in 2023, considering that O’Connell had led them to a 13-4 record in his rookie coaching season in 2022. Minnesota would end the year 7-10 after losing six out of their last seven games.
Team Responses
Veteran Guard Kevin Zeitler has helped solidify the Lions’ offensive line. Tim Patrick has been a consistent performer at the third receiver position. On defense, Alabama rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold has just started to demonstrate why he was the team’s number one draft choice. Recently acquired defensive end Za’Darius Smith has helped fill the sack void left by the loss of Aidan Hutchinson due to a broken tibia, and fibula suffered in the Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Meanwhile, the Vikings would see the exit of Cousins at the season’s end. Also exiting the team through free agency were edge rushers D.J. Wonnum and All-Pro Danielle Hunter and middle linebacker Jordan Hicks. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell brought in journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold, edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkle, and middle linebacker Blake Cashman to replace these key performers.
2024 Results
Detroit is rolling along with their 12-1 record and is now considered the premier team in the league, along with the Kansas City Chiefs. Quarterback Jared Goff is having an MVP-type season. The two-headed running back combo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery has been unstoppable all season. Meanwhile, Amon-Ra St. Brown has been his usual All-Pro self. And the Lions’ defense continues to be a strength as they rank as the fourth-best overall defense in the NFL.
Minnesota? O’Connell has the team playing at a high-performance level. Darnold has inched his way into the MVP conversation. Aaron Jones has put the muscle back into the Vikings ground game. Jefferson and Jordan Addison are making their case to be recognized as the best-receiving tandem in the game. And Flores and his hard-charging defense have once again exceeded expectations as the NFL’s sixth-ranked defense.
Final Verdict
Both Kevin O’Connell, Dan Campbell, and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin would be worthy recipients of the Coach of the Year award. It would be ideal if O’Connell won that award and Campbell could be recognized as the NFL Coach of the Past Five Years. But since there can only be one winner, I am going to stick with my guy O’Connell. He has transformed a downtrodden team into a Super Bowl contender.
