Vikings, O’Connell agree to multiyear extension​on January 22, 2025 at 1:54 am

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell agreed Tuesday on a multiyear contract extension, closing an unusual chapter and locking down one of the NFL’s top young head coaches.

Terms were not immediately available.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported that the Vikings are working on an extension for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Like O’Connell, Adofo-Mensah signed a four-year contract when the Vikings hired him in 2022 and thus has one year remaining on his deal.

O’Connell was displeased after the 2023 season when owners Zygi and Mark Wilf opted against extending his contract, ESPN has reported, at a time when the franchise planned to start over at the quarterback position. Multiple teams were positioning themselves this month to make trade offers if the sides were not able to agree on an extension, as Fox Sports first reported and ESPN later confirmed, given the possibility that O’Connell could always choose to simply work through the expiration of his deal and become a coaching free agent in 2025.

But O’Connell said twice this month that he wanted to remain with the Vikings, and after meeting with the Wilfs last week, he added: “I love our ownership.”

O’Connell was not made available for comment Tuesday. In a statement released by the team, he said in part: “It is an absolute honor to continue leading the Minnesota Vikings. Holding this prestigious position is something I never take for granted, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Wilf family for their unwavering belief in what we are building together.”

O’Connell, 39, joined the Vikings after a two-year stint as the Los Angeles Rams‘ offensive coordinator. He has a record of 34-17 with two playoff appearances and is one of three coaches in NFL history to record multiple 13-win seasons in his first three seasons. The others are the Green Bay Packers‘ Matt LaFleur and the San Francisco 49ers‘ George Seifert.

But while LaFleur and Seifert both had the benefit of a Hall of Fame quarterback, O’Connell won 13 games with Kirk Cousins in 2022 and 14 games with Sam Darnold in 2024. The Vikings will entrust him to develop J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick of last year’s draft, as their long-term starter.

“Kevin is exactly who we believed him to be when we named him as our head coach — an innovative playcaller, an excellent communicator and a strong leader who motivates and connects with his players,” Mark Wilf said in a statement. “He has helped establish a culture that positions us for sustained success, and he will continue to set the standard we need as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans.”