Black Monday hasn’t even arrived but within the NFL, and the teaching carousel already contains three present vacancies with extra more likely to comply with, the Ben Johnson and Mike Vrabel variables and Rex Ryan pushing for — after which touchdown — an interview with the Jets.
And one other layer was launched Sunday: a number of groups are excited about making an attempt to commerce for Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, in accordance with Fox Sports activities.
“There’s one candidate out there that’s going to surprise you all, that no one knows is on lists that he is,” Jay Glazer mentioned throughout “Fox NFL Sunday” earlier than a graphic exhibiting a thriller coach modified to point out O’Connell. “… And the rationale why: Subsequent 12 months, the final 12 months of his deal, had no contract talks but in any respect. And look, when you’re a workforce on the market saying, ‘Why not take a shot, see if we can do it.’
“Maybe the Vikings don’t let it happen, but also Kevin O’Connell kinda has the card saying, ‘Hey listen, I’m not gonna re-sign there, so you might as well get something for me.’ Now I don’t know, because obviously, I don’t think Kevin knows about this right now, but there are multiple teams who have them on that board to see, ‘Let’s at least try and see if we can trade for him.’”
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported Saturday that the Vikings plan to begin contract negotiations with O’Connell and basic supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — whose offers each expire following the 2025 season — after the present marketing campaign, with co-owner Mark Wilf telling the outlet that the franchise is “looking forward to a great future with these guys.”
It’d be a surprising transfer given Minnesota’s 14-2 report getting into Week 18 and O’Connell’s 34-16 report within the common season since taking on in 2022.
O’Connell, 39, beforehand served because the Rams’ offensive coordinator and helped them win Tremendous Bowl LVI in February 2022 earlier than taking the Vikings’ job.
He guided them to the playoffs in his first season earlier than falling to the Giants within the wild-card spherical, and Minnesota then missed the playoffs final season after Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles harm sparked a revolving door of quarterbacks the remainder of the 12 months.
This 12 months, O’Connell and the Vikings took one other harm hit when rookie signal-caller J.J. McCarthy tore his meniscus earlier than the common season even started, forcing former Jets castoff Sam Darnold into the beginning lineup and laying the muse for his revival — 4,153 yards and 35 touchdowns — below O’Connell.
“I gotta say, if 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 mentioned on “Fox NFL Sunday” after Glazer’s report. “That would be offensive.”
Earlier this season, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was the topic of commerce rumors — with Professional Soccer Discuss particularly posing the Bears as a vacation spot — amid San Francisco’s struggles, however basic supervisor John Lynch responded to the hypothesis by calling it “rather comical” throughout a radio interview.
