Andrew Buller-Russ
Being that they’re in different conferences, the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets are not rivals. In fact, if you asked the Vikings head coach and the Jets’ general manager, they’d tell you they’re friends. That’s because, they are.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and Jets GM Darren Mougey were actually roommates together in college at San Diego State. Somehow, they both ended up in the NFL as leaders of an organization. While O’Connell got drafted into the league as the 94th overall selection in the third round back in 2008, he only ever appeared in two games and attempted six passes. As for Mougey, the 6-foot-5 former college wide receiver went undrafted and, despite signing with two different teams, never made it into a regular season NFL game.
Anyway, why are these two leaders and teams being mentioned in the same story now? Coach O’Connell has a lot of praise for the way Mougey, his old friend, is rebuilding the Jets.
Mougey Building the Jets the Right Way
The Jets hired Mougey as their GM in January of 2025. That’s given him nearly two full offseasons to tinker with the roster and try getting the Jets on the right path. Year One was an utter failure, but sometimes, a step backward is needed before one can take two steps forward.
As for the future? Coach O’Connell, who joined the Jets as a player on two separate occasions, believes his old team is on the right track, and it’s all thanks to the leadership structure put in place by Mougey.
According to the New York Post‘s Ryan Dunleavy, coach O’Connell and Mougey have remained in close contact. The two were even texting each other often this offseason, where O’Connell would offer his admiration for Mougey’s decisions.
“Most of the time I was complimenting him on whether it was a great draft they had, or how they handled some of their internal situations there — getting their running back [Breece Hall re-signed]. I just think the plan that he’s had has been really well thought-out. It’s one thing — a lot of teams put the time and the energy in to have as much good planning as you can — but it’s about the execution of those plans. The way Darren has gone about it doesn’t surprise me.”
Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell on Jets’ Darren Mougey
It’s possible those conversations started as something else, such as inquiring about the potential availability of Hall. The Vikings may like their rushing backfield for now, but someone like Hall would provide a long-term solution as Aaron Jones prepares for his age-31 season. Plus, it’s worth noting that the Vikings did add a speedy running back in Demond Claiborne in the sixth round of April’s NFL Draft. Perhaps they had their eye on Hall before Mougey got his contract extension done.
O’Connell added that the Jets didn’t just get their GM hire right. He says fans should remain confident in the Jets’ power structure, including believing that head coach Aaron Glenn is the right man for the job.
“I know there’s not a day Darren shows up to work that he doesn’t feel prepared — and I think that’s proving to be the case. He’s not afraid to make difficult decisions, and I think that’s because it’s in alignment with the process that he has. He’s attempting to execute a vision that he has for that organization. As a former Jet, it’s always good to see the organization in good hands — and they certainly are with Darren and [head coach Aaron Glenn].”
Coach O’Connell on Mougey, continued
After finishing with a 3-14 record in 2025, there’s really nowhere for the Jets to go but up. While Mougey and Glenn are hoping the Jets take flight, it sounds like they have another NFL coach in their corner too.
Related: New York Jets Insider Highlights Former 2nd-Round Pick as QB Trade Target ‘Worth Pursuing’
