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Is Kevin O'Connell a Coach of the Year candidate?
The Vikings are 12-2, have already clinched a playoff spot and Kevin O'Connell is an early favorite for NFL Coach of the Year.
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings are 12-2, have won seven straight and have an inside track to the NFC North Division title.
There hasn’t been a ton of national chatter about the team most of the season, and that’s just fine with them. But there is starting to be some talk about Kevin O’Connell for the NFL’s Coach of the Year Award. He’s a favorite, along with Dan Campbell. Dan Quinn, Andy Reid, Jim Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin are also in the mix.
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Jim Rich talks Vikings with safety Cam Bynum
FOX 9 Sports Director Jim Rich spoke live with Vikings safety Cam Bynum after the team's walkthrough on Wednesday at TCO Performance Center in Eagan.
‘He does a great job empowering players’
What players are saying: Garrett Bradbury, Sam Darnold and Aaron Jones were among players asked about O’Connell and what makes him effective with this team. O’Connell was 13-4 in his first season and won the NFC North, they were 7-10 last year and are 12-2 this year. That’s 32-17, including the playoff loss to the Giants.
Bradbury: "I’m sure KO would tell you he’s not worried about those accolades or anything, that stuff will come. He does a great job empowering the players. Call it positivity, call it whatever you want, but he instills confidence in each position group, in each player. I love playing for him."
Jones: "He brings us together as a family. This is probably the closest team I’ve ever been a part of, and this is my first year here. Just came together, bonded and KO really challenges us but he knows how to bring us together."
The offseason barbecue
Why it matters: Sam Darnold said O’Connell was the chief orchestrator of team events to get the new players to bond. One was a barbecue, where each position group had to make a different food. O’Connell and the coaches were judges. The tight ends won, thanks to a Johnny Mundt ribeye.
"The quarterbacks made some pretty good wings. I didn’t help whatsoever. I was tasting some of the wings, that was about all I did," Darnold said. "Any time you can get to know guys off the field, that really does help on the field."
The inside path to the No. 1 seed
The scenario: The path is pretty simple for the Vikings: Beat the Seahawks, Packers and Lions, and they’re NFC North champions as well as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, getting a first round bye. They clinched a playoff spot before Monday Night Football against the Bears, but if they don’t win the division, they’ll be on the road with a win-heavy record.
What the team is saying: Players are taking a one week at a time mentality. That’s what’s gotten them this far.
C.J. Ham: "This year is special. Guys are truly bought into what we’re doing. The mindset is 1-0 every week. It’s something that we’ve got going."
Bradbury: "No one is unaware of it. It’s in your face, playoff rankings is all everyone sees. While you see that, you acknowledge it, then it’s back to what’s the install this week? You’re not thinking about that while you’re in a Wednesday practice."
Darnold: "Obviously we know what kind of team we have, but we just continue to take it one week at a time. That’s what we’ve done to put ourselves in this position, so we’re just going to continue to do that."
Jones: "It’s a good feeling, but nothing has been done yet. The box of making it to the playoffs has been checked, but we still have more boxes to check before we get to the playoffs. Know what we have here is special and be urgent about it, this doesn’t always come."