Black Monday hasn’t even arrived yet within the NFL, and the coaching carousel already includes three current vacancies with more prone to follow, the Ben Johnson and Mike Vrabel variables and Rex Ryan pushing for — after which landing — an interview with the Jets.
And one other layer was introduced Sunday: multiple teams are fascinated with attempting to trade for Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, in response to Fox Sports.
“There’s one candidate on the market that’s going to surprise you all, that nobody knows is on lists that he’s,” Jay Glazer said during “Fox NFL Sunday” before a graphic showing a mystery coach modified to indicate O’Connell. “… And the rationale why: Next 12 months, the last 12 months of his deal, had no contract talks yet in any respect. And look, should you’re a team on the market saying, ‘Why not take a shot, see if we will do it.’
“Perhaps the Vikings don’t let it occur, but additionally Kevin O’Connell kinda has the cardboard saying, ‘Hey listen, I’m not gonna re-sign there, so you may as well get something for me.’ Now I don’t know, because obviously, I don’t think Kevin knows about this straight away, but there are multiple teams who’ve them on that board to see, ‘Let’s not less than attempt to see if we will trade for him.’”
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported Saturday that the Vikings plan to begin contract negotiations with O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — whose deals each expire following the 2025 season — after the present campaign, with co-owner Mark Wilf telling the outlet that the franchise is “looking forward to an ideal future with these guys.”
It’d be a shocking move given Minnesota’s 14-2 record entering Week 18 and O’Connell’s 34-16 record within the regular season since taking on in 2022.
O’Connell, 39, previously served because the Rams’ offensive coordinator and helped them win Super Bowl LVI in February 2022 before taking the Vikings’ job.
He guided them to the playoffs in his first season before falling to the Giants within the wild-card round, and Minnesota then missed the playoffs last season after Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles injury sparked a revolving door of quarterbacks the remainder of the 12 months.
This 12 months, O’Connell and the Vikings took one other injury hit when rookie signal-caller J.J. McCarthy tore his meniscus before the regular season even began, forcing former Jets castoff Sam Darnold into the starting lineup and laying the inspiration for his revival — 4,153 yards and 35 touchdowns — under O’Connell.
“I gotta say, should you’re Kevin O’Connell, the success he’s had, you’re surprised they haven’t locked him down,” analyst and former Giants star Michael Strahan said on “Fox NFL Sunday” after Glazer’s report. “That may be offensive.”
Earlier this season, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was the topic of trade rumors — with Pro Football Talk specifically posing the Bears as a destination — amid San Francisco’s struggles, but general manager John Lynch responded to the speculation by calling it “relatively comical” during a radio interview.
