EAGAN, Minn. — Kevin O’Connell made clear Monday that he desires to proceed because the Minnesota Vikings‘ head coach, whilst his contract standing has reportedly spurred curiosity from different NFL groups in buying his providers through commerce.
“I’m probably not inquisitive about type of, I suppose I ought to say, addressing the rumors or hypothesis,” O’Connell stated. “What I can let you know is I really like this group. I really like the whole lot about this group. This is the place I need to be. This is the place I need to hold teaching and main.”
O’Connell and normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah every signed four-year contracts once they have been employed inside weeks of one another in 2022. They put collectively a mixed 20-14 file of their first two seasons, however house owners Zygi and Mark Wilf determined in opposition to providing contract extensions to both on the midpoint of their offers. Mark Wilf stated in August that these discussions could be focused for after the 2024 season, if warranted, and the Vikings went on to publish an surprising 14-3 file and qualify for the playoffs.
But till a deal is reached, O’Connell could be on observe to be a training free agent after the 2025 season. Sunday morning, Fox Sports reported that a number of NFL groups could be inquisitive about buying O’Connell through commerce if the Vikings have been to make him out there.
But a number of group sources stated this weekend that the Wilfs have little interest in buying and selling O’Connell, and O’Connell’s assertion Monday demonstrated he had little interest in forcing his manner out. He stated his “sole focus at this level” is discovering a option to transfer on from Sunday’s 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions and begin laying the muse of a win in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams in subsequent Monday’s wild-card playoff sport at SoFi Stadium.
“[I’m not interested] in any conversations in my view at this level that basically aren’t concerning the Rams and the duty at hand,” O’Connell stated, “and my private accountability to guide quick enchancment off of yesterday but in addition capitalizing on the chance to be within the match. [That’s] my sole focus at this level.”
In three seasons in Minnesota, O’Connell has a 34-17 regular-season file, sixth finest within the NFL over that interval. He is certainly one of three coaches in NFL historical past, together with Matt LaFleur and George Seifert, to win not less than 13 video games in two of his first three seasons as a head coach.
