Kevin O’Connell makes clear he wants to remain Vikings head coach

EAGAN, Minn. — Kevin O’Connell made clear Monday that he needs to proceed because the Minnesota Vikings’ head coach, whilst his contract standing has reportedly spurred curiosity from different NFL groups in buying his providers by way of commerce.

“I am probably not interested by form of, I assume I ought to say, addressing the rumors or hypothesis,” O’Connell stated. “What I can let you know is I like this staff. I like all the things about this group. That is the place I wish to be. That is the place I wish to preserve 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 homeowners 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 can be focused for after the 2024 season, if warranted, and the Vikings went on to put up an surprising 14-3 file and qualify for the playoffs.

However till a deal is reached, O’Connell can be on observe to be a training free agent after the 2025 season. Sunday morning, Fox Sports activities reported that a number of NFL groups can be interested by buying O’Connell by way of commerce if the Vikings have been to make him obtainable.

However a number of staff sources stated this weekend that the Wilfs have no real interest in buying and selling O’Connell, and O’Connell’s assertion Monday demonstrated he had no real interest in forcing his approach out. He stated his “sole focus at this level” is discovering a technique to transfer on from Sunday’s 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions and begin laying the inspiration of a win in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams in subsequent Monday’s wild-card playoff recreation at SoFi Stadium.

“[I’m not interested] in any conversations for my part at this level that actually aren’t in regards to the Rams and the duty at hand,” O’Connell stated, “and my private accountability to steer fast enchancment off of yesterday but additionally 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’s one in every of three coaches in NFL historical past, together with Matt LaFleur and George Seifert, to win at the very least 13 video games in two of his first three seasons as a head coach.