Since the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl, there’s been some uncertainty with Kevin O’Connell’s pending head coach hiring with the Minnesota Vikings.
With Sean McVay not committing to his future with the Rams, there’s been some question as to how that could impact the Vikings’ decision to settle on O’Connell.
Well, Vikings fans can rest easy knowing the organization got their guy. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Vikings are set to introduce O’Connell as their next head coach in a press conference on Thursday.
This should put an end to any thoughts that O’Connell could mimic what happened with Josh McDaniels and the Indianapolis Colts in 2018. Of course, that refers to when McDaniels had accepted an offer to become the Colts’ next head coach after the New England Patriots lost Super Bowl LII.
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Kevin O’Connell faces long odds to return to Super Bowl
Instead, O’Connell will take his ring to Minnesota where he hopes to bring the franchise its first Super Bowl. Although, odds are stacked against him in his first season with the whistle, as there have been just five first-year head coaches to reach the league’s final stage in the 56 year Super Bowl history.
While he won a league championship behind a stacked roster with the Rams, even if O’Connell manages to reach the playoffs in his first season in purple, it will be an improvement over the past two seasons up north.
The Vikings are also set to hire Ed Donatell to be the team’s defensive coordinator. Donatell was Vic Fangio’s right-hand man in Denver where he assumed the same role he’ll be in with the Vikings, only now he’ll have much more control without Fangio at the helm.
With all the other head coach vacancies around the NFL already filled, fans in the Twin Cities will finally get their first chance to hear from O’Connell since accepting the Vikings gig. With the hope of competing right away, the pressure will be on to carry over some of the success he enjoyed in LA to Minnesota with Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson as well.
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