The Minnesota Vikings announced the team has agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension with Head Coach Kevin O’Connell.

“Kevin is exactly who we believed him to be when we named him as our head coach – an innovative play caller, an excellent communicator and a strong leader who motivates and connects with his players,” said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. “He has helped establish a culture that positions us for sustained success, and he will continue to set the standard we need as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans.”

O’Connell, who has a 34-17 (.667) regular season record, 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, joining an exclusive group that includes Matt LaFleur and George Seifert. Additionally, O’Connell joined Seifert as just 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 (Seifert won 14 games with Joe Montana in 1990 and Steve Young in 1992).

“There is no question this team is on the right trajectory under Kevin’s continued leadership,” said Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf. “His authenticity, passion and positive energy, along with his impressive understanding of the game, has helped lead to the success we’ve experienced over the past three years and will be foundational blocks on which to build moving forward.”

In 2024, O’Connell 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. Hall of Famer Bud Grant did it in 50 games, Jerry Burns in 51 and Mike Zimmer in 54. Among active head coaches, O’Connell’s .667 winning percentage in his first three regular seasons is tied for fourth with John Harbaugh (2008-10) and Nick Sirianni (2021-23) and trails only LaFleur (.796, 2019-21), Jim Harbaugh (.760, 2011-13) and Sean McVay (.688, 2017-19).

“It is an absolute honor to continue leading the Minnesota Vikings,” said O’Connell. “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.

“To Vikings fans, you are the best in the NFL. There is no greater joy than leading our team in front of you each Sunday and experiencing the home field advantage you create. I’m thrilled for the years ahead and will continue to give you everything I have as we pursue a Super Bowl for the state of Minnesota.”

As a first-year head coach in 2022, Kevin O’Connell 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. Minnesota also finished 11-0 in one-score games in the regular season after going 5-8 in those situations during the 2021 season. The Vikings had seven players earn NFC Player of the Week honors under O’Connell in 2022, the most by a first-year head coach in franchise history.

In 2023, despite navigating the season with four different starting quarterbacks, the Vikings finished the season fifth in the league in passing yards per game (256.4) and were the only team in the league to have three players reach the 900 receiving yard threshold – WR Justin Jefferson (1,074 yards), TE T.J. Hockenson (960) and rookie WR Jordan Addison (911).

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. O’Connell led the Vikings to finish ninth in scoring (25.4 per game) and seventh in passing offense (237.8 per game), en route to the second playoff berth under his guidance. Minnesota was 9-1 in one-possession games in 2024, the second-best mark league wide trailing only the Kansas City Chiefs (11-0). O’Connell, who is 26-9 in one-possession games as a head coach, owns the second-best winning percentage (.743) in NFL history in one-score contests (minimum 25 games). Only Hall of Fame Head Coach Guy Chamberlin (.759, 22-7-7) boasts a better record.

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 while setting new career highs in nearly every passing category and finishing fifth in the NFL in passing yards (4,319), fifth in passing touchdowns (35) and sixth in passer rating (102.5).

WR Justin Jefferson has flourished under O’Connell, gaining two Associated Press First-Team All-Pro nods (2022, 2024) in three seasons. Jefferson was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 after leading the league in both receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809) in 2022, the youngest player in NFL history and first Viking to lead league the lead in both categories.

VIKINGS NAMED AP FIRST-TEAM ALL-PRO UNDER O’CONNELL
Andrew DePaola, LS 2022, 2024
Justin Jefferson, WR 2022, 2024

VIKINGS NAMED AP SECOND-TEAM ALL-PRO UNDER O’CONNELL
Kene Nwangwu, KR 2022
Andrew DePaola, LS 2023
Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB 2024

VIKINGS NAMED TO PRO BOWL UNDER O’CONNELL
Dalvin Cook, RB 2022
Kirk Cousins, QB 2022
Sam Darnold, QB 2024
Andrew DePaola, LS 2022-2024
Jonathan Greenard, OLB 2024
C.J. Ham, FB 2023
T.J. Hockenson, TE 2022
Danielle Hunter, OLB 2022, 2023
Justin Jefferson, WR 2022, 2024
Byron Murphy, CB 2024
Za’Darius Smith, OLB 2022
Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB 2024

(info courtesy of Vikings)

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